31. Australia Flashcards
What separates the Hunter Valley climatically from all other major wine producing regions?
It is the only major wine-producing region to the east of the Great Dividing Range, receiving more rainfall (500mm) and has a
distinctive hot and humid climate.
Why is Coonawarra considered maritime despite being 100km inland?
Australia is a relatively flat country and often there is little to stop the cooling influence
of the oceans spreading some distance inland
Most of Australia’s vineyards lie between what latitude?
30°-37° (the equivalent of North Africa and
Southern Europe in the Northern Hemisphere)
Tasmania lies are what latitude?
41° and 42°S (corresponding
to Porto and central Italy).
What are three viticultural concerns in Australia?
1) Spring frosts - careful selection of a site that drains its cold air is required to mitigate this risk.
2) Winds blowing in off the ocean can sometimes disrupt fruit set (while reducing frost risk)
3) Drought/fire
What two divided canopy systems have been used and why?
1) Scott-Henry
2) Smart-Dyson
3) To manage vigour and ensure vine balance
Mechanisation is common in most Australian regions. Why might a winegrower harvest by hand? (3)
1) To limit grape splitting and crushing
2) To permit greater selection of fruit during harvesting
3) To maintain whole bunches
Describe the issue of soil salinity and how it impacts the vine
Saline soils can make it more difficult for
the vine to get the water it needs and leads to reduced vine growth and possibly death
What are two options to combat soil salinity?
1) Selecting suitable rootstocks
2) Changing irrigation patterns to supply larger volumes of water at less frequent
intervals
What variety is particularly susceptible to soil salinity?
Chardonnay
Many of Australia’s vineyard areas have low humidity: notable exceptions include what four regions?
1) Adelaide Hills
2) Southern Victoria
3) Hunter Valley
4) Parts of Tasmania
What are the two main pests in Australia?
1) Birds
2) Kangaroos
What two white varieties grown in the hot, inland regions of Riverland, Murray-Darling and Riverina are used as blending components for inexpensive wines?
1) Colombard
2) Muscat Gordo Blanco (Muscat of Alexandria)
What are Australia’s leading five black varieties?
1) Shiraz
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Merlot
4) Pinot Noir
5) Grenache
What are Australia’s leading five white varieties?
1) Chardonnay
2) Sauvignon Blanc
3) Pinot Grigio
4) Semillon
5) Riesling
How many registered regions are there in Australia?
63
How many registered sub-regions are there?
14
What benefit is there from a labelling perspective to Australia’s regional hierarchy?
It gives producers a range of labelling options.
For example, wine made using grapes grown in the Eden Valley Region could be labelled as Eden Valley, Barossa, Adelaide, South Australia or South Eastern Australia.
Under the LIP, if a GI, vintage or grape variety is mentioned on the label, what per cent of the grapes must conform?
85%
Why was the South Eastern Australia Zone created?
To allow
blending from grapes grown across the zone and the majority of wines labelled as such are inexpensive, high-volume wines.
Why is Riverina slightly cooler than Murray Darling and Riverland?
It benefits from a slight maritime influence as there are no mountains between it and the coast
What are the three ‘engine room’ regions of South East Australia?
1) Riverina
2) Riverland
3) Murray Darling
Why is rain low in the Murray Darling Basin?
It’s n the rain shadow of the Great Dividing Range
What is the climate of the Murray Darling Basin?
Hot continental
What are 4/8 best known zones within South Australia?
1) Barossa
2) Mount Lofty Ranges
3) Fleurieu
4) Limestone Coast
Into what two regions is the Barossa Zone split?
1) Barossa Valley, mainly covering the flat valley floor
2) Eden Valley, covering the hills to the east.
Why might Barossa producers blend Shiraz from both Barossa regions?
To combine the intensity and body of wines from the warmer Barossa Valley with the elegance and higher acidity of wines from the cooler Eden Valley
What gives the Barossa Valley its climate?
Its sheltered location
The Barossa Valley is a plain protected
on the west by low hills, on the east by the Eden Valley Region and on the south by the Adelaide Hills
What is the Barossa Valley’s climate?
Warm climate with hot, sunny summer days but cooler nights
What soil is found in the northern part of the Barossa Valley and why is it prized?
