Associate Professor Paul Grbin
Head Winemaker
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Paul Grbin is the Head Winemaker and co-leads the Wine Microbiology Group in the Department of Wine Science within the School of Agriculture, Food & Wine.
The research conducted within this group is principally funded through Wine Australia and the Australian Research Council (ARC) with strong support from the Faculty of Sciences and the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.
The group is devoted to new grape and wine microbiology and biotechnology initiatives to bring long-term benefits to the Australia wine industry. It is located in the Wine Innovation Cluster (WIC) situated on the Waite campus. This state-of-the-art facility brings together all partners on the Waite campus that are devoted to research for the Australian wine industry. The partners include AWRI, CSIRO and SARDI . The critical mass of personnel coupled with research infrastructure is unique in Australia and allows for rapid targeted viticulture and oenology research to address industry needs.
- My Research
- Career
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- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
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Areas of Research Interest
Developing a fundamental understanding of the microbiological treatment of winery wastewater
Most wineries (>1000 tonnes) use biological treatement to remove organic compounds from wasterwater at a significant cost (∼$30/tonne crushed). Biological treatment uses microogranisms in a controlled process to metabolise the organic substrates, either in the presence or absence of oxygen (aerobic vs anaerobic processin) with the aim of producing high quality effluent from winery wastewater (WWW). WWW is very dyamic due to the dramatic seasonal flucuations in composition and volume, and consequently a unique approach to the management of these systems is required to optimise their performance. We have identified 3 distinct periods in WWW treatment that have unique micrcobiological and operational problems that need to be address namely; start up pre-vintage, peak vitnage flow and quiesent (post vintage). All have unique treatment challenges. This project aims to increase efficient and cost effectiveness of biological treatment of WWW by enhancing and improving the microbiological performance of treatement systems at these key stages of the annual treatment cycle. A multidisciplinary approach is being undertaken to correlate the true microbiology, process operations and WWW chemistry.
Distinctive wines through an improved understanding of uninoculated fermentations
Excellent winemaking outcomes and commercial success can occur for wines produced via uninoculated (indigenous) fermentations. However, only limited research has been undertaken regarding the nature and contribution of the microbial populations involved and what characterises the reported benefits. A number of key questions remain, in particular what is the nature, diversity and dynamics of these populations and how do they vary from variety-to-variety and year-to-year? Critically there is a dearth of information related to the contribution of these populations to wine composition as compared to fermentations inoculated with commercial yeasts. Empirical observations suggest that there is an enhancement of wine mouthfeel, as well as differences in flavour/aroma compounds and ethanol yield; however, there are few scientific studies to confirm this. Questions also exist around ferment reliability, thus the feasibility and desirability of controlled inoculations of selected indigenous strains warrants investigation, whereby some of the perceived benefits of uninoculated fermentations may become available in a reliable manner. The objectives of this project are to undertake a comprehensive analysis of uninoculated fermentations and will seek to achieve these by investigating uninoculated fermentations to by defining the nature and diversity of yeast and bacterial populations, characterise the dynamics during fermentation, determine the consistency in the nature and dynamics from variety-to-variety and year-to-year, comprehensively determine the contribution of these populations to wine composition as compared to fermentations inoculated with commercial Saccharomyces yeasts.
Growth and physiology of Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast and the production of flavour impact compounds in wine
Molecular and biochemical identification of a phenolic acid decarboxylase from Dekkera/Brettanomyces species has been the principle goal. Screening of Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast for mousy off-flavour N-heterocycles and detailed investigation of the biochemical pathway of mousy off-flavour production has been undertaken.
