Australia Flashcards
Tell us about sparkling wine from Australia?
Australia is a significant global wine producer and although the sparkling wine sector represents only a small percentage (less than 6 per cent) of the total wine crush, this translates into annual sparkling wine sales of 66 million litres (2018-19). These sales are split between domestic (80 per cent) and export (20 per cent) markets. Export sales of Australian sparkling wine have risen in recent years. This export sales growth indicates a continuing demand from international consumers.
Almost all methods of producing sparkling wines across multiple styles are employed in the Australian sparkling wine sector. These include traditional method, transfer, tank and carbonation. Styles produced include classic Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier blends made by the traditional method, tank method wines from Glera/Prosecco (see Australian Prosecco in the Winemaking section) and Moscato, sparkling Shiraz and Pet Nat in very small quantities.
Grapes for traditional method sparkling wines are grown in the cooler regions of Australia, especially in Tasmania, but also in regions such as Yarra Valley (led by Domaine Chandon), Adelaide Hills and the alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales on higher altitude sites. These areas produce grapes that are highly suitable for quality sparkling wine due to their high acidity, moderate potential alcohol levels (due to slow sugar accumulation) and the creation of ripe but medium intensity fruit characters. Yields are lower than in regions producing high-volume sparkling wines, contributing to higher prices.
Tasmania is the leading region for high-quality traditional method wines, with a history going back to the mid-1980s when a joint venture between the Tasmanian company Heemskerk and Champagne Louis Roederer was launched. The state produces only a small amount of wine but has been very successful in terms of quality. Nearly 40 per cent of its total wine grape production is made into sparkling wine.
The climate on the island is varied. For example, on the north coast Tamar Valley and Piper’s River are close to each other. However, Tamar Valley is much warmer (as it is more sheltered from the cold Southern Ocean) and harvests a fortnight before Piper’s River. With the exception of the warm Coal Valley, Southern Tasmania is generally cooler than the warm parts of the north coast. Indeed, the coldest areas are cooler than Champagne but with higher sunlight intensity due to its latitude. The larger producers source fruit from different locations around the island to gain the volumes necessary, blending grapes from cooler and warmer regions for balanced wines. Growers have discussed creating named sub-zones within Tasmania but are currently content to market their wines as Tasmanian.
Spring frosts and high rainfall are the main challenges for growing grapes for premium sparkling wine. Coulure in the early season and botrytis later on can be problematic.
Fruit for inexpensive sparkling wines is grown in a wide range of regions, including Riverland, Riverina and Murray-Darling, and labelled ‘South Eastern Australia’. This accounts for the vast majority of sparkling wine produced in Australia. Here, irrigation is essential and mechanisation standard. In general, fruit is picked early for lower potential alcohol, to retain acidity and to avoid over-ripe fruit notes. Yields here are two to three times as high as in cool areas and prices are around one-quarter of the prices for the fruit that goes into super- premium wines.
Fruit for sparkling red wine, particularly Shiraz, is the exception to the general rules about cooler sites and early picking. The fruit is grown in warm-climate regions, especially central Victoria, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. The style requires richness and intensity of flavour and therefore the grapes are picked at the same time as for still wines. Yields will range from high for inexpensive wines to moderate for premium and above.
Explain the winemaking for traditional method sparkling wine from Australia?
As noted, the Australian regions produce a wide range of sparkling wine using all methods – traditional, transfer, tank, carbonation and ancestral method.
Traditional method wines are made in several styles (non-vintage, vintage, prestige cuvée, rosé). Time on lees in bottle varies. Premium producers look to Champagne as an example (without being constrained by its rules) and have similar minimum lees- ageing time. A significant number of the best producers age their wines on the lees for long periods of time as standard (three or more years) and the emerging category of ‘late disgorged’ wines, with more than six years ageing, is led by producers such as Jansz and Arras.
The geographical position of Tasmania has resulted in most of the large producers pressing the grapes on the island, but then completing the winemaking on the mainland (e.g. Bay of Fires). Refrigerated juice (or the base wine) is transported to their own wineries in mainland Australia, where they have invested in specialised equipment for the second fermentation stage for sparkling wine. Smaller Tasmanian producers make their wines to completion on the island, as small volume production can be carried out by hand and limited machinery (e.g. gyropalettes).
In general, premium traditional method wines from Australia will have medium (+) to high acidity and medium alcohol. Body and flavour intensity can vary from medium (-) to medium (+) depending on the style and length of lees ageing. The lighter styles will be softly fruity (citrus fruit and apple) whereas the fuller bodied styles typically have prominent autolytic notes. Wines may or may not undergo malolactic conversion, depending on the style wineries wish to make.
