Peter leaves an Australia-wide wine legacy

Celebrated wine identity Peter Dry

Celebrated wine identity Peter Dry

Congratulations to renowned viticultural researcher and educator,  Peter Dry, who has won the 2014 Maurice O’Shea Award for his outstanding service to the Australian wine industry over 40 years.

He began his career in 1970 in the Riverland as a research officer with the South Australian Department of Agriculture in Loxton.  After five years, he moved to Roseworthy Agricultural College as a lecturer in viticulture, biology, plant pathology, microbiology and sensory evaluation.

Here he worked with Dr Richard Smart developing the first climatic classification for Australian viticultural regions. Together they encouraged greater diversity in the range of grape varieties being planted in Australia.

When Roseworthy merged with the University of Adelaide in 1990, Peter began to focus more on research. He is very proud of his research work with Dr Brian Loveys from CSIRO which led to the development of the revolutionary irrigation technique, partial rootzone drying.  It allowed the grapes to be grown using only half the water previously required.

In 2008, Peter retired from the University, but continues to work as a viticultural consultant with the Australian Wine Research Institute, lecturing at numerous seminars. He has authored 270-plus articles and has also edited some of the best-known books on viticulture in Australia. He has travelled extensively overseas as a viticultural consultant and eminent lecturer on Australian wines.

In 2012, he was inducted as only the sixth Fellow of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology, which recognised his long career in teaching and research.   His other legacy is the generation of students training to enter the wine industry. He therefore has stamped today’s winemakers now working in vineyards and wineries across Australia.

In his absence overseas, Peter’s son Nick accepted the Maurice O’Shea Award, sponsored by McWilliams’ Wines, at a black-tie dinner in Adelaide on October 1, 2014.

 

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