Ray Beckwith OAM, wine scientist behind those mighty reds, has died aged 100
THE man considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern Australian wine-making, Ray Beckwith OAM, has died in the Barossa Valley.
THE man considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern Australian wine-making, Ray Beckwith OAM, has died in the Barossa Valley.
He was aged 100. Mr Beckwith will be remembered as Australia's greatest wine scientist after discovering in the 1930s how to stabilise wine and protect it from spoilage.
He conducted his work while at Penfolds from 1935-1973, and is considered to have laid the foundations for the development of the company's leading red wines, Grange, Bin 389, and St Henri.
His winery laboratory experiments and discoveries introduced highly analytical and practical winemaking techniques which have become standard practice in the Australian wine industry.
But it was his realisation that acidity levels known as pH in wine could be "a tool in the control of bacterial growth" that made the greatest impact, saving large proportions of wine that previously had to be destroyed.
His work became an early key to Penfolds' long-standing reputation.His work reinforced the success of Penfolds, chief winemaker Peter Gago said yesterday.
"Grange, St Henri and all the Penfolds wine portfolio are beneficiaries of his visionary science," Mr Gago said.
The quiet achiever was sworn to secrecy about his work for much of his professional career, and it was only in his latter years the full realisation of his contributions were recognised.
Thirty years after his retirement he received an honorary doctorate in wine science from Adelaide University, and in 2006 he was bestowed the Maurice O'Shea Award, the highest individual accolade in the Australian wine industry for personal achievement.
More recognition followed, with a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2008.
Mr Beckwith remained humble privately but was tickled pink by all the acknowledgments late in life.
In one interview he noted: "It's a good thing I didn't conk out earlier, otherwise I wouldn't have known."
Treasury Wine Estates managing director David Dearie said Mr Beckwith would be remembered as one of the founding fathers of modern Australian wine.