Australia Flashcards
What’s the general climate in Australia?
- super hot and dry in the centre
- cooler towards the coast
- cool maritime to warm mediterranean
How is the Wine Law established in Australia?
- GI’s: Geographical Indications
- Australia
- State
- Zone
- Region
- Sub-Region
- 85% Rule: Label Integrity Program
How old are the oldest vines in Australia?
150 years old
What are the six most important regions in Australia?
- Queensland
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- South Australia
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
What does Traditional Winemaking mean in Australia?
Concept of Blending across all regions to maximize volume
Often in large american oak
What is Modern Winemaking in Australia?
- Single GI/site
- French oak
When was the first vineyard planted in Australia?
In New South Wales in 1788
Important Regions in NSW
- Riverina Region
- Hunter Region
- Canberra District
Key Facts about Riverina Region
- needs extreme irrigation
- Represents australian industrial viticulture
- Casella, Yellowtail Brand, De Bortoli for bortrytised Semillon
Hunter GI
- flat river valley from Brokenback Mt to Coast
- subtropical, high humidity and wind
- Semillon, Riesling, Shiraz and CS
Victoria GI
- Coastal, cooled by sea breezes, cool maritime
- Yarra Valley: Pinot Noir, CS, Shiraz and Chard
- sandy loam and red basalt soil
Key GI’s in Victoria
- Yarra Valley GI
- Mornington Peninsula
- Geelong
- Rutherglen GI
Key GI’s in North East Victoria
- Rutherglen: Muscat of Rutherglen Network, four-tier classification for sweet styles of Muscadelle
- Glenrowan
- Topaque (fortified)
- Brown Muscat: rich, sweet and raisinated flavor
Key GI’s in South Australia
- Barossa Valley GI
- McLaren Vale GI
- Clare Valley GI
- Eden Valley GI
- Coonawarra GI
Barossa Valley GI
- 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
McLaren Vale GI
- 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
Clare Valley GI
- warm, continental climate
- Limestone and broken slate
- Riesling
- best wines from high altitude, west facing slopes
Eden Valley GI
- cooler counterpart to Barossa
- Riesling, Chard, Viognier, Shiraz, CS
- Producers: Yalumba, Henschke Hill of Grace
Coonawarra GI
- 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
Key GI’s in Western Australia
- Margaret River GI
- Swan District GI
- Great Southern
- Mount Barker
Margaret River GI
- coastal region
- split between red and white: Chardonnay, Semillon, SB and CS
- Producers: Cullen, Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle
What is the Superzone?
- 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
When were the first vines planted in Australia?
- 1788 near Sydney
- moved west after phylloxera
- mostly sweet and fortified wines until late 20th century
- invention of stelvin closure and Yellowtail business model
Food Pairing for ripe Shiraz
- intense grilled or barbecued meat
What are cult bottlings from Australia?
- Penfolds Grange (Blending)
- Yalumba’s Octvaius Shiraz
Most recent natural disasