Australia Flashcards
Australian wines labeled with a grape varietal must contain what percentage of that grape?
85%
Name the grape which accounts for 45% of all vines planted in Australia?
Shiraz
Tumbarumba?
Tumbarumba:
- Quality wines
- Range of altitudes
- Continental climate
- Warm days and cooler nights
- Slightly cooler than Hilltops
- Pinot & Chardonnay for still and sparkling mainly
Which Australian region specializes in Botrytized Semillon?
Riverina in New South Wales
When was the first vintage of Penfolds Grange?
Who was the winemaker?
What was unique about this wine compared to other luxury bottlings?
1951
- Max Schubert
- This Shiraz is a blend of different vineyard sites, as opposed to other premier bottlings that source fruit from one “cru”.
List 4 unofficial sub-regions of Barossa Valley:
Seppeltsfield
Rowland Flat District
Barossa Foothills
Western Ridge
Name a top producer / wine of Hunter Valley Semillon.
What is the aging potential of this wine?
How does the wine start off in its youth, and what is its profile as it ages?
Tyrell’s “Vat 1”
Can age for over 2 decades.
Austere and grassy in its youth; Richness, honey, and buttered toast tones over time.
How many wineries in Australia?
in 2018 – 2,250 wineries or vineyards with a brand in Australia
The Hunter produces a uniqe expression of Semillon - describe it and how is it made
-
Semillon
- Unique expression of the varietal
- Dry; light bodied; high Acidity; low alcohol (10-11%);delicate Citrus ch & fairly neutral in youth
- Can age for decades ; developing complex & pronounced Toast, Honey, Hay notes with bottle ageing
- Highest quality not released until 5 years old
- Grapes picked early; must gently pressed; no skin contact to avoid extraction of phenolic compounds as Tannins;
- Must fermented at moderate temps in SS tanks
- Bottled straight away: rarely see oak
- Good to Outstanding quality: Mid – Premium priced
- Significant producer: TYRRELLS & MOUNT PLEASANT
How did wine writer Hugh Johnson describe Penfolds “Grange”?
“The only First Growth of the Southern Hemisphere”
What are the 3 main rivers that are used for irrigation in South Eastern Australia?
Murray
Darling
Murrumbidgee
Where is Clare Valley, what’s the climate like and what white wine is it renowned for making and what does it taste like?
120 km north of Adelaide
Warm Mediterranean climate with a high diurnal range due to altitude on vineyards at 300-500mRL
Riesling - Dry, intense citrus and lime with hi acidity
with bottle age, honey and toast
In which Australian GI is the producer Cullen located?
What is their top bottling?
What grapes are used, and which unofficial sub-region does it come from?
Margaret River GI, Western Australia
“Diana Madeline”
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec
Wilyabrup
What are the climate risks in Hunter Valley?
What are some natural / human factors that help mitigate these?
RISK: Rainy weather often at harvest
RISK: Hot climate can cause grapes to over-ripen
RISK: Rot from humid conditions
- Good canopy management essential
- Prevailing northeast winds from the Pacific help to cool the vineyards.
- Cloud cover helps to shield vines from the sun.
- Early harvesting can help alleviate high sugar levels.
Where is Mornington Peninsula, what’s the climate like, what two grapes is it most renowned for producing and what do they taste like?
South of Melbourne
Cool~Moderate Maritime. Vintages can vary due to cool, wet and windy weather around flowering and harvest
Pinot Noir - light, delicate and structured displaying pure fruit characteristics
Chardonnay - Citrus, pear, apple with hi acid usually softened with MLF
Also Pinot Gris
In which Australian GI is the producer Torbreck located?
They focus entirely on ____ varieties.
Their top 3 wines are:
Barossa Valley GI
Rhone Varieties
RunRig Shiraz
The Laird Shiraz
Descendent Shiraz
Where does Australia currently rank in terms of total production worldwide?
7th
Where is Geelong, how does its climate compare to Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, what is it most renowned for producing and what does it taste like?
West of Melbourne
Cool~Moderate Maritime, but warmer than Yarra Valley / Mornington Peninsula
Very high quality Chardonnay; complex, concentrated with a full body
Also good earthy Pinot Noir, and fresh and peppery Shiraz
What is the most important GI for fine wines in the Limestone Coast?
Coonawarra GI
Which regions make up the Barossa Zone?
Barossa Valley + Eden Valley
What are the 4 main fortified wines produced in Australia?
- Tawny
- Vintage Fortified
- Muscat
- Topaque
Chardonnay from Tasmania - describe the wines
Chardonnay
- Around 25% of total plantings
-
Wines
- Medium Bodied with Medium Alcohol
- Flavours of apple, white peach, pear
- High Acidity often with full MLF (softens & enhances texture)
- Generally Barrel ferment (texture & Integration of Oak)
- Matured in old Oak , with some new
Name the oldest Australian winery and the year it was established:
George Wyndham Estate / 1828
Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley are sub-regions located within what GI?
Adelaide Hills GI
short details about Beechworth - and name an iconic producer
- Lies in hills S of Rutherglen
- 200mRL to over 1000mRL in Altitude
- Wide range of meso climates
- Best known for its top quality Chardonnay
- Giaconda - famous for its Chardonnay
What 5 grapes are predominant in Margaret River?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Semillon
What is Australian Semillon like
Youthful
With age
When is it picked?
How is it fermented?
Which region has made it its own grape?
Youthful - Light body, neutral taste
With age- Develops honey and toast, can age 20 years
Harvested early with low sugar levels and high acidity
Fermented protectively, SO2 and Stainless steel all the way
Hunter Valley
In which GI(s) is the producer Buller Wines located?
Rutherglen GI, Kings Valley GI, NE Victoria
Where is the Tahbilk winery located (sub-region within sub-region / region)?
