Wine Literature of the World

Technical Innovation

South Australia has been the setting for a great number of innovations in the wine industry.

Australia's first oenology course was established at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1897 under Prof. Arthur James Perkins. In 1936 under Dr. Allan Callaghan the Diploma of Oenology was introduced and later converted to a degree course in 1978 under Dr. Bryce Rankine. Now part of the University of Adelaide and providing a Graduate Diploma in wine and an Associate Diploma in wine marketing, the College is the premier Australian education institution for oenology and viticulture.

Roseworthy Agricultural College

Arthur Perkins Arthur Perkins (1871-1944), was the driving force behind the introduction of oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College. A graduate of the viticulture school at Montpellier in France (1890), he was appointed State Viticulturist and lecturer in viticulture in 1892 and Professor of Viticulture in 1895. He went on to develop Roseworthy's vineyards and winery for teaching purposes. Perkins' letters were published by Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1982 as The personal letterbooks of Professor A.J. Perkins, edited by Jeff Daniels. The State Library's Archival Collection holds his papers as the Government Viticulturist.

The pioneer lecturer in the Diploma of Oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College was John Fornachon (1905-68). This South Australian microbiologist had an enormous influence on the quality of Australian winemaking. As well as numerous technical journal articles his writings included the seminal Bacterial spoilage of fortified wines (1943) and Studies on the sherry flor (1953). The influence of these helped to establish applied biology as an important technical resource in Australian wineries.

Fornachon went on to be Founding Director of the Australian Wine Research Institute and a judge of many wine shows including the Adelaide Wine Show from 1951 to 1967. The John Fornachon Memorial Library at the Australian Wine Research Institute is a tribute to him.

Oenological research such as that of John Fornachon led to the formation of the Australian Wine Research Institute at Urrbrae in 1955. Its purpose is to conduct and promote research in the areas of winemaking and wine-grape growing, so providing technical assistance to the Australian wine industry.

One of the most eminent oenologists is Bryce Rankine (1925—), a scientist, educator and wine judge with many years of practical experience in the wine industry. As well as numerous technical journal articles, he has many books to his credit, including Wines and wineries of the Barossa Valley (1971), Making good wine: a manual of winemaking practice for Australia and New Zealand (1989), Tasting and enjoying wine: a guide to wine evaluation for Australia and New Zealand (1990) and Evolution of the modern Australian wine industry (1996). He was awarded the Maurice O'Shea Award in 1998 for his services to the wine industry.