Explain the winemaking for transfer, tank and carbonation method for sparkling wine from Australia?
Inexpensive and mid-priced sparkling wines are made across a number of cool, moderate and warm climate regions in Australia. Often, these wines will be blends of grapes from multiple regions, but some may have regional designations. Large brands may include some grapes from warmer, irrigated, inland regions such as Riverina.
These wines can be made by transfer method, tank method and carbonation and may be made from a number of different varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Moscato and Glera/Prosecco.
In general, these wines will have medium to medium (+) acidity, be anywhere on the scale from dry to medium-sweet, low to medium alcohol and light to medium body. The wines tend to be fruity, some intensely so, with anything from citrus fruits to riper peach and apricot fruits as well as the grapey fruit of Moscato. There is little or no autolytic character (just in some transfer wines). The main brands are Brown Brothers, Jacob’s Creek and Yellowglen.
Explain the winemaking for sparkling shiraz from Australia?
Sparkling Shiraz is made like a normal still red wine, including malolactic conversion, and may or may not spend time maturing in oak. Very good and outstanding quality wines are made by the traditional method. Acceptable to good wines are by transfer method, tank or carbonation. Sparkling red wines are also made from other varieties.
Shiraz wines are deep in colour and may vary from ruby to garnet. They tend to have medium (-) to medium acidity, medium to high alcohol, and medium but ripe and soft tannins, balanced by dosage. It is common for wines to have more than 20 g/L of residual sugar to balance the effects of tannins and high alcohol on the palate. They also tend to be medium- to full-bodied with medium to pronounced intensity. Styles can be distinctly fruity or may have more savoury complexity from extended oak maturation prior to second fermentation. Autolytic notes tend not to be overt as they are masked by other flavours. Some late disgorged wines are available with extended lees ageing, but usually sparkling reds are released after one to two years.
Explain the winemaking for moscato from Australia?
Sparkling Moscato, especially pink Moscato (e.g. Innocent Bystander), is a growing sector in the domestic Australian wine market. It is made from grapes grown in many different regions, though tending to warmer climates. Higher quality, smaller production Moscato is made by the tank method, but most inexpensive to mid-priced Moscato is made by carbonation. Sparkling Moscato is typically low in alcohol with medium acidity and can vary from off-dry to sweet. It is distinctly fruity in style with classic Moscato grapey flavours. Wines are acceptable to good quality levels.
Explain the winemaking for Australian prosecco for sparkling wine from Australia?
Australian Prosecco is a rapidly growing and important segment of the wine market. The main region of production for this style of wine is the King Valley with Prosecco being developed as its new flagship sparkling wine. In Australia it continues to be labelled as Prosecco, the argument being made that the variety was planted in Australia before Italy changed the use of the name from a variety name to the name of a PDO. The first Australian Prosecco was released by Dal Zotto in 2004; Italy changed the use of the word Prosecco from 2009. However, if exported to the EU these wines must be labelled as Glera. The King Valley region is assisting in ongoing legal representation to be able to use the name Prosecco in other markets, e.g. China – arguing that it is a variety, not a region.
Prosecco is made predominantly by the tank method to obtain a lightly fruity style. Typically, the wines have medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, and light to medium body with delicate white peach flavours. It tends to be off-dry to medium-dry. It is predominantly made by small producers with a focus on quality. The quality is good to very good. Some carbonated wine is also made.
Explain the winemaking for Pet Nat for sparkling wine from Australia?
Pet Nat wine is now being made by many small, often natural, winemakers in several regions from several varieties. It is generally made in small quantities and the wines can be white, rosé or red. In general, these wines can be quite cloudy, with varying levels of pressure from slightly sparkling to fully sparkling. They are usually dry with medium (+) acidity and medium alcohol. Body can vary from light to medium (+) and flavour intensity can vary from medium to pronounced. The wines often have yeasty characteristics along with fruit flavours.
Explain the wine law and the wine business for Australian sparkling wine?
In general, Australian winemakers are not constrained by wine laws related to varieties permitted within geographical indications and hence have been able to introduce new styles, such as sparkling Shiraz.
Australian sparkling wine is made by the full range of producers, from major corporations to small, artisan growers. The success of Tasmanian traditional method sparkling wine has led to significant acquisitions of small wineries by the large producers and to consolidation in the sector. For example, Brown Brothers bought Tamar Ridge, and Accolade owns a range of brands including House of Arras and Bay of Fires.
