Australia’s grape and wine sector will benefit from greater confidence in vine quality and long-term vineyard performance with the launch of VitiCert Australia, a new national certification program for grapevine planting material.
Planting a vineyard is one of the most significant capital investments made by grape and wine businesses. Issues introduced at planting – such as virus infection, trunk disease or incorrect varietal identity – can take years to emerge and often result in reduced yield, uneven growth or the need for costly re-establishment.
VitiCert has been designed to minimise these risks by setting clear, nationally recognised standards for propagation material.
It aims to improve the quality, health and integrity of grapevine propagation material across the entire supply chain – from grapevine collections and source blocks through to the nurseries who provide growers with planting material.
Wine Australia Senior R&I Program Manager Dr Sharon Harvey said VitiCert represents a significant step forward for the Australian wine sector.
“At a time when the wine sector is navigating sustained commercial pressures, getting the fundamentals right remains important for growers investing in new plantings or vineyard renewal,” Dr Harvey said.
“VitiCert will help producers make more confident decisions around these investments and underpin the long-term performance of those plantings, supporting a more resilient, future-ready sector.
“It will cover every step in the supply chain, with buyers knowing that vines bearing the VitiCertified logo will have been produced to a nationally consistent standard that is independently audited.”
Australian Grape & Wine (AGW), the national association of winegrape and wine producers, has welcomed the launch of VitiCert.
Director, Economic & Environmental Policy Anna Hooper said the program provided the potential for grapegrowers to take greater control over the quality of the planting material they source.
“This not only provides peace of mind with regards to vineyard health and longevity, but it offers a benefit to the entire industry by reducing the biosecurity risk associated with the spread of viruses and other propagation-related pathogens,” Ms Hooper said.
Wine Australia is leading the establishment of VitiCert on behalf of the sector, providing national coordination, independence from commercial plant supply and long-term funding stability.
Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA), the national peak body for the nursery industry, has been engaged to develop, administer and audit the underpinning standard – the Grapevine Nursery Stock Specification.
The nationally consistent standard will ensure planting material is true-to-type, virus-tested and produced using best-practice hygiene standards.
Participation in the program will be voluntary for nurseries and cutting suppliers, with certified material clearly labelled at the point of sale.
VitiCert, which is supported by the Australian Table Grape Association and Dried Fruits Australia, is being rolled out in stages over the next two years, with the first VitiCertified cuttings expected to be available from winter 2028.
The staged rollout of VitiCert will see the development of governance structures, including an industry-based standards committee, alongside the finalisation and implementation of certification standards and auditing processes.
Photo: Hickinbotham Vineyard at Clarendon.