Patrick Iland honoured for decades of wine teaching, research and publishing at Adelaide's Roseworthy and Waite
Patrick Iland (second from right) with his book, The Grapevine: from the science to the practice of growing vines for wine, written with (from left) Peter Dry, Tony Proffitt and Steve Tyerman.
Image courtesy Waite Agricultural Institute, Adelaide University
Patrick Iland, a wine teacher and researcher who straddled the Roseworthy and Waite campus education eras in South Australia, was the Wine Communicators of Australia inaugural 2014 South Australian Legend of the Vine Award winner.
Dr Iland, who shared the award with wife Judith, was described “an inspiration to many” during his 40-year career as a university lecturer and also publisher and author. As teacher and researcher in wine chemistry, viticulture and sensory evaluation at Roseworthy Agricultural College and then Adelaide University Waite campus, he helped launch the careers of many winemakers and viticulturists who shaped the Australian wine industry.
His research focused on the effects of viticultural practices on grape and wine quality and wine sensory properties.
In 2007, Dr Iland was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) For service to the wine industry through research, writing and the teaching of viticulture and oenology. He also won the Vin de Champagne Award, the Stephen Hickinbotham Memorial Trust Award (for research on pinot noir grapes and wines) and the Stephen Coles the Elder Award for excellence in teaching awarded by Adelaide University.
Iland’s books, many co-authored with former colleagues, ex-students and well-known wine industry leaders such as Peter Gago and Andrew Caillard (Master of Wine) and his research papers continued to educate winemakers and viticulturists in Australia and around the world.
His book The Grapevine: from the science to the practice of growing vines for wine was written with Dr Peter Dry (viticultural scientist for 40 years and an associate professor at Adelaide University until 2008, best known for his research the partial rootzone drying irrigation strategy), Dr Tony Proffitt (worked in the technical, consultancy, extension and educational sectors of the Australian wine industry from 1995) and Professor Steve Tyerman (leading scientist in plant physiology; viticulture teacher in the Adelaide University’s school of agriculture, food and wine; research leader on vine and berry water relations and vine drought tolerance.)