An ironstone layer prized for its water retaining properties
Name a significant producer in the Barossa Valley
Torbreck
What are the top three black varieties in the Barossa Valley?
1) Shiraz
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Grenache
How does Barossa Valley Semillon differ to the Hunter Valley?
Higher alcohol, lower acidity and more body
Why is dry farming more common in the Eden Valley compared with the Barossa Valley? (2)
1) Higher rainfall
2) There is a wide variety of soil types but most have good water-holding capacity
How might an Eden Valley Shiraz compared with a Barossa Valley Shiraz? (3)
1) Higher acidity
2) More structured tannins
3) Lower alcohol
What are the two main varieties of the Eden Valley?
1) Riesling
2) Shiraz
What are the two important regions of the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone?
1) Adelaide Hills
2) Clare Valley
What is the climate of Adelaide Hills?
Cool to moderate maritime with temperatures varying due to altitude (400-500m) and proximity to the ocean.
What are two important sub-regions of Adelaide Hills?
Piccadilly Valley and Lenswood
Adelaide Hills has a high diurnal range due to altitude, but the wines often show riper fruit than expected. Why?
The relatively low latitude means the sunlight is still intense
What are two viticultural hazards in Adelaide Hills?
1) Rain in spring that might disrupt fruit set
2) Rot due to high humidity
What are the three common varieties on Adelaide Hills?
1) Sauvignon Blanc
2) Chardonnay
3) Pinot Noir
On what vineyard site might Shiraz be planted in Adelaide Hills?
Low-altitude, west-facing slopes in the north of the region
What is the region of Adelaide Hills that is planted to many experimental varieties?
Basket Range
Name a key producer of Eden Valley
Henschke
What is the climate of Clare Valley?
Warm but the hot summer temperatures are tempered by cool afternoon breezes and cold nights creating a wide diurnal range
What do growers of Clare Valley Riesling need to be conscious of and how is this managed?
1) Sunburn due to intense sunlight and low latitude
2) Canopies are allowed to grow thickly
to provide shading on the western side to protect the vines from the full glare of the afternoon sun.
How and why does Watervale Riesling differ from Polish Hill?
1) More aromatic, floral style which can be drunk when younger
2) More fertile limestone soils compared with the slate of PH
Name two significant Clare Valley producers
Jim Barry and Wendouree
What is the location and climate of the Fleurieu Peninsula?
1) Located south of Adelaide, with Gulf St Vincent to the north and the Southern Ocean to the south.
2) Its vineyards therefore have a strong maritime influence, with
cool breezes tempering the warm Mediterranean climate.
What are the soils of Blewitt Springs?
Sandy soils over a clay base help water retention
How does McLaren Vale’s soil differ between north and south?
North - poor with lower levels of nutrients
South - deeper and more fertile,
producing higher yields.
What are two cooling influences on McLaren Vale?
1) Proximity to the sea
2) Altitude (up to 350m)
Why does McLaren Vale have low disease pressure?
Warm to hot summers with winds blowing in off the Gulf and down from the Adelaide Hills
What is the climate of Coonawarra?
Moderate similar to Bordeaux but slightly warmer and drier
Summer days in Coonawarra can be warm to hot, but what 4 factors mitigate heat?
1) Sea breezes
2) Cool nights
3) Relatively flat, meaning maritime influence can extend inland
4) Cloud cover during the growing season
Describe Coonawarra’s Terra Rossa soil
Free-draining iron-rich loam over a hard limestone base
What is Terra Rossa considered so highly? (3)
1) The roots may struggle
to penetrate, restricting the vine’s access to water.
2) The soil is also slightly alkaline which
restricts the uptake of a number of vine nutrients.
3) Both of these factors control vigour
and lead to lower yields of concentrated
grapes
Name the four regions of the Port Phillip Zone
1) Yarra Valley
2) Mornington Peninsula
3) Geelong
4) Macedon Ranges
What is Yarra Valley’s climate?
Cool to moderate climate with considerable variation due to altitude
Describe how the Yarra Valley is split
1) Lower Yarra - the warmer, lower altitude sites in the north-west of the valley
2) Upper Yarra - cooler, higher altitude sites in the south-east.
What are the two soil types in the Yarra Valley (upper vs lower)?