Australia has a substantial domestic market for sparkling wine that represents 11 per cent of domestic wine sales by volume. Recent developments have seen the rise of Australian Prosecco and Moscato, and a falling back of sparkling Shiraz sales. Australian Prosecco reached the 3.5 million-litre mark in 2017, while Australian Moscato tripled in production between 2014 and 2017, although it has fallen behind Australian Prosecco. The reduction in Shiraz sales may be due to the rise of these other sparkling options, a reduced interest
in high alcohol wines and a new interest in foreign wines (sparkling Shiraz being seen as an Australian phenomenon). Alongside these trends, there is increasing interest in Pet Nat via wine bars in the domestic market.
Tell us about New Zealand Sparkling Wine?
With its cool climate and plentiful supply of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, New Zealand has great potential for making notable sparkling wines. However, the success of its still wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, means that sparkling wine has remained a tiny part of its offer.
Traditional method bottle-fermented wines dominate the mid- to premium-priced sector. These wines typically offer medium intensity aromas of apple and lemon fruit with light toasty autolytic notes and high acidity. They are typically made in a Brut style and are good to very good in quality, with some outstanding examples. Some carbonated wines are also made.
Explain the growing environment and grape growing for New Zealand sparkling wine?
Grapes for sparkling wines are sourced from around the two islands. However, the cooler climates of New Zealand’s South Island are better suited to elegant sparkling wine styles with crisp acidity. Marlborough, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the country’s vineyards, has the highest production of grapes destined for sparkling wine, while the Pinot Noir- dominant region of Central Otago has a handful of ambitious sparkling wine producers. On the North Island, Gisborne has long been home to large- volume sparkling wine brands, producing fuller bodied styles with lower acidity and less finesse.
Marlborough has many advantages as an area for sparkling wine grapes. There is a low risk of late frost or hailstorms and the prevalent north-west wind helps to remove air moisture quickly after rain, reducing the threat of fungal diseases. While it has moderate rainfall, vineyards have to be irrigated due to the free draining alluvial soil and high levels of transpiration from the land and vines due to the strong north-west wind. There is, however, good access to clean water from a constant underground water table.
The grape harvest for sparkling wine typically begins two weeks before the still wine harvest, which is beneficial because autumn rain and the tail end of tropical cyclones can be a challenge later in the harvest. Grapes are picked at a potential alcohol level of between 10–11% abv.
Explain the winemaking for New Zealand sparkling wine?
Most New Zealand sparkling wine is typically a blend based on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The higher quality sparkling wines are produced using the traditional method, but the country’s biggest sparkling wine producers also employ the transfer method. Inexpensive sparkling wines tend to be made by carbonation.
Small producers use their own fruit. A handful of larger producers own vineyards but rely also on long-standing contracts with grape growers to fulfil their requirements.
Many wineries do not have the specialised equipment nor expertise needed to make high-quality traditional method sparkling wine and thus send their blended still wine to a contract winemaking facility for the addition of tirage. The bottled wine is returned to the producer for second fermentation and ageing. It is then sent away again for disgorging and the addition of dosage.
Producers are free to choose between the many options available with traditional method wines: quality-conscious producers will pick by hand and press whole bunches. Most will use cultured yeast and carry out first fermentation in stainless steel for purity of fruit expression. New Zealand sparkling wines tend to undergo malolactic conversion to reduce the very high acidity levels, also to prevent the reaction occurring inadvertently later in the process when it would be undesirable. However, a small number of producers block malolactic conversion in order to preserve the high acidity.
Traditional or transfer method wines usually spend around 18 months on the lees, though some premium producers have extended ageing on lees to add extra complexity and depth. Some wineries adopt the Champagne model of using reserve wines in non-vintage bottlings, but others do not.
Dosage levels for Brut wines vary from 6 g/L up to 12 g/L, although some zero dosage wines are made. For example, pioneer traditional method company No. 1 Family Estate, founded by the Champagne family Daniel Le Brun, makes its least expensive sparkling wine with a minimum 18 months on the lees and a final sweetness of 9 g/L, while its finest cuvées spend much longer on the lees and have a lower, or zero, dosage.
Following the record 2008 harvest, which led to an oversupply of Sauvignon Blanc, companies created sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, employing the carbonation method. Despite a brief flurry of success, less than 60,000 litres were exported globally in 2017. This style typically displays medium (+) intensity primary green capsicum and passion fruit notes, no autolytic character, high acidity and medium (-) length. Examples of carbonated Pinot Gris are sold in the domestic market but are rarely exported.
Explain the wine law and wine business for New Zealand sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine is a small proportion of New Zealand’s wine production. Producers include large companies such as Oyster Bay, who also make high-volume still wines. There are some specialist firms (e.g. No 1 Family Estate), who make both their own wines and carry out the specialist second fermentation phase for other wineries.
Sparkling wines are a tiny proportion of New Zealand’s wine exports, representing 0.5 per cent of exports by volume.
