Adelaide, Australia: Home of the Australian Wine Innovation Cluster

Australian Wine Regions (green)

With South Australia producing such a large proportion of Australia’s wine output, Adelaides centrality to all Australian wine regions and the wine innovation cluster is ideally located to service industry needs at only 6km from the city.  As you can see in the photo to the right, Adelaide is surrounded by many wine regions which are scattered predominately throughout Southern Australia.

The cluster itself brings together five leading research agencies that address the needs of the grape and wine sector in Australia. These firms and institutions are major contributors behind the Australian wine sector and have constantly contributed research and innovation. Although these firms, agencies and institutions are inependent, they have a unique “synergy” which brings them together:

“it is in the cluster mode that the synergies appear: the boundaries can quickly disappear and focus the combined capabilities of the partners on any problem in any part of the industry value chain”

The 5 major partners in the Australian Wine Innovation Cluster are:

1) The Australian Wine Institute:
AWRI has contributed development and research and integrated solutions for the wine sector in Australia for more then 50 years. Studies include biochemistry, organix and analytical chemistry, chemical engineering and fermentation management.

2) CSRIO  Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Organization:
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization located in Adelaide. CSRIO contributes to improving the production, processing and marketing of grapes and grape production. Research includes: improving wine, dried rootstock and grape varieties and improving characteristics such as disease control.

3) Provisor Property Incorporated
Provisor is a resource provider for research and development, technical consulting and contract research and  development. The company specializes in area of product development, efficient manufacturing, pilot scale winemaking services and environmental management. The company’s major clients include research  agencies, wine companies, grape growers and grape suppliers.

4) SARDI: South Australia Research and Development Institute
Delivers the innovation to enhance the food, fibre and bioscience industries and living environmental systems. Their mission is to meet specific industry priorities, increase productivity and economic de- velopment performance, pursue innovation in environmental industries, attract investment and develop  infrastructure.

5) The University of Adelaide
Established in 1874, the University is ranked in the top 1% in the world in 11 research fields. The schools is world renown for its studies in agriculture, food and wine. Major research is on topics such as viticulture, horticulture, wine science, biometrics, grapevine physiology and microbial biotechnology.