Cyprus grape helps Australian vineyards cope with extreme heat and use less water

Koutouzis, located in South Australia’s Riverland, surrounded by vineyards, and has around 800 Xynisteri vines.When temperatures climb above 45 degrees Celsius and water is one of the most expensive inputs on a farm, survival may depend on looking backward. According to ABC News Information and Services, in South Australia's Riverland, growers are looking to a grape with thousands of years of history in the Mediterranean for a possible answer to Australia's hotter, drier future. Xynisteri, a venerable white grape of Cyprus, is proving remarkably resilient in conditions which are putting increasing stress on conventional wine grapes. Some growers using the variety have cut water consumption by as much as 75 per cent, with the vines continuing to withstand extreme heat. For Riverland grower