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Certified Sommelier Exam (CMS 2) > Australia > Flashcards

Australia Flashcards

1
Q

How would you generally describe Australia’s climate categories?

A
  • Cool maritime to warm Mediterranean to hot and arid.

Generally it has a hot and dry interior and is cooler near coast

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1
Q

Australia is a large country.

It is about the same size as which continent?

A

The continental United States

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2
Q

Despite the general warm climate in South Australia, the region can make some zingy Rieslings thanks to what?

A

Elevation, particularly in Adelaide Hills.

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3
Q

Australia has a few ocean currents, and the one that cools down the southern coast of Australia and Tasmania comes from where?

A

Antarctica, or the Southern Ocean

You don’t have to know their names for the exam, but you can read more about the 4 ocean currents that affect Australia HERE.

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4
Q

Terra Rossa is commonly found in what South Australian wine region?

A

Coonawarra

While not unique to Coonawarra, this well-drained red terra rossa topsoil provides optimal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon.

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5
Q

Why is Australia so keen on blending?

A
  • It can help regulate/assure quality and a sense of brand consistency by blending over vast tracts of land, often spread over several states.
  • This blending philosophy is seen in mass-market wines to the highest levels of quality in Australia, including the iconic Penfolds Grange, a Shiraz introduced by Max Schubert in 1951 as Grange Hermitage.

Unlike most luxury wines, Grange, a renowned wine and one of the first New World collectible bottlings, is generally blended from many vineyards across several regions—a testament to the Australian style.

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6
Q

True or False.

100+ year old vines exist in Australia.

A

True

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7
Q

Australia’s interior is hot and arid.

Is irrigation even allowed in the country’s interior?

A

Yes - irrigation is necessary in the country’s. interior

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8
Q

Where are Australia’s “best” vineyards located?

A

Near the cooler coast.

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9
Q

“Traditional” Australian wines are blended across regions and states, often with which type of oak?

A

American oak

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10
Q

“Modern” Australian wine is focused on a Single GI/site using which type of oak?

A

French oak

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11
Q

Rutherglen is best known for what style of wines?

A

Fortified wines

In particular its Muscat.

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12
Q

What are the 5 most common white grape varieties in Australia?

A
  1. Riesling
  2. Chardonnay
  3. Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend
  4. Semillon (Hunter)
  5. Muscat
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13
Q

What are the 3 top red grape varieties found in Australia?

A
  1. Shiraz
  2. Grenache
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon
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14
Q

Australia uses the GI wine classification system, and the GIs refer to what?

A

A geographic place of origin only.

There are no other wine laws in Australia.

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15
Q

Fill in the blank.

Australia follows the ____% rule if they put the grape variety, vintage, and origin on the label.

A

85%

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16
Q

In descending order, how is Australia’s GI wine classification system structured?

A
  • Australia
  • State
  • Zone
  • Region
  • Sub-Region

More specificity as the region gets smaller.

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17
Q

In Australia, what is the name of the high-volume Super Zone that allows producers to blend freely from across several states?

A

South Eastern Australia GI

Encompasses all of Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, along with the winegrowing areas of South Australia and Queensland.

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18
Q

What are the 4 major Australian GIs you need to know for the exam?

A
  1. New South Wales GI
  2. Victoria GI
  3. South Australia GI
  4. Western Australia GI
19
Q

Where is Tasmania GI?

A

1200 miles off the southern coast of Australia.

20
Q

In South Eastern Australia GI, which 2 nested GIs do you need to know?

A
  1. Riverina GI
  2. Murray Darling GI

Both are heavily irrigated and focus on bulk wine production (Murray Darling more so on inexpensive fortified wines).

21
Q

Which nested GI in New South Wales GI do you need to know?

A

Hunter Valley GI

22
Q

What white grape variety is Hunter Valley GI known for?

A

Semillon

Tyrrell’s Vat 1 makes an iconic one.

23
Q

Which nested GI within Australia’s Victoria GI do you need to know?

A

Yarra Valley GI

24
Q

Which nested GI within Western Australia GI do you need to know?

A

Margaret River GI

25
Q

Name 2 famous wine producers in Margaret River GI.

A
  1. Vasse Felix
  2. Leeuwin Estate
26
Q

Which 5 nested GIs in South Australia GI do you need to know for the exam?

A
  1. Barossa Valley GI
  2. McLaren Vale GI
  3. Clare Valley GI
  4. Eden Valley GI
  5. Coonawarra GI
27
Q

What is arguably Australia’s most famous wine?

A

Penfold’s Grange

A Shiraz introduced by Max Schubert in 1951 as Grange Hermitage.

28
Q

The first vines in Australia were planted when and where?

A
  • 1788
  • Near Sydney
29
Q

Economic recession and phylloxera befell Australia in the latter half of the 19th century, harming the wine industry, but officials took strict and immediate measures to combat the spread of phylloxera by confining it to which areas?

A

Victoria and a portion of New South Wales.

30
Q

What style of wine dominated Australia’s production until the late 20th century?

A

Sweet/fortified wines

31
Q

Screwcaps, also known as STELVIN® closures, were developed and produced by which French company in Burgundy, France?

A

Le Bouchage Mécanique

32
Q

When Yellow Tail launched, it followed what’s called a Blue Ocean Strategy.

What is Blue Ocean Strategy?

A

A business strategy methodology to explore uncontested marketplaces – ‘blue oceans’, where there is plenty of open space.

33
Q

What food pairs best with a ripe Australian Shiraz?

A

Intense grilled or barbecued meat.

34
Q

When food and wine pairing, most Clare or Eden Valley Rieslings can be swapped in for Sauvignon Blancs from this country.

A

New Zealand

35
Q

Which North American AVA’s Pinot Noirs parallel Yarra Valley Pinot Noir?

A

Willamette Valley

36
Q

Which North American AVA’s Chardonnays parallel Yarra Valley Chardonnay?

A

Sonoma Coast

37
Q

Fill in the blank.

Margaret River Bordeaux blends are elegant like wines from _______.

A

Bordeaux

38
Q

Which producer in Clare Valley GI makes benchmark Australian Riesling?

A

Grosset

39
Q

Describe a describe Barossa/McLaren Vale Shiraz.

A
  • Rich, textural, full body and tend toward jam or dried fruit flavors.
  • Opaque, dense, heavily extracted, and full of dark fruit and chocolate.

Keep these descriptors handy when talking about red wines from Barossa and McLaren Vale.

40
Q

Name 2 iconic Shiraz from McLaren Vale.

A
  1. D’Arenberg ‘Dead Arm’ Shiraz
  2. Clarendon Hills ‘Astralis’ Shiraz
41
Q

Name 2 iconic Grenache from McLaren Vale.

A
  1. Yangarra ‘High Sands’ Grenache
  2. Drew Noon Grenache-based ‘Eclipse’
42
Q

Name 2 iconic Barossa Valley Shiraz.

A
  1. Wolf Blass ‘Platinum Label’ Medlands Vineyard Shiraz
  2. Tomfoolery ‘Artful Dodger’ Shiraz
43
Q

Name 2 regions known for bulk wine in Australia.

A
  1. Murray Darling GI
  2. Riverland GI
44
Q

Name 2 premium wine regions in South Australia.

A
  1. Coonawarra GI
  2. McLaren Vale GI

Certified Sommelier Exam (CMS 2) (49 decks)

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