CHARLES Sturt University (CSU) is discontinuing its commercial wine production, turning its focus to boutique drops, while returning its commercial vineyards to farmland.
Back in March the university announced its plans to discontinue large-scale wine production and sought expressions of interest to lease its commercial vineyards, which are based in Wagga Wagga and Orange, but no partners have been found.
Last week saw the commencement of the removal of the vines and associated trellis infrastructure at Wagga, while a date has yet to be set at the Orange site.
The six hectare commercial vineyard in Wagga comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Muscat plantings, while the commercial vineyard in Orange was 12.5 hectares and included plantings of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc.
CSU's experimental winery at the National Wine and Grape Industry Research Centre (NWGIC) will be maintained and used for research and teaching.
CSU executive director of finance Paul Dowler said the intent was to return the vineyards to farmland to be used for grazing.
"In the case of the land at Wagga, it is in a zone we regard as conditional research so we'll hand that back and it will then be available for grazing and for the school of agriculture and wine science and they can use it for other activities and their research programs.
"We've got a commercial farm that operates from the Orange campus and these grazing paddocks can be used by the farm.
"We will ensure that the land is restored and sown down to pasture to ensure it blends into the landscape and supports the farming activities that will continue.
"The two vineyards combined were less than 20 hectares (of vines), so it's not a big change as far as the industry is concerned."
Mr Dowler said students would be unaffected by the change, with viticulture students in Wagga having access to the experimental winery, which is capable of producing about 1500 tonnes.
Red and white grape varieties were being considered to grow in the experimental vineyard.
In addition to retaining the experimental vineyard for teaching and research, seven rows of vines in the commercial vineyard, or approximately 0.4 of a hectare, would be managed as part of the experimental vineyard and kept for the research project, practical management of grapevine trunk diseases.
Mr Dowler said the decision to remove the commercial vineyard was due market conditions.
"The vineyard is considered as having been a commercial activity yet we are unable, in the current market in which we operate, to make ends meet."
The new direction of the university would see it focus on boutique and niche wines to showcase "the best the university can do in teaching and research, rather than try and compete on a volume basis through commercial channels", Mr Dowler said.
CSU will soon sell vineyard equipment which is no longer required such as sprayers, harvester and tractors.
Kim Chappell
Editor of Farming Small Areas.
Editor of Farming Small Areas.
