21. Australia

Question 1

What percentage of Australia’s total crush does sparkling wine represent?

Answer 1

Less than 6%

Question 2

What three styles of sparkling wine have driven export sales of Australian sparkling wine?

Answer 2

1) Moscato
2) Shiraz
3) Prosecco

Question 3

What is Australia’s leading region for high-quality traditional method wines?

Answer 3

Tasmania.

Question 4

What percentage of Tasmania’s wine grape production is made into sparkling wine?

Answer 4

36%

Question 5

Compared with Tamar Valley, Piper’s River is warmer or cooler?

Answer 5

Cooler.

Question 6

Southern Tasmania is generally cooler than the north except for which sub-region?

Answer 6

Coal Valley.

Question 7

What are the two main weather hazards in Tasmania?

Answer 7

1) Spring frosts
2) High rainfall

Question 8

What are the two main disease pressures in Tasmania?

Answer 8

1) Coulure
2) Botrytis

Question 9

Fruit for inexpensive sparkling wine is grown in which three regions of Australia?

Answer 9

1) Riverina
2) Riverland
3) Murray-Darling

Question 10

How is lower potential alcohol and acid retention achieved for sparkling wines labelled as ‘South Eastern Australia’?

Answer 10

Picked early.

Question 11

In which three regions is fruit for Sparkling Shiraz typically grown?

Answer 11

1) Central Victoria
2) Barossa Valley
3) McLaren Vale

Question 12

Why does fruit for Sparkling Shiraz prove an exception to the general rules about cooler sites and earlier picking?

Answer 12

The style requires richness and intensity of flavour so grapes are picked at the same time as for still wines.

Question 13

Which two producers are leading Australia’s emergence of late disgorged sparkling wine?

Answer 13

1) Arras
2) Jansz

Question 14

Why might a producer in Tasmania press fruit on the island but complete winemaking on the mainland?

Answer 14

Due to the high capital expenditure of specialist winemaking equipment for sparkling production.

Question 15

Australia’s transfer, tank and carbonation method sparkling wines can be made from a number of varieties. Name four.

Answer 15

1) Chardonnay
2) Pinot Noir
3) Moscato
4) Glera

Question 16

Why is it common for Sparkling Shiraz to have >20 g/L residual sugar?

Answer 16

To balance the effects of tannins and high alcohol.

Question 17

Via which four methods might Sparkling Shiraz be made?

Answer 17

Traditional, transfer, tank or carbonation.

Question 18

Does Sparkling Shiraz undergo MLC?

Answer 18

Yes.

Question 19

Via which method is most inexpensive to mid-priced Moscato made?

Answer 19

Carbonation.

Question 20

What is the main region in Australia for Prosecco/Glera?

Answer 20

King Valley.

Question 21

When was the first Australia Prosecco released and by whom?

Answer 21

1) 2004
2) Dal Zotto

Question 22

If Australian Prosecco is exported to the EU how must it be labelled?

Answer 22

As Glera

Question 23

Via which method is most Australian Prosecco made?

Answer 23

Tank.

Question 24

Describe an Australian Pet Net (3 )

Answer 24

1) White, rose or red
2) Possibly cloudy
3) Slightly or fully sparkling

Question 25

In Australia what per cent of domestic wine sales by volume does sparkling wine represent?

Answer 25

12%

Question 26

What two sparkling wine categories have risen in the large decade in Australia?

Answer 26

1) Moscato
2) Prosecco

Question 27

What three reasons might contribute to the decline in Sparkling Shiraz sales?

Answer 27

1) A rise in the sale of Prosecco and Moscato
2) A reduced interest in high alcohol wines
3) A new interest in foreign wines

Question 28

What is the sales trend of Australian traditional method?

Answer 28

Declined compared with Prosecco, Sparkling Shiraz and Moscato.

Question 29

Why is the Tamar Valley warmer than Pipers River?

Answer 29

It has greater shelter from the Southern Ocean.

Question 30

Which two companies collaborated to establish Tasmania as a premium sparkling wine production region in the mid-80s?

Answer 30

Heemskerk and Louis Roederer.

Question 31

Besides Tasmania, which regions of Australia are renowned for their sparkling wine production? (5)

Answer 31

Adelaide Hills
Yarra Valley
Alpine Vic (King Valley)
Tumbarumba
Orange

Question 32

The coolest parts of southern Tasmania are colder than Champagne, but can still ripen fruit for sparkling wine. Why?

Answer 32

Due to its latitude (42 degrees) being closer to the equator resulting in more sunlight.