2017-22 STRATEGIC PLAN
A. BACKGROUND TO PLAN
Outline the process behind developing this plan, how the priorities were arrived at and who was consulted. Also include proposed benefits to the region. Section A can be updated annually if required (500 words max).
Regional Research and Priority Setting meeting – Coonawarra December 2016
Present: Sue Bell, Chris Brodie, Daniela Conesa (SENRM), Sarah Pidgeon, Anna Hooper, James Freckleton, Ben Harris, Sue Hodder, Pete Bissell, Uli Grey Smith, Kerry DeGaris, Sally McLeod, Allen Jenkins.
Executive Summary
Overview statement of the region: The LCGWC is peak body representing the regions and vineyards of the Limestone Coast. Namely Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, Mt Benson, Robe, Mt Gambier and Other vineyards within the Zone. Current statistics indicate a total of 15,930 hectares of wine grapes are planted within the Limestone coast zone sourced from 305 growers (SA Wine Grape Crush, 2016). Predominant varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon (43%), Shiraz (23%) and Chardonnay (11%).
Regional Scan – Group discussion
1 New Edge (radical, out there, experimental)
1a Eliminating use of glyphosate
1b Aerial imagery for monitoring eg. soil moisture, plant physiological measures
1c Perceptions rule – rather than science
1d Natural Wine
1e Biodynamics
1f Bioenergy
2 Emerging trends (gaining traction, more people trying)
2a Heat spikes
2b Lobby against alcohol – health
2c Political swing to the right – shift to the extremes
2d Wine has to be fun
2e Public know less about the regions
2f Boutique alcohol captures interest of young people eg. cider/gin/craft beer
2g Adapting to climate change
2h Internet wine sales
2i Increased cost of production – eg. food miles, freight, power, labour
2j Customers want to know more about provenance, sustainability
2k Changing tourism – people in vineyards, nature based, experiences
2l Biosecurity – risk increasing for potential incursion
2m More new people coming into the wine sphere
2n Centralisation of government
2o Chinese investment in Agriculture
3 Established norm (commonplace, normal)
3a Alcohol free months (feast/famine)
3b We have to fight with our government to protect our industry and region
3c Competing with more wine regions
3d Undervine herbicide
3e Medium-moderate alcohol wine
3f Quality practices and quality wine – under pressure to reduce
3g Competing for peoples disposable dollar – greater competition
3h Supermarket duopoly – rise of their ‘own’ labels
3i Drinking culture
3j More reliance on irrigation
3k Warming climate
3l Reduced profitability for wine businesses
3m Dining culture
3n Wine discounting
3o Red wine and cabernet region
4 Dying practices
4a Resources available for R & D (loss of capacity)
4b Cellaring wine
4c Wine critics
4d Home ownership
4e People buying lots of wine at once
4f Brand loyalty
4g Buying at recommended prices.
B. ISSUES FOR THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 3–5 YEARS
List in order of importance the highest priority issues for the region over the next 3-5 years. This can be a mix of issues relating to research and development, extension, adoption, etc. Section B can be updated annually if required (500 words max).
Opportunities for LSC in next 5 years (Ranked)
Improved marketing of the LSC region
Improved irrigation efficiency using new technologies (eg. thermography)
Improved selection of varieties/rootstocks/clones
Better understanding of the role of climate change on LSC grape growing
Increased emphasis on environmental credentials
Reduced energy use
Rapid Yield estimation
Changing pruning practices
Quality quantification
Challenges for next 5 years
Maintenance of a healthy groundwater resource (irrigation efficiency, iron bacteria, salinity, fracking)
Vine decline associated with eutypa
Climatic variances (heat spikes, increased frost incidence)
Marketing region (dominance of larger companies, branding, reputation of mass production)
Economic factors (eg. increased costs)
Adoption of alternative varieties
Lack of rootstock adoption
Biosecurity
Innovation adoption
Winehealth lobby
Environmental targets (achieving)
Survey results summary:
Challenges faced in the past year (ranked):
1 Irrigation efficiency (includes iron bacteria)
2 Eutypa/Trunk disease
3 Yield estimation
4 Quality improvement (includes nutrition)
5 Rootstock/Clone selection
6 Climate Change (vintage compression)
7 Marketing of the LSC
8 Snails/Earwigs
9 Spray Application – low volumes/vineyard inaccessibility
10 CCA post disposal
11 BSN/berry shrivel
12 Botrytis
13 Organic weed control
14 Lower alcohol wines
15 Reducing reductive characteristics
16 Virus impacts
C. EXTENSION AND ADOPTION PRIORITIES FOR THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
List in order of importance the highest extension and adoption priorities for the region over the next 12 months. Section C can be updated annually (500 words max).
- Water – Looking after the resource, catchment health
- Irrigation – increased costs, flavour impacts, reliance on more irrigation
- Psychology of grape growing – needing to change, focus on renewal, constant change vs. permanency
- Yields – better/ more efficient ways to map yields.
- Environmental credentials – marketing/tourism, consumer focus
- Disposal of CCA posts
- Regional identity – lack of, how we describe it and how to get others to recognise it. What makes the LSC unique and what do we want to protect. How is the LSC positioned to tap into a changing consumer market – how do we tap into this. Needs to be unique and real for us
- Adapting to climate change – getting ready (understanding what we need to do), learning more and local relevance, making changes or getting ready to make the changes, long term plan. Grape variety characteristics. Eutypa. Decision making – what is available to us
- Quality & price – getting what the grapes/wine are worth. Mass production image