Australia Flashcards
Name some of the cooling influences in Australia
proximity to the southern or indian oceans
murray river system
altitude - adelaide hills/eden valley
what are some climate risks in australia?
risk of drought - in hot years murray-darling and river land can also run low
bush fires - smoke tainted grapes
what is australia’s principal grape variety
shiraz
where in australia produces full bodied intensely fruity shiraz that often develops earthy and spicy bottle age
hunter and barossa valley
what style shriraz is produced in cooler regions such as heath otw and geelong
a leaner more peppery style
made by controlling extraction
what role does shiraz play in blends with cab sauv
softens the blend
describe an australian cab and 2 classic regions it’s found
firm tannins, darker, higher acidity, black current, black cherry
coonawara, margaret river
what role does merlot play in australian red blends?
body with fleshy plum
who produces the best examples of pinot noir in australia?
mornington peninsula
yarra valley
tasmania
what is the style of cool climate pinot noir in australia
medium body, medium alcohol, medium to high acidity, cherry and strawberry
what do australians hot regions produce?
late ripening varieties such as grenache, petit verdot, mourvèdre.
which grapes are suited to that hot climate and limited water supply?
sangiovese and tempranillo
what is the most planted white variety in australia
chardonnay
what style is australian chardonnay?
blend of fruit from different regions, unoaked for peachy flavours or oak chips for toast and vanilla
which regions produce elegant chardonnay’s that are balanced and have subtle use of lee’s/mlf/oak maturation
adelaide hills
mornington peninsula
yarra valley
margaret river
which region has developed a reputation for sauvignon blanc showing concentrated passionfruit and high acidity
adelaide hills
which grape does hunter valley produce that is harvested early with low sugar levels and high acidity, kept away from oxygen and matured in inert vessels
semillon
what variety in australia can be described by “neutral at first with light alcohol but develop honey and toast with bottle age and can age for 20 years”
hunter valley semillon
what style semillon does western australia produce?
a more herbaceous style
describe an Australian riesling
pronounced citrus, tertiary notes of toast, honey, and petrol.
unoaked, high acidity, dry/off dry
which regions produce classic riesling?
eden valley, clare valley
which regions are producing a more floral and less citrusy riesling?
tasmania and frankland river
how does the heirchy of GIs go in australia
GI
ZONES
REGIONS
SUBREGIONS
which GIs are covered in the south eastern australia zone
south australia
victoria
new south wales
queensland
where do high volume, inexpensive, brand wines in the south eastern australia zone source their grapes
river land
rivervina
murray darling
what can enhance the blends in the south eastern australia zone?
blending from barrossa, adelaide, or maclaren vale
which region in the south eastern Australia zone produces botrytised semillon?
riverina
what are blends coming from south australia GIs labelled
south australia
which region is warm and dry with old bush vines? and what wines does it produce?
barossa
shiraz, cab, grenache
describe a barossa valley shiraz
full body, soft tannin, black fruit, american oak.
develops softer leather aromas with spice as it ages
which white variety is the most notable in barossa?
what style is it?
semillon
unoaked and fresh
where can wines labeled barossa valley source the fruit?
barosssa and eden valley
what is the climate of eden valley?
cool to moderate, varies with altitude
which region produces outstanding rieslings with a grapefruit and lime aromas with a steely character, developing into marmalade and toast
eden valley
which region is a cool to moderate climate that has success growing shiraz, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon?
eden valley
which region has vineyards planted at 300-400 metres with a warm climate, cooled by afternoon breezes?
clare valley
how does a clare valley riesling differ from an eden valley?
they are more intense citrus and can develop honey and toast in the bottle
which region produces structured and elegant shiraz?
clare valley
why does the cabernet sauvignon in clare valley differ in style?
vineyard location, soil, and elevation
which region has all vineyards planted above 400 meters
adelaide hills
why is irrigation needed in adelaide hills?
the soils have limited water holding capacity and rainfall occurs mainly in winter
which region produces refreshing sauvignon blancs and elegant chardonnay with natural high acidity and peach aromas
adelaide hills
what is pinot noirs use in adelaide hills?
still and sparkling wines
what is a cooling influence in maclaren vale?
afternoon breeze from the ocean
which region produces intense flavoured dark wines with soft ripe tannins
maclaren vale
where would you wine old vine shiraz and grenache
barossa and maclaren vale
what is the soil in coonawara?
terra rossa
a red soil with a limestone subsoil
what cools the moderate climate in coonawara?
cloud cover and cold currents from the antarctic
describe a cab from coonawara
concentrated, structured, cassis, ecylyptus and mint
other than cabernet which 3 varieties are planted in coonawara
shiraz, Chardonnay and merlot
which region is the coolest in australia’s mainland?
victoria
what are the cooling influences in victoria?
ocean breeze, great dividing range, high altitude
melbourne and port phillip are producing?
high quality chardonnay and pinot noir for sparkling
high altitude sites such as upper golburn and macedon ridges are producing?
elegant pinot noirs and chardonnay’s
aromatic sauvignon blanca and riesling’s
what is the climate of yarra valley?
cool to moderate but a range of altitude and aspects
which region produces excellent sparkling wines
yarra valley
a ripe and soft pinot noir with red fruits and careful oak handling describes which region?
yarra valley
which region is cool to moderate maritime climate and home to small boutique estates?
mornington peninsula
which area experiences wet windy and cool flowering time resulting in vintage variety?
mornington peninsula
a chardonnay that has aromas of citrus pear and apple and high acidity usually softened by MLF would be from?
mornington peninsula
which region produces a range of pinot noir from light and delicate to structured but with very pure fruit
mornington peninsula
which region is renowned for quality, complex, full body and concentrated chardonnay
geelong
which are the major red grapes planted in geelong?
pinot noir and shiraz
an earthy pinot noir may be from?
geelong
where do the cooling influences of heath cote come from and what is the climate?
altitude
moderate climate
which region is showing promise with sangiovese and tempranillo?
heath cote
a firm and fresh fruit shiraz may come from?
heath cote
what is the climate of golburn valley and how is it cooled and which is most widely planted?
warm
golburn river
shiraz
golburn is producing marsannes in which style?
citrus fruit in youth but honey with bottle age
what is the main region in new south wales?
hunter valley
what is the climate, cooling influences and struggles of growing in hunter valley?
hot and humid
high cloud cover and ocean breeze
rainy weather at harvest - managed by canopy management
what is the most widely planted variety in hunter valley? what style is it producing?
semillon in a light body, low alc, high acidity way with capability to age 20 years
a hunter valley shiraz may be?
soft tannin, medium body, black fruit and earthy
what are the only wines not part of the south eastern super zone?
western australia
what is the climate of margaret river
warm maritime and high rainfall in winter
which region blends cab and merlot making bordeaux style blends?
margaret river
a chardonnay with concentrated stone fruit and a high level of natural acidity that uses MLF for complexity could be coming from?
margaret river
margaret river is producing blends of sauvignon blanc and semillon giving aromas of?
gooseberry and tropica fruit with high acidity
what are the sub regions of the great southern region?
mount barker
frankland
what is tasmania’s climate? and what are the cooling influences?
cool, maritime climate
winds from southern ocean
