BUSN1102 The Business of Growing Wine Grapes

This topic provides students with important underpinning knowledge of grape production in the Australian wine industry, including an understanding of the variations in scale and concentration across the sector. The topic is focused on the production of fruit fit for the intended winemaking purpose and management of risk. Students will learn about key threats such as pests and diseases that can endanger business outcomes and will become familiar with strategies and vineyard operations used to address those risks. The topic will address the issue of biosecurity and will introduce organic and biodynamic production systems consistent with the need for sustainability and environmental stewardship in a changing climate.

This topic aims to provide students with insights into the seasonal nature of wine grape production and some different wine grape varieties and the influence and importance of wine varieties and regions. They will gain an appreciation of the basic physiological processes of vine and fruit growth, various risks linked to grape production (including the influence of climate changes, pests etc,) and how to manage these in order to successfully and sustainably manage a wine grape growing business.

1. Categorise the key Australian winegrowing regions and the key wine grape varieties within them
2. Identify and analyse agricultural risks that impact on winegrowing businesses and plan ways to mitigate them
3. Create a basic vineyard budget
4. Develop a basic vineyard management plan