What is its flagship wine, and what is significant about the vineyards it comes from?
Nagambie Lakes within Goulburn Valley, VIctoria.
“1860 Vines” Shiraz - harvested from pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1860.
Which champagne House makes Green Point in the Yarra Valley?
Domaine Chandon (Moet et Chandon)
Where is Barossa Valley, what’s the climate like, what is it most famous for producing, and what does it taste like?
North of Adelaide
Warm, dry climate
Old Bush vine Shiraz, Cab Sauv, and Grenache - Full body, soft tannin, ripe Black fruit with sweet American oak
South Australia wine regions are based around which city and name the 6 premier regions
Centered around Adelaide
Barossa Valley
Eden Valley
Clare Valley
Adelaide Hills
McClaren Vale
Coonawara
In which Australian wine region is the Tamar valley, and what are they famed for producing?
Tasmania
Mainly Pinot Noir / Chardonnay, but cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon can also be successful.
What five companies dominate Australian wine production?
- Five companies dominate
- Accolade wines
- Casella Family brands
- Treasury Wine Estates
- Pernod Ricard
- Australian Vintage
What is the style of quality Australian Chardonnay and what is the climate like in the best regions?
Fresh, vibrant fruit, subtle lees, MLF and/or oak
Cool, moderate (Adelaide Hills, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra) or just warm regions (Margaret River)
What 3 zones does the Adelaide Superzone include?
Barossa / Fleurieu / Mt. Lofty Ranges
What are the No.1 black and white grapes in Australia?
Shiraz and Chardonnay
Which Australian state produces the most wine?
South Australia
Pinot Noir from Tasmania - describe the wines
Pinot Noir
- Almost 50% of total!
-
Wines
- Light to Medium bodied
- Medium to High Acidity
- Medium Alcohol
- Strawberry and cherry aromas
- Warmer sites more Riper, Intense style
- Matured in older oak, with some new oak for premium examples
Where, specifically, is the Yalumba winery based?
3 notable facts about this winery:
What is their top bottling?
Eden Valley, South Australia.
- The oldest family-run winery in Australia.
- Has its own on-site nursery that supplies vines and rootstocks to much of Australia.
- Has its own cooperage that uses imported American, French and Hungarian staves to construct its own barrels.
- Top Bottling: The Octavius, Old Vine Shiraz from Barossa Valley.
For the following Australian GIs, identify the closest major market:
A. Yarra Valley
B. Hunter Valley
C. Margaret River
D. Barossa Valley
E. Tasmania
A. Melbourne
B. Sydney
C. Perth
D. Adelaide
E. Hobart
Generally, Australia’s main growing regions have warm or hot climates.
What are 3 sources of cooling and examples of regions:
Southern or Indian oceans (Tasmania, Coonawarra)
Murray River System (Goulburn, Murray-Darling)
Altitude (Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills)
What percentage of Australian wine is exported?
- In 2018 it exported 8.5m hl – about 66% of its total production
Where is Goulburn Valley, what’s the climate like, what is it most renowned for producing and what does it taste like?
East of Heathcote
Warm, mitigated slightly by lakes and creeks
Shiraz is the most planted, but Marsanne is the speciality; citrus fruit in youth developing honey aromas with age
The Goulburn Valley & Bendigo are part of Central Victoria, what are they known for?
-
Goulburn Valley & Bendigo
- well suited to ripe, full bodied reds
- Goulburn produces whites with Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier
- Marsanne long history in zone
The oldest continuously producing Grenache and Shiraz vines in the world are found in ___.
South Australia
What latitude is Tasmania?
41-43 degrees south
Name 4 Premium wines from the McLaren Vale GI
D’Arenberg “Dead Arm” Shiraz
Yangarra “High Sands” Grenache
Drew Noon “Eclipse” Grenache-based blend
Clarendon Hills “Australis” Shiraz
In which GI is the producer Campbells located?
What wines do they specialize in?
Rutherglen GI
Rutherglen Topaque / Rutherglen Muscat
What is the second most planted red grape in Australia?
Cabernet Sauvignon
In the early-mid 20th Century, Hunter Valley Sémillon was also called 3 other names:
- Riesling
- Chablis
- White Burgundy
Which style of wine was the major focus of the Australian wine industry in the 1950s?
Fortified Wines
Where is Margaret River, what’s the climate like and what is it most renowned for producing?
200km South of Perth
Warm Maritime with fairly high rainfall
Cab Sav, mainly blended with Merlot in a Bordeaux style
Chardonnay / Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon
How many wines were classified as “Exceptional” in the Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine VI?
Name 4 of them, including their region:
21
Penfolds “Bin 95 Grange” Shiraz, S. Australia
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley
Clarendon Hills “Astralis” Syrah, McLaren Vale
Jim Barry “The Armagh” Shiraz, Clare Valley
In which Australian GI is the producer d’Arenberg located?
What is their winemaking philosophy?
What is their flagship bottling, and what is its name based on?
McLaren Vale GI
Minimal input viticulture (philosophy based on no irrigation, fertilization, spraying, and soil cultivation)
“Dead Arm” Shiraz - a reference to the fungus Eutypa lata, which kills one branch of the vine.
The Art Series is produced by whom?
Where are they based?
What does the Art Series represent?
Leeuwin Estate
Margaret River, Western Australia.
The Art Series represents Leeuwin Estate’s most opulent and ageworthy wines from each vintage, and the labels feature artwork commisioned from contemporary and Aboriginal Australian artists.
What’s that soil in Coonawarra called and what is it made up?
Where else in the world is this soil found?
“Terra Rossa”
Red clayey topsoil over a limestone subsoil
La Mancha, Spain