Australia

Question 1

What’s the general climate in Australia?

Answer 1

• super hot and dry in the centre
• cooler towards the coast
• cool maritime to warm mediterranean

Question 2

How is the Wine Law established in Australia?

Answer 2

• GI’s: Geographical Indications
• Australia
• State
• Zone
• Region
• Sub-Region
• 85% Rule: Label Integrity Program

Question 3

How old are the oldest vines in Australia?

Answer 3

150 years old

Question 4

What are the six most important regions in Australia?

Answer 4

• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Victoria
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania

Question 5

What does Traditional Winemaking mean in Australia?

Answer 5

Concept of Blending across all regions to maximize volume
Often in large american oak

Question 6

What is Modern Winemaking in Australia?

Answer 6

• Single GI/site
• French oak

Question 7

When was the first vineyard planted in Australia?

Answer 7

In New South Wales in 1788

Question 8

Important Regions in NSW

Answer 8

• Riverina Region
• Hunter Region
• Canberra District

Question 9

Key Facts about Riverina Region

Answer 9

• needs extreme irrigation
• Represents australian industrial viticulture
• Casella, Yellowtail Brand, De Bortoli for bortrytised Semillon

Question 10

Hunter GI

Answer 10

• flat river valley from Brokenback Mt to Coast
• subtropical, high humidity and wind
• Semillon, Riesling, Shiraz and CS

Question 11

Victoria GI

Answer 11

• Coastal, cooled by sea breezes, cool maritime
• Yarra Valley: Pinot Noir, CS, Shiraz and Chard
• sandy loam and red basalt soil

Question 12

Key GI’s in Victoria

Answer 12

• Yarra Valley GI
• Mornington Peninsula
• Geelong
• Rutherglen GI

Question 13

Key GI’s in North East Victoria

Answer 13

• Rutherglen: Muscat of Rutherglen Network, four-tier classification for sweet styles of Muscadelle
• Glenrowan
• Topaque (fortified)
• Brown Muscat: rich, sweet and raisinated flavor

Question 14

Key GI’s in South Australia

Answer 14

• Barossa Valley GI
• McLaren Vale GI
• Clare Valley GI
• Eden Valley GI
• Coonawarra GI

Question 15

Barossa Valley GI

Answer 15

• most important for premium Shiraz
• home to 150 year old vines
• Shiraz: opaque, dense, dark fruit and chocolate, aging in american oak, co-ferment with Viognier
• Producers: Penfolds Grange, Torbreck, Peter Lehmann

Question 16

McLaren Vale GI

Answer 16

• mediterranean climate, influenced by Southern Ocean currents and Lake Alexandrina
• CS and Rhône Varieties
• Full bodied wines, jam and dried fruit flavors, blending with Grenache popular

Question 17

Clare Valley GI

Answer 17

• warm, continental climate
• Limestone and broken slate
• Riesling
• best wines from high altitude, west facing slopes

Question 18

Eden Valley GI

Answer 18

• cooler counterpart to Barossa
• Riesling, Chard, Viognier, Shiraz, CS
• Producers: Yalumba, Henschke Hill of Grace

Question 19

Coonawarra GI

Answer 19

• lies in the limestone coast zone
• Terra Rossa Topsoil
• long growing season, cloudy, spring frost risk
• Cabernet Sauvignon: elegant, soft tannins, red fruit and eucalyptus (best and most elegant CS)
• Producers: Majella, Wynn’s John Riddoch, Parker Estate

Question 20

Key GI’s in Western Australia

Answer 20

• Margaret River GI
• Swan District GI
• Great Southern
• Mount Barker

Question 21

Margaret River GI

Answer 21

• coastal region
• split between red and white: Chardonnay, Semillon, SB and CS
• Producers: Cullen, Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle

Question 22

What is the Superzone?

Answer 22

• South Eastern Australia
• largest and broadest classification of wine growing areas
• flexibility for blending especially for large scale producers
• supports mass market
• includes: South Australia, Victoria, NSW, Tasmana, Queensland

Question 23

When were the first vines planted in Australia?

Answer 23

• 1788 near Sydney
• moved west after phylloxera
• mostly sweet and fortified wines until late 20th century
• invention of stelvin closure and Yellowtail business model

Question 24

Food Pairing for ripe Shiraz

Answer 24

• intense grilled or barbecued meat

Question 25

What are cult bottlings from Australia?

Answer 25

• Penfolds Grange (Blending)
• Yalumba’s Octvaius Shiraz

Question 26

Most recent natural disasters in Australia

Answer 26

• 2019/2020: Bush Fires in South Australia, NSW, Victoria and Queensland

Question 27

Who is Max Schubert?

Answer 27

• Creator of Penfolds Grange
• Education in Bordeaux, goal to produce wines with super long aging capacity
• Grange: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
• Introduced new winemaking techniques
• Father of modern winemaking in Australia

Question 28

How are the Rutherglenn Fortified Wines scaled?

Answer 28

• Classic: 10 years of aging
• Rare: 20 years of aging
• Grand: 15 years of aging

Question 29

What is the Yellowtail Business Model?

Answer 29

• 2001 by Casella Family
• affordable, approachable but high-quality wines
• Mass Market Appeal: Affordability, Approachability
• Global Branding and Marketing: Label, Mass Market Campaigns
• Efficiency in Production and Distribution: High Volume and Low Cost Production (state of the art winery in NSW), Economies of Scale, Partnerships
• Simplified Product Range
• Consumer Centric Strategy
• International focus
• Consistent Quality

Question 30

Where are the oldest Verdelho Vineyards?

Answer 30

Hunter Valley, in Broke Fordwich

Question 31

What happened with Vat 1 respec. Vat 47

Answer 31

• Murrey Tyrell set new standards in 1970 for Hunter Valley White Wines
• Vat 1 for Semillon (extremly ageworthy, high acidity much leaner than anywhere else in the world, extreme transformation over time, minimal intervention and no oak contact - pure fruit)
• Vat 47 for Chardonnay
• Set benchmarks for Australia but also worldwide