Australia Flashcards
When did the first vines arrive in Australia?
With the first British prisoner ships, in 1788.
What drove expansion of the Aussie wine business in the 19th century?
At first, population growth and gold mining. As the gold dried up, export markets became the focus, namely Britain.
How did phylloxera affect Australia?
They largely quarantined it in Victoria, where it wreaked havoc. This in turn led to South Australia becoming the center of the Aussie wine industry.
What is a hallmark trait of the Australian wine industry today?
Modern technology and technical know how. They pioneered the bag in box technology and were early proponents of the Stelvin screw cap. The quality of lower price point wines from here is excellent.
South Australia accounts for what percent of Aussie production?
How about New South Wales?
South Australia 51%
NSW 25%
Where does Australia rank in the world as an exporter of wine?
5th, behind Italy, France, Spain, and Chile
Which two regions account for almost half of Aussie production?
Riverina (NSW)
Riverlands (SA)
How are Australian wine areas classified?
GI-Geographical Indication (NSW)
Zone - Hunter Valley zone
Region - Hunter Valley
Sub Region - Lower Hunter
What three regions are in the Central Ranges Zone?
In what GI are these?
Mudgee
Orange
Cowra
New South Wales
In what GI will I find the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven Coast regions?
New South Wales-SW of Sydney
In the Southern New South Wales zone, there are 4 regions, name em.
Canberra
Tumbarumba
Hilltops
Gundagai
What zone in NSW is the top producer in the country? What regions are here that drive that? What 2 large producers are here that drive production?
Big Rivers Zone
Murray Darling
Riverina
Casella (Yellow Tail)
De Bortoli
What river divides NSW from Victoria?
What other river irrigates NSW?
Murray river
Murrumbidgee river
Who makes Noble One Botrytis Semillon?
De Bortoli
Riverina, NSW
What is meant by an Australian wine labeled SE Australia?
Blending is a key part of Aussie viticulture. SE Australia allows blending from NSW, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania
What is the producer to know in Canberra District NSW?
Clonakilla
Cooler Climate Syrah
Who are the top two producers in Hunter Valley?
Tyrell’s
Brokenwood
Name a Shiraz producer from Hunter Valley not Tyrells or Brokenwood
Mount Pleasant (Maurice O’Shea)
Viticulture in Victoria started when, and by whom?
1838 Ryrie brothers started a cattle farm in Yarra Valley, named it ‘Yering’.
What 2 Regions are shared with NSW along the Murray river?
Murray Darling and Swan Hill
What zone encompasses Melbourne?
What the climate like here?
Port Phillip Zone
Mediterranean, but cooled by the Southern Ocean. Cooler than Bordeaux.
What is the most important Victoria wine region?
Whats the style of wine from here?
Yarra Valley
Cool climate Pinot and Chard, theres a little Cab and Shiraz also. No new American oak here.
Name 2 iconic producers from the Yarra Valley
Yarra Yering
Mount Mary
Name the wine regions in the Port Phillip zone, aside from Yarra Valley.
Mornington Peninsula
Geelong
Sunbury
Macedon Ranges
What producer can you name in Mornington Peninsula?
How about 2 in Geelong?
Mooroduc
By Farr
Bannockburn
What Geelong sub region historically and today has produced great wines?
Moorabool Valley
What rather large region lies East of the Great Dividing range along the cold SE coast of Victoria?
What producer here is a shining star for Aussie Pinot?
Gippsland
Bass Phillip
their reserve pinot is often the most expensive bottle in Australia.
What region in NE Victoria is known for its stickies?
What is a stickie, what grape is used and what quality tiers are there?
Rutherglen
Fortified Sweet wines made from Muscat.
There are ‘classic’ ‘grand’ and ‘rare’ styles, aged longer and more oxidative as you go up.
What is a Rutherglen Topaque?
Unique stickie made from Muscadelle instead of Muscat
Is there botrytis present in a Rutherglen stickie? When is it fortified?
Botrytis is avoided, fortified after fermentation starts, like Port.
Where are Glenrowan and Beechworth regions?
NE Victoria, by Rutherglen
Where is the Goulburn Valley, Upper Goulburn, and Strathbogie Ranges?
In between Melbourne and Rutherglen.
King Valley and Alpine Valleys regions are in what GI?
Victoria, NE up by Rutherglen
Which wine region sits in central Victoria, just North of Macedon Ranges?
Which region lies just West, and what kind of wines are made here?
Heathcote, just West is Bendigo
Hefty reds, especially Shiraz. Jasper Hill is a producer to know.