Thousands of young people living rurally are forced to relocate before commencing their studies every year. Moving thousands of kilometres away from the support of your family and friends is tough, particularly for young people who’ve spent a huge part of their life lending a hand on the farm. Fortunately, the RAS offers a range of scholarships for extraordinary students who’ve demonstrated their commitment to agriculture in Australia. Last year, one of these scholarships was awarded to budding wine assessor Billy Xynas.
When you pour yourself a glass of wine, it’s easy to forget about the meticulous process that goes into crafting a bottle of delectable grape goodness. Billy’s role might be a dream job to many, but it’s a tough gig with a huge load of responsibility. Food standard restrictions, droughts and bushfires have imposed huge challenges on Australian wine production in recent months.
Billy is working to tackle the challenges of climate change for winemakers across Australia. The RAS Wine Study Scholarship has allowed him to research international approaches and develop new strategies for winemakers and assessors in our own backyard. He’s perfectly placed to harvest his learnings for future wine champions in an increasingly tough industry.
