As vintage gets underway around Australia, many growers are now counting the cost of the recent bushfires and many are trying to determine the impact of smoke on wine quality.

“With news of more detections of phylloxera inside the current Maroondah Phylloxera Infested Zone and also outside in the south-east corner of the Yarra Valley in a Phylloxera Risk Zone, I urge you all to reassess your practices to ensure you are biosecure,” said Inca Lee, CEO of Vinehealth Australia.

As people move around vineyards taking samples, it’s important to remember farm-gate hygiene.

“Consider your route of travel – move from a Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ) to a Phylloxera Risk Zone (PRZ) to a Phylloxera Infested Zone (PIZ) – your vehicle, your tools, your footwear, your clothing and, of course, the grape samples. See the article below which guides you through biosecurity activities when sampling,” she said.

“We have many other resources available to help you manage farm-gate hygiene. Click here to see our Vintage Toolkit which includes our top ten tips poster, the footwear disinfestation protocol and other handy fact sheets.”

Vinehealth Australia recommend getting in contact if you need advice about managing biosecurity risks when sampling on (08) 8273 0550.

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