1) Lower Yarra - loamy clay soil is low in fertility and well drained, meaning irrigation is still often necessary
2) Upper Yarra - deeper and more fertile volcanic soils which can be dry-farmed
What is the main viticultural hazard in the Yarra Valley?
Fungal disease due to high rainfall
Two key producers of Yarra Valley?
Mount Mary and Yarra Yering
Besides Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, what two other varieties are commonly found in the Yarra Valley?
1) Shiraz
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
Why are frost and rot very uncommon in the Mornington despite the cool spring temperatures?
Due to the wind off Port Phillip Bay and the Bass Strait
What are the main two soil types of Mornington?
1) Red Hill - red basalt soils which are fertile but retain the winter rainwater
2) Free-draining sandy clay where irrigation is often needed.
What trellising system do some producers in Red Hill, Mornington use opposed to VSP and why?
Lyre system to control vigour
What is the climate of Geelong?
Cool with the nearby Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait providing wind and a moderating influence with lower rainfall than the Yarra
Name a producer in Geelong
Bass Phillip
Four varieties of Geelong
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Cabernet & Shiraz
Four varieties of Macedon Ranges?
1) Chardonnay
2) Pinot Noir
3) Riesling
4) Shiraz
What are the two soil types of Macedon Ranges?
1) Shallow, granitic sandy loams on the hillsides
2) Deeper loams are found on the lower slopes.
Three regions of the Western Victoria Zone?
1) Grampians
2) Henty
3) Pyrenees
What is the climate of Grampians and Pyrenees?
Moderate with temperatures are moderated by altitude (240–440 m), creating a wide diurnal range
What are the soils of Grampians and Pyrenees?
Sandy, loamy soils retain water reasonably well
Producers of Grampians and Pyrenees?
Mount Langi Ghiran (Grampians) and
Dalwhinnie (Pyrenees).
Why is Henty one of Australia’s coldest mainland regions?
Influenced by cold Antarctic winds
Signature variety of Henty?
Riesling
Three regions of North East Victoria Zone?
1) King Valley
2) Beechworth
3) Rutherglen
Altitude of Beechworth?
200 m to over 1,000m, which gives a wide range of mesoclimates
Five varieties in Beechworth?
1) Chardonnay
2) Shiraz
3) Pinot Noir
4) Sangiovese
5) Nebbiolo
Climate of North East Victoria regions?
Continental
Two viticultural risks of King Valley?
1) Frost due to climate and altitude (up to 860m)
2) Rot due to high rainfall
Most planted white variety for still wine in King Valley?
Pinot Grigio
Why are more King Valley wines being exported than in the past?
Due to the rising interest in alternative varieties i.e. Sanviovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo
Two most planted black varieties in King Valley?
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Two significant King Valley producers?
Pizzini and
de Bortoli.
Why can King Valley alternative varieties be more difficult to sell
internationally? (2)
1) Competition with countries of origin for those varieties
2) Price - their small production tends to make them relatively expensive
Four regions of Central Victoria?
1) Heathcote
2) Goulburn Valley
3) Bendigo
4) Upper Goulburn
What makes Goulburn Valley and Bendigo well suited to the production of ripe, full-bodied reds and whites from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne?
They’re situated on warm, flat plains
Three key varieties of Upper Goulburn?
1) Chardonnay
2) Riesling
3) Sauvignon Blanc
Key variety of Heathcote?
Shiraz
What is a distinct feature of Heathcote Shiraz and why?
1) High acidity
2) Diurnal range is high and summer days are warm but altitude and the southerly prevailing winds which are funneled along the slopes play a key role in moderating temperature
Describe the soils of Heathcote
Calcareous red soil made up of weathered greenstone effective at retaining water and this means that despite low rainfall, dry farming is common.
Key producer of Heathcote?
Jasper Hill
Key Gippsland varieties?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Gippsland’s climate?
The climate is affected by weather systems both from the west and wet weather of tropical origin from the north, yielding on average between 420–530 mm of growing season rainfall.
What’s the climate and weather conditions of the Hunter Valley? (4)
1) Hot (30°C) although the nights are relatively cool.
2) Humid
3) Low latitude means the
sunshine is intense
4) Afternoon cloud cover offers some respite to the vines.
What are the soils of the Hunter?
Sandy loams to clay loams, often over a clay base
What is a major viticultural concern in the Hunter?
