A visiting French researcher is seeking further support from Australia’s wine producers and marketers for a survey that aims to determine the impact alternative varieties has on industry relationships.

Mathilde Quintin arrived in Australia this month to conduct research at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre as an intern.

The survey received a modest response in its first week running, but Quintin is hoping more respondents will participate.

The survey focusses on the attitudes towards alternative and traditional varieties and is designed to test the hypothesis “that alternative varieties increase tension in the relationship between grapegrowers, winemakers and marketers”.

The results from the survey will be used to help guide future research on alternative varieties and to which industry groups such research should be directed.

Quintin, who comes from the École Supérieure d’Agriculture in Angers, France, is inviting grapegrowers, winemakers and wine marketers to participate in a survey, which closes on 14 October, 2011.

The survey can be accessed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/grapevines