Author Archives: Happy Wine Woman

Halliday magazine: Napa Valley

Caymus-Suisun Cellar Door. Image: © Simone Madden-Grey So glad to see this in print! I first wrote this pre-pandemic and then revised it after visiting Napa recently. I had a wonderful time exploring what is fast becoming a regular stop for me when I visit the US. Click here to see my recommendations, including aContinue reading “Halliday magazine: Napa Valley”

Grapegrower and Winemaker: Synthetic Biology – regulatory frameworks

Image: Australian and New Zealand Winemaker and Grapegrower April 2023 This is the second in a series of four articles for Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker magazine. After looking at the definition of Synthetic Biology, I turn to the regulatory framework governing biotechnology application in Australia and in the EU. I also considerContinue reading “Grapegrower and Winemaker: Synthetic Biology – regulatory frameworks”

Grapegrower and Winemaker: Fungicide Resistance

Field sample collection for rapid testing. Image credit: Lincoln Harper, Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University Botrytis, powdery mildew and downy mildew cost the wine industry more than $200 million dollars each year according to Wine Australia estimates. In this article I look at two techniques for managing pathogen populations in the vineyard.Continue reading “Grapegrower and Winemaker: Fungicide Resistance”

Wine For Normal People: Australia’s Alternative Varieties

After something of a hiatus I return to WFNP to discuss the alternative grape varieties being used in Australia. Elizabeth and I discuss varieties, regions, producers, the ongoing trade disputes with Italy regarding Prosecco and Nero d’Avola, and much more. It’s just the tip of a wonderfully diverse and drinkable vinous iceberg. If you wantContinue reading “Wine For Normal People: Australia’s Alternative Varieties”

Synthetic Biology – could it benefit the wine industry?

This is the first in a series of four articles looking at Synthetic Biology. First up, I look at how Synthetic Biology is defined. The science of Synthetic Biology has continued to evolve in recent years, much like the definition itself. Collaborative and interdisciplinary, Synthetic Biology draws on mathematical and computational, biomolecular, chemical and physicalContinue reading “Synthetic Biology – could it benefit the wine industry?”

Grapegrower and Winemaker: Data standards in vineyard technology

Shutterstock image provided courtesy of Map of Agriculture Group. Advances in viti-specific technology have demonstrable gains for the wine industry that include increased operational efficiencies, quality data for research and biosecurity, and improved certification and credential management. Digital and geospatial mapping is the foundation upon which much of this technology is built in preparation forContinue reading “Grapegrower and Winemaker: Data standards in vineyard technology”

Halliday Wine Companion Magazine: Technology and Tradition

Croptide sensors at Stoneleigh Vineyard, Marlborough, New Zealand. Credit: Pernod Ricard Winemakers. Bringing technology and tradition together in perfect harmony hits the right note for the future of wine. From smart watches for vines to self-driving tractors, technology is helping producers improve their green credentials while focusing on what they do best – creating aContinue reading “Halliday Wine Companion Magazine: Technology and Tradition”

Wine Industry Advisor: New Zealand tech on show

Image: Oxin Smart Machine Technology is offering many ways to streamline winery and vineyard operations, address labour pressures and reduce the impact of production on the environment. In my next article for Wine Industry Advisor I look at three inventions from New Zealand that are making a difference. Click here to read.

Wine Industry Advisor: Greenhouse Gas Calculator

Image supplied by Meridian Institute on behalf of IWCA. Credit: open license photo by Ben Goode sourced via Canva. In my first article with Wine Industry Advisor I take a look at how a greenhouse gas calculator developed in the USA has been adapted for the specific emissions factors in New Zealand and Australia. ClickContinue reading “Wine Industry Advisor: Greenhouse Gas Calculator”