Australia

Question 1

What is the latitude of most of Australian wine regions?
What are the exceptions?

Answer 1

30-37°S
Some Queensland vineyards and Tasmania are 41-42°S

Question 2

which region of Australia is protected from tropical weather systems by the Great Dividing Range?

Answer 2

South-eastern Australia

Question 3

Identify why drought may cause problems in Australia, even in areas with higher levels of rainfall.

Answer 3

Drought will slow the rate of photosynthesis leading to a slower accumulation of sugars and a reduced level of ripeness. Areas experiencing modest levels of drought sufficient ripeness may be difficult to achieve where a wine of a particular style, quality or volume is desired.

Question 4

Which regions experience unusually high humidity levels for Australian wine producing regions?

Answer 4

Southern Victoria
Hunter Valley
Adelaide Hills

Question 5

What are the 7 most planted varieites in Australia

Answer 5

Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Merlot
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Noir
Semillon

Question 6

Describe the expected differences between a premium quality Shiraz made in the Barossa Valley and another from the Grampians.

Answer 6

Grampian - moderate colour intensity, medium acidity and tannins with a firm/grippy nature. The fruit character is likely to be fresher with more herbaceous and pepper notes. Any oak used is likely to add toasty/smoky characteristics.

Barossa - deep colour intensity, medium acidity and high tannins with a soft/silky nature. The fruit character is likely to be riper/jammier with more sweet spice aromas. Oak is more common and will be sweeter in nature to give coconut and vanilla aromas.

Question 7

Shiraz is often used in GSM blends in South Africa. What name is often used for Mourvèdre in Australia?

Answer 7

Mataro

Question 8

Which barrel styles are most suitable for ageing Australian Grenache?

Answer 8

Old oak barrels
Large oak barrels

Question 9

Explain why malolactic conversion may be used to varying degrees on different styles of Chardonnay across Australia.

Answer 9

Quality & style - MLC can be used to add complexity and textural characteristics. This may be used or avoided to achieve a particular style and quality of wine.

Price point - MLC may be avoided to minimise cost and expenditure where a particular price point is required.

Consistency - High volume brands may use MLC to control the aroma/flavour characteristics as well as acidity to create a consistent style to meet consumer expectations.

Climatic conditions - varying climatic conditions, particularly in more marginal climates may necessitate a greater/lesser use of MLC to give balance.

Question 10

How many wine regions were registered in Australia in 2017

Answer 10

By 2017, there were 65 registered regions within Australia. These regions sit within larger zones.

Question 11

What are the requirements to be a region in Australia

Answer 11

To be registered as a region, the area usually has to produce 500 tonnes of grapes per year. There must also be at least 5 vineyards measuring at least 5 ha across the region, and these vineyards must be owned by different companies.

Question 12

How many sub-regions are registered in Australia

Answer 12

14

Question 13

Name three wine producing areas that are wholly in the South Eastern Australia Zone

Answer 13

Tasmania
New South Wales
Victoria

Question 14

In Australia, if multiple varieties contribute to a blend, how must this be conveyed to the consumer on the label?

Answer 14

The different varieties must be listed in descending order of how much they contribute to the blend.

Question 15

Give a typical tasting note for a Riverina Semillon.

Answer 15

• tend to be medium-bodied
• high in alcohol
• relatively low in acidity
• characterised by ripe ruit flavours.

Question 16

Name two famous producers in Barossa Valley

Answer 16

John Duval
Glaetzer Wines

Question 17

Name two famous producers in Eden Valley

Answer 17

Henschke
Pewsey Vale

Question 18

Name two famous producers in Adelaide Hills

Answer 18

Shaw + Smith
Penfolds

Question 19

Name two famous producers in Clare Valley

Answer 19

Wendouree
Jim Barry

Question 20

Name two famous producers in McLaren Vale

Answer 20

Mollydooker
Hardys
Yangarra

Question 21

Name two famous producers in Coonawarra

Answer 21

Wynns
Katnook

Question 22

Describe a Barossa Valley Shiraz

Answer 22

Typically full-bodied and high in alcohol with high levels of soft tannins and pronounced ripe (and often cooked or dried) black fruit aromas.

Question 23

Describe a Clare Valley Shiraz

Answer 23

Often have medium to medium (+) acidity and tannins, and pronounced ripe black fruit flavours with a distinctive minty or eucalyptus characteristic.

Question 24

Describe an Eden Valley Shiraz

Answer 24

High acidity, structured tannins, and lower alcohol than Barossa Shiraz. They tend to have ripe but fresh plum and blackberry aromas with sweet spice notes from oak.

Question 25

Describe a Coonawarra Shiraz

Answer 25

Usually lighter-bodied than Barossa Shiraz, but still with concentrated blackberry characters and herbal, minty notes. It is sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Question 26

Describe a McLaren Vale Shiraz

Answer 26

Tend to be deep-coloured and full-bodied with high alcohol levels and pronounced dark fruit flavours. Many have spice characteristics from oak. In the hotter, lower sites, the fruit flavours can become cooked or jammy.

Question 27

Parts of the Yarra Valley are considered to be a phylloxera infested zone. Explain what this means and how the area may be protected against further phylloxera outbreaks.

Answer 27

Phylloxera infested implies that this pest is present (but managed) within the vineyard area. The management options will include phylloxera resistant rootstocks and careful biocontrol to avoid transmission in or out of the area.

Question 28

Describe the Henty region in Victoria

Answer 28

The coldest of the regions, as it’s furthest southwest and influenced by cold Antarctic winds. The signature variety is Riesling.

Question 29

Describe the Grampians region in Victoria

Answer 29

Temperatures are moderated by altitude despite the fact the region is 130km inland. Some soils are acidic.

Question 30

Describe the Pyrenees region in Victoria

Answer 30

Known for Shiraz, which can be intense and concentrated on lower slopes. The slopes tend to be gentle, making this generally the warmest region.

Question 31

Discuss wine sales in Australia

Answer 31

• Wine tourism is a major part of Australian wine sales
• 2/3 of all wineries having a cellar door
• In areas with smaller wineries, 70-80% have a cellar door
• South Australia, where the wineries are generally larger, around 50% have a cellar door
• The production volumes of Australian wines are dominated by 5 major companies, the largest of which is Accolade
• By volume, the top market for export is the UK, but by value it’s China