Mornington Peninsula Vineyard of the Year

Dedicated to the memory of Dr Alan Antcliff, AM., whose 40 year career as a principal research scientist at the CSIRO in vine physiology, genetics and ampelography was pivotal to the development of the Australian wine industry, guiding the management of varieties with an unmatched legacy.

Founders of the wine industry on the Mornington Peninsula, Sarah and Bails Myer are the generous benefactors of the biennial award of $5,000, to support the winner’s pursuit in research and development of practices in viticulture.

The award will be judged by some of the industry’s leading viticultural minds;

• Mark Walpole 
• Dr Mary Retallack 
• John Whiting 

The assessment is of a single vineyard and spans

• occupational health and safety
• biosecurity
• soil management and nutrition
• weed and pest control
• mid row management
• agrochemical application
• crop management and pruning
• management of the surrounding environment
• economic responsibility.

 Who is it open to:

• The award is not limited to members of the MPVA and invites businesses to nominate colleagues whose practices are exemplary. 
• Single vineyards - Any vineyard within the Mornington GI and not necessarily a member of the MPVA A business may nominate more than one vineyard using a separate nomination for each

 What are we looking for:

• Each section of the application form is independent of the other and will carry equal weight in determining the shortlisted vineyards.
• Excellence within your own operation not necessarily linked to any specific management system.
• Applicants are to articulate the area in which they would like to extend their knowledge, which if they’re successful are then asked to deliver a presentation to the region for the benefit of all of the wine making community at the next AGM to inspire further engagement.
• What you put on this form will provide information to the judges upon which they will decide a shortlist for actual vineyard visits to be conducted in budburst of 2020 and harvest of 2021.
• If you require more space for any section please attach a separate page with your submission.

ENTRY FORM HERE

Key Dates:

Friday 19 June 2020                     Entries open

Friday 4 September 2020              Entries close

Budburst – Sep/Oct 2020              First on ground assessments

Harvest – Feb/Mar 2021                Second on ground assessments

MPVA AGM, August 2021               Presentation of award

BIOGRAPHY – DR ALAN ANTCLIFF, AM.

Alan James Antcliff (1923-1985), vine physiologist and breeder, Antcliff’s early work on the physiology and yield of vines led to improved productivity and gained him a reputation for his understanding of the process of fruit-bud formation. 

On his return from a year of study abroad Antcliff was appointed, principal research scientist at CSIRO (1963) and later senior principal research scientist (1967), and took charge of organisation’s vine improvement program, which gradually embraced wine as well as dried-fruit production. He supervised thousands of crosses of varieties and hybrids, searched for stock in old Australian vineyards and applied for permits to introduce varieties from abroad. Travelling frequently overseas, he gathered information and compared notes with fellow viticultural researchers. By 1983 more than forty thousand seedlings had been germinated and planted.

Antcliff was a mild-mannered but methodical, purposeful and substantially self-taught scientist who worked in often solitary conditions but who also collaborated successfully with his peers. His work proved valuable for an expanding and changing vine-growing industry.