Vickery newest member of eminent Roseworthy group

Alumni News

Distinguished oenologist John Vickery has been chosen as the 2004 Award of Merit Winner by the Roseworthy Old Collegians' Association (ROCA).

The announcement was made in Adelaide recently by ROCA's immediate past president Wilf Bowen, at the association's annual dinner.

Mr Bowen said Mr Vickery's contribution to the Australian wine industry had been immense.

"John graduated from Roseworthy with a Diploma of Agriculture and then a Diploma of Oenology in 1955. He has worked for a number of leading Australian wine producing companies, including Leo Buring, Lindemans, Southcorp and Orlando Wyndham, and is currently consulting chief winemaker at Richmond Grove, Tanunda - fitting this work in with the development of his own vineyard at Tanunda," Mr Bowen said.

"While he is widely recognised for his pioneering work with Australian Rieslings, his St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Rouge Homme won the Jimmy Watson trophy in 1981 for the best one-year-old dry red in Australia," he said.

Mr Bowen said that as a ROCA Award of Merit winner, Mr Vickery joined a select group of people who had made significant contributions to the development of primary industries in Australia - recent winners include oenologist Philip Laffer, research scientist Dr Graham Mitchell, sheep and wool industry scientist Brian Jefferies, and innovative horticulturist and marketer Grantley Paech.

"Over the years John Vickery has been variously described as one of the best white wine makers in Australia, a person who pioneered the development of new winemaking processes and one who created benchmark wines," Mr Bowen said.

"His contemporaries in the industry say he has had a significant influence on young winemakers and he is a worthy winner of our annual award."

In other ROCA news, a Fund has been has been established to support the development and maintenance of the Roseworthy Campus facilities, and to enhance teaching, learning and research. The Roseworthy Campus and Student Fund, which was recently set up with an initial contribution from ROCA of $5000, has appointed five co-patrons: Dr Bruce Eastick, Mr Ray Taylor, Mr Don Moyle, Professor Phil Hynd and Mr Phil Laffer.

Contributions are tax deductible, should be marked "To be applied to the Roseworthy Campus & Student Fund", and can be made through the Development and Alumni Office, Level 1, 230 North Terrace, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005.