Fungal disease due to high growing season rainfall (500mm)
Outline the winemaking process for Hunter Semillon (3)
1) Grapes are usually picked early
2) The must is gently pressed without any skin contact
3) The must is fermented at moderate temperatures in stainless steel
Three regions of the Central Ranges Zone?
Mudgee, Orange
and Cowra
Why are the Central Ranges drier than the Hunter?
They’re on the western side of the Great Dividing Ranges, which give protection from tropical storms and rainfall
What is the climate of the Central Ranges Zone?
Continental but the altitude provides a cooling influence
Where and at what altitude are Orange’s vineyards planted?
On the slopes of Mount Canobolas between 600- 900m
What are the soils in Orange? (3)
1) Deep red volcanic basalt soils
2) Yellow/brown clay loams
3) Shallow gravels
What is a positive and a negative of strong winds in Orange?
1) Mitigates frost risk
2) Can disrupt fruit set
Name a key Orange winery
Ross Hill
Main four varieties in Orange?
1) Cabernet Sauvignon
2) Shiraz
3) Chardonnay
4) Sauvignon Blanc
Three key regions of the Southern New South Wales Zone
1) Canberra District
2) Tumbarumba
3) Hilltops
What is the climate of Southern New South Wales and why?
1) Continental
2) Sheltered from maritime influences by a range of hills and the Snowy Mountains
Canberra District’s altitude and benefit?
1) 500-850m
2) High sunshine intensity to help ripening in this continental climate
Canberra District’s most planted variety?
Shiraz
Name a significant Canberra District producer
Clonakilla
What’s the climate of Tasmania?
Cool maritime
What’s Tasmania’s latitude
41–43°S
Where in Tasmania can growing season rain and humidity be a problem?
In the north and west (Tamar Valley and Piper’s River)
What is a main viticultural hazard across Tasmania and how is it combatted?
1) Spring frosts
2) Frost fans or sprinklers
Name a key producer in Tasmania
Tolpuddle
Why is little of Tasmania’s wine exported? (3)
1) Small production
2) Strong domestic sales
3) Popular tourist destination driving cellar door sales
Tow main regions of South West Australia Zone?
Margaret River and Great Southern
Margaret River is surrounded on three sides by which two oceans?
1) The Indian Ocean to the north and west
2) The Southern Ocean to the south
What two effects does the Indian Ocean have on Margaret River and what is the benefit?
1) The Indian Ocean is relatively warm meaning that temperatures do not drop away much at night
2) Moderates temperatures at low latitude
3) Allows grapes to ripen longer each day than they can in regions with cooler nights
Why does Margaret River relatively have relatively few weather hazards? (2)
1) The maritime influence also means spring frosts are rarely a problem.
2) Annual rainfall is relatively high for Australia (1,000mm+), but most of this rain is in the winter
Describe Margaret River’s soils
Gravelly and free-draining, meaning irrigation is essential but low in fertility, moderating vigour
Name a significant Margaret River producer
Leeuwin Estate
Do Margaret River producers of Chardonnay tend to permit MLC?
Malolactic conversion tends to be blocked in all but the coolest years to retain the naturally high acidity levels of the ripe style
Three main Margaret River white varieties?
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon
Two main Margaret River black varieties?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Which two sub-regions of Great Southern are considered coastal maritime?
1) Albany
2) Denmark
Which three wo sub-regions of Great Southern are considered inland continental?
1) Mount Barker
2) Porongorup
3) Frankland River
Which Great Southern variety is the most planted and where is it most found?
1) Shiraz
2) Mount Barker
3) Frankland River
A producer in Great Southern?
Frankland Estate
Where is Cabernet in Great Southern most powerful (2)?
1) Mount Barker
2) Warmer parts of Denmark
Flagship white variety of Great Southern and best sub-region
1) Riesling
2) Porongorup
Name the five main companies in order of production in Australia
1) Treasury
2) Accolade
3) Casella
4) Pernod Ricard
5) Australian Vintage
What is the generic body for Australian wine and what are its key aims?
1) Wine Australia
2) To increase the demand for, competitiveness of and quality image of Australian wine
Why are the soils of Grampians and Pyrenees treated with lime?
Some soils are quite acidic, which can result in reduced vigour and yields unless they are treated with lime.
