Services

We offer specialised viticultural services to ensure wine grapes are grown for 'fit for purpose':

  • We work alongside vineyard managers to grow healthy vines, produce uniform management units and optimise productivity while achieving fruit quality targets set by fruit purchasers.
  • We aim to maximise your financial margin using our specialist knowledge, attention to detail and diverse ‘hands on’ knowledge to monitor progress against industry benchmarks and best viticultural practices.
  • We value working with both suppliers and grape purchasers to develop long term relationships.

Our clients include:

  • Individual growers
  • Corporate companies
  • Government departments
  • Peak industry bodies (regional, state and national)

We offer:

  • Personalised service
    Mary will always respond to your enquiry
  • Independence
    Agricultural advice provided without bias
  • A broad range of knowledge and skills gained over the past 30 years
    Resourced through strong networks within the wine and agribusiness communities
  • Tailored service
    Providing innovative solutions to difficult problems
  • Chartered Agriculturist (CAg)
    Our services are industry and internationally recognised

How can we help your business?

Acroecology

Environmental stewardship, functional biodiversity enhancement, native insectary plants, integrated pest management, soil health, ground cover plants, stacked enterprises, growing the resilience and buffering the capacity of production systems

Revegetation projects, planting native grasses, forbs and wildflowers, monitoring predatory arthropod (insect and spider) populations

Training and extension

Development and delivery of grower training materials, educational and extension materials (manuals, workshop notes, fact sheets etc.) on agroecology, regenerative and viticultural practices

Project Management

Project work for funding bodies, grower groups etc. (grower research, development, extension and adoption)

Public speaking

Conferences, lectures and workshops

Guest speaker presentations

Vineyard business reviews and future planning

Development and review of business plans

Assisting winegrowers to map the strategic direction of their business and adapt to climate change pressures

Vineyard appraisal and investor vineyard reviews

Review of vineyard developments and provision of detailed reports for owner/investors, and/or potential purchasers (due diligence)

Review of vineyard performance and capital investment

Reporting to shareholders

Problem solving and vineyard technical advice

Optimising vine health (including problem solving for unthrifty grapevines) 

Collection of samples for diagnostic assessment and reporting of issues (pests, disease, nematodes etc.)

Expert opinion

Court-appointed expert reporting

Specialist and independent expert reports and advice (legal or insurance claims)

Loss assessment (spray drift, frost, fire, mechanical damage, animal damage etc.)

Mediation, expert determination, arbitration

Resolution Institute (formally IAMA) Accredited Grade 3 Arbitrator and Mediator

Expert determination (Australian Wine Industry Code of Conduct)

Vine and fruit quality assessment

Fruit condition and purity (incidence and severity) assessment

Non-executive director/chair duties quality assessment

Corporate governance specialist, strategic planning

Research, development extension and adoption

Investment in cross-sectoral research, development, adoption and agtech

Networking

Connecting people through our extensive networks in the Australian wine community

Leadership, mentoring, sponsorship, capacity building, and investing in individuals

Testimonials

Calcaire Vineyard

“It is an extremely gratifying experience, knowing we are changing landscapes for the better and increasing the biodiversity on our properties.”

Ben Lacey, Calcaire Vineyard, McLaren Vale

Starrs Reach Vineyard

“At a time when wine growers are increasingly focussed on a changing climate and their bottom line, it makes sense to harness and optimise that natural processes and assets we already have in our vineyards.”

Sheridan Alm, Starrs Reach Vineyard, Riverland

The Wetland Vineyard

"As landowners it is very rewarding and gratifying knowing that we are doing something to increase the biodiversity on our property.”

Sami Gilligan, The Wetland Vineyard, McLaren Vale

Bondar Vineyard

“We are excited to watch the new plants grow, increasing the biodiversity of our site, and to watch the new birds and insects that will be attracted to the area go to work.”

Andre Bondar, Bondar Vineyard, McLaren Vale

Eden Hall Vineyard

“EcoVineyards is a fantastic program that aims to inform the importance of habitat and native vegetation that can be woven into a vineyard production system. To work with Mother Nature, not against it.”

Dan Falkenberg, Eden Hall Vineyard, Eden Valley

Eden Hall Vineyard

“The EcoVineyards best practice management guides use a wonderful combination of personal experiences, easy to follow case studies and evidence-based science from leading practitioners. They provide a simple guide on ‘how to’ implement ecological and biological practices to restore landscape function and deliver results to viticulturist that include regenerative production and ecosystem biodiversity”

Dan Falkenberg, Eden Hall Wine, Barossa

Windsong Wines

“I have never seen a program with greater interest and uptake by growers.”

Heather Webster, Windsong Wines, Langhorne Creek

Tintookie Vineyards

“I cannot speak more highly of the EcoVineyards project and team and the privilege I feel having been a part of it. I have learned so much more about the ecology and interactions of plants, insects and even soil and its microbiome since beginning with EcoVineyards. It has encouraged me to read, learn and research more and be more inquisitive. After 35 years of being in the same job it has reintroduced enthusiasm back into it and I am excited about the future.”

Lulu Lunn, Tintookie Vineyards, Blewitt Springs

Bondar Vineyard and Lacey Viticulture

“Our EcoVineyards experience has been a thoroughly satisfying one, with our thriving planted area sitting proud, right in the midst of our vineyard. We are excited to watch the new plants grow, increasing the biodiversity of our site, and to watch new birds and insects that will be attracted to the area go to work.” 

Andre Bondar, Bondar Wines and Ben Lacey, Lacey Viticulture, McLaren Vale

Morella Vineyards

“The EcoVineyards program has been valuable in allowing us to develop a long-term plan to build biodiversity in the vineyard, while simultaneously improving our natural resilience to species detrimental to grape production.”

Ben Castine, Morella Vineyards Pty Ltd, Clare Valley

Starrs Reach Vineyard

“The EcoVineyards program has the capacity to influence practice change in enhancing and managing biodiversity at the vineyard and regional level even in a region of scale such as the Riverland. The knowledge of Dr Mary Retallack was foundational in delivering and supporting us through the program.”

Sheridan Alm, Starrs Reach Vineyard, Riverland

Eden Hall Wines

“Being part of the EcoVineyards program has provided us with long-term environmental solutions, in applying innovative and agroecological techniques that will evolve with the ever-changing climate. The use of agricultural chemicals and similar inputs has significantly reduced, though not necessarily eliminated. Consequently, our landscapes have developed diversity and resilience, further reducing our carbon footprint for agricultural inputs.”

Dan Falkenberg, Eden Hall Wines, Barossa