WIC Winemaking Services

About Us

WIC Winemaking Services opened for business in January 2010 and is a joint venture between The Australian Wine Research Institute and the University of Adelaide. Based at the Hickinbotham-Roseworthy Wine Science Laboratory (also known as Wine Innovation Cluster East [WIC East]) on the Waite Campus, it shares the University’s purpose-built small- and pilot-scale winemaking facility. This service has been set up to provide consistent small- and pilot-scale quality wines for research and commercial projects to aid the Australian wine industry.

Managed by our qualified winemaker, Gemma West, the service offers an opportunity to outsource R&D projects for viticulture, winemaking or processing treatments. A small amount of contract winemaking of less than one tonne is also offered.

Winemaking

With fully qualified winemaking staff and dedicated facilities, you can be assured of world’s best practice in winemaking trials. Previous experience in small-scale and commercial winemaking and project management, combined with the ability to draw on the expertise of key personnel in the WIC partnership, ensures that trials are professionally managed with a high degree of rigour.

Trials are individually tailored to suit your requirements and a variety of design options are available depending on the results required, from a rapid difference evaluation to industrially robust or statistically significant results. Routine juice and wine analysis is included for all wines and fermentation data and real-time temperature data-logging information are also available. Long-term trials are easily accommodated with several temperature controlled facilities.

Previous clients have used our services for process development, new product development, competitor benchmarking and independent proof-of-performance testing. All intellectual property developed remains the property of our clients and all projects are conducted under strict confidentiality. 

Facilities

Purpose-built facilities and equipment at WIC East enable management of the entire winemaking process from fruit receival through to bottling. Our range of equipment includes:

Small-scale

Small-scale crusher/de-stemmer
Diemme 130 L membrane press

50 x 20 L white fermenters
50 x 25 L white fermenters
50 x 50 kg open red fermenters

Pilot-scale

20 tonne/hour de-stemmer/crusher
Willmes two tonne membrane press

8 x 100 L fully controlled white or red fermenters with automatic cap stirring
12 x 500 L white fermenters
6 x 800 kg potter fermenters with dedicated pump-over systems
6 x 800 kg open fermenters with hydraulic plunging system
12 x 800 kg rotary fermenters

Most fermenters are equipped with real-time temperature data logging.

Bottling

Small-scale pad and sterile filter
Pilot-scale pad filter
Cuno cartridge filter
Manually-operated small-scale bottling line
Screw capper
Corker
 
Trials requiring long term storage are easily accommodated with a range of cool rooms, barrel storage room, bottled wine cellar and an analytical laboratory with capabilities for routine wine analyses. High-end analysis can also be accommodated through the AWRI Commercial Services laboratory.

Location

Click here for Waite campus map

Hickinbotham-Roseworthy Wine Science Laboratory (WIC East)
University of Adelaide Waite Campus
Gate 2d Hartley Grove
Urrbrae SA 5064

Map Reference: G6

Contact us

For more information, please phone (08) 8313 6600 or email WICWinemakingServices@awri.com.au