Collaborators: AWRI, CSIRO, Laffort Oenologie, Lallemand Australia, Yalumba WIne Company, JJC Engineering, Cassella Family Wines, Pernod Richard Winemakers, TWG
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2018 - ongoing Head Winemaker/Associate Professor University of Adelaide 2015 - 2018 Associate Professor in Oenology University of Adelaide 2010 - 2014 Senior Lecturer in Oenology University of Adelaide 2001 - 2009 Lecturer in Oenology University of Adelaide 1998 - 2001 Lecturer in WIne Microbiology Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2012 Recognition Alumni Fellow University of Adelaide Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 1993 - 1998 University of Adelaide Australia PhD 1989 Roseworthy Agricultural College Australia Graduate Diploma in Wine 1986 - 1988 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science -
Research Interests
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Journals
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Books
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Conference Papers
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Conference Items
Year Citation 2018 Hranilovic, A., Bely, M., Gambetta, J., Schmidtke, L., Boss, P., Grbin, P., . . . Jiranek, V. (2018). Oenological phenomes of Lachancea thermotolerans reflect patterns of domestication and allopatric differentiation. Poster session presented at the meeting of The 34th International Specialised Symposium on Yeast (ISSY 35). Bariloche, Argentina. 2017 Jiang, J., Sumby, K. M., Sundstrom, J., Grbin, P., & Jiranek, V. (2017). Directed evolution of Oenococcus oeni for enhanced malolactic fermentation.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 12th International Symposium on Lactic Acid Bacteria. Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands. 2016 Jiang, J., Betteridge, A., Sumby, K. M., Sundstrom, J., Grbin, P., & Jiranek, V. (2016). Oenococcus oeni: can we improve its malolactic fermentation performance?. Poster session presented at the meeting of 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference. Adelaide. 2016 Sumby, K. M., Grbin, P. R., & Jiranek, V. (2016). More efficient malolactic fermentation by directed evolution of Lactobacillus plantarum. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster AWITC. Adelaide. 2016 Sumby, K. M., Grbin, P. R., & Jiranek, V. (2016). More efficient malolactic fermentation by directed evolution of Lactobacillus plantarum.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference. 2013 Sumby, K. M., Grbin, P. R., & Jiranek, V. (2013). Characterisation of intracellular esterases from Oenococcus oeni and Lactobacillus hillgardii and their potential for application in wine. Poster session presented at the meeting of 15th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference, information and abstracts. Sydney, N.S.W.. -
Report for External Bodies
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Theses
Year Citation 2013 Sumby, K. M. (2013). Molecular and Biochemical Characterisation of Esterases from Oenococcus oeni and Their Potential For Application In Wine.. (PhD Thesis).
Current projects funded through Wine Australia and the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Innovative Wine Technology
Areas of teaching responsibility:
Programs: Bachelor of Viticulture & Oenology, Graduate Diploma/Masters in Vitculture & Oenology
Course Coordinator (both Undergraduate and Postgraduate streams):
Cellar & Winery Waste Management III
Other teaching (both Undergraduate and Postgraduate streams):
Wine Packaging and Quality Management III
Distillation, Fortification and Sparkling Winemaking III
Brewing Technology & Beer Production III
Massive Online Open Course (MOOC)
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Co-Supervisor No- and low-alcohol (NOLO) Wine Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Andrea Pia Josefa Bustos Jarufe 2021 Principal Supervisor Alternatives to Sulfur Dioxide for Controlling Brettanomyces b. Spoilage in Wines Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Yanina Giordano -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2016 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Population genetics and diversity of the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis. A focus on sulphite tolerance Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Ms Marta Valentinova Avramova 2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Developing process simulation models for red wine fermentation: Anthocyanin mass transfer and extraction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Patrick Charles Setford 2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Managing Ethanol and Sensory Compounds by Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Ana Hranilovic 2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Identity and Physiology of Glycogen Accumulating Organisms in Winery Wastewater Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Cristobal Andres Onetto Carvallo 2014 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Colour in Pinot Noir wines: does climate have an impact? Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Gavin Duley 2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Use of Directed Evolution to Generate Multiple-stress Tolerant Oenococcus oeni for Enhanced Malolactic Fermentation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jiao Jiang 2012 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Characterisation of lees and Novel uses for Yeast Lees to Create New Wine Styles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yuanyuan Wang 2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Investigation and Characterisation of Highly Nitrogen Efficient Wine Yeast Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Jin Zhang 2009 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Enhanced winemaking efficiency through foolproof malolactic fermentation: Evolution of superior lactic acid bacteria Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Alice Livingston Betteridge 2007 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Molecular and Biochemical Characterisation of Esterases from Oenococcus oeni and Their Potential For Application In Wine. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Krista Sumby 2004 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Characterisation of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Catabolism by Dekkera and Brettanomyces Yeasts Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Victoria Harris 2002 - 2007 Co-Supervisor Biochemical and Molecular Characterisation of Oenologically Important Enzymes Identified in Lactic Acid Bacteria Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Angela Matthews
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Board Memberships
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2016 - 2019 Founder University of Adelaide Alumni Council University of Adelaide Australia
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External Profiles