GEOCHEMISTRY OF VINEYARD SOILS - ADELAIDE PLAINS / WILLUNGA BASIN

Mid-conference Full-day field trip (16 October 2024)

Geochemistry of Vineyard Soils on the Adelaide Plains and Willunga Basin, SA

This vineyard field soil tour will relate the soil geochemistry in vineyards by exploring the region through the lens of vineyards planted and wine making on the Adelaide plains (1992 Coombe vineyard, Waite Campus) and Willunga Basin (1897 Slate Creek vineyard in Willunga) to highlight and explain:

· The genesis of sharp boundaries between red and/or calcareous horizons

· Grape production and soil carbon sequestration

· Irrigation water salinity

· Na and Cl concentrations in berry juice of vines

· Wine quality (Na and Cl are below international maximum allowable limits) by wine tasting at the Chalk Hill Wines, Cellar Door: Chalk Hill Wines

Besides learning about the soils’ geochemistry, delegates will have a chance to taste and purchase some great wines from two of the region’s best known vineyards, Chalk Hill Wines (McLaren Vale) and Slate Creek Vineyard (Willunga). You will also learn more about the age old debate about how important (or not) the soil (or, as the French would say, the ‘terroir’) is for making a great wine.

Rob Fitzpatrick (CSIRO) will be the guide for the day.

Tour Assembles: 8:45am Adelaide Convention Centre

Returns: 5:45pm (approx)

Cost: $200 delegate; $100 student (Please note, there are a limited number of places available, so book early).

Field Trip Includes: Bus transportation, talks from the wine makers and tours of vineyard soils, wine tasting, morning tea and lunch, and field guide notes.

What to bring: You'll need to be wearing sturdy shoes for tours at field sites, and you also need to bring a hat, sun-cream, and have a drink bottle.

Climate: During spring, rainfall is rare and daytime temperatures are typically 17-30ºC (60s-80s degrees F).

8:45am	Depart Adelaide Convention Centre
9am - 10:30am	Stop 1: Arboretum and Coombe vineyard, Waite Campus. Demonstrate and discuss terroir (geology, soil-landscape and climate properties) and vineyard management (with focus on the impact of the removal of pruned vine biomass to soil carbon and nutrients) on wine quality/production. Rob Fitzpatrick (soils) with Viticulturalists and Wine makers from University of Adelaide (Ben Pike and Prof Cassandra Collins)
12pm - 1pm	Stop 2: Slate Creek Vineyard: Corner: Little Road and Main Road, Willunga This famous vineyard dates back to 1897 when the first Grenache grapes were planted, and these vines still produce fruit today (owner/manager Chalk Hill Wines): https://www.aloeus.com/chalk-hill-wines-slate-creek-vineyard-willunga/ Demonstrate and discuss terroir and vineyard management (with focus on the impact from Irrigation water salinity on the Na and Cl concentrations in berry juice) on wine quality/production. Rob Fitzpatrick (soils) with Viticulturalists and Wine makers from Chalk Hill Wines (John and Jock Harvey & other workers)
1:15pm - 2:15pm	Stop 3: Almond orchard adjacent to Slate Creek Armond orchard showing “non-irrigated land” (498 Colville Road, Willunga South, 5017) owner Tim Parkinson. Rob Fitzpatrick (soils) with Armond grower and property owner Tim Parkinson
2:30pm - 3pm	Stop 4: Willunga Slate Museum (National Trust) https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/willunga-slate-museum/. 61 High Street, Willunga, 5172 Slate formation, discovery in the hills behind Willunga and the development of the slate extraction industry to the present day.
3:30pm - 4:30pm	Stop 5: Chalk Hill Wines, Cellar Door: 56 Field St, McLaren Vale SA 5171 – to taste and/or purchase award winning wines before returning to Adelaide. Visit us - Chalk Hill (chalkhillwines.com.au)Talk and discussion with viticulturalists and wine makers with wine tasting at Chalk Hill Wines, cellar door
5:30pm - 5:45pm	Return to Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace car park

Any questions, please feel free to contact Rob Fitzpatrick:

Ph: 0408 824 215

E: robert.fitzpatrick@adelaide.edu.au or rob.fitzpatrick@csiro.au

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INTERNATIONAL APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY SYMPOSIUM