Ancient Cypriot grape Xynisteri helps Riverland vineyards slash water use and endure scorching heat

Facing three consecutive years of below-average rainfall and record-breaking heat, Riverland wine producers are turning to Xynisteri, an ancient Cypriot white grape, to sustain their vineyards. Grower Yianni Koutouzis, who tends roughly 800 vines planted three years ago, reports water savings of as much as 75 percent compared with his other crops, while the vines thrive in temperatures exceeding 45 °C. The grape’s thick skin and natural resistance to heat, pests and drought suit the limestone-rich soils that mirror its Mediterranean homeland.

Introduced to Australia by researcher Dr Alexander Copper in 2018, Xynisteri has already been trialed in the Barossa Valley, where over 600 vines now produce the first commercial bottles of the variety. With water prices in the Lower Murray Darling Basin jumping from about $187 to $400 per megaliter and grape prices falling below $100 a ton, the drought-tolerant grape offers both environmental and economic relief for an industry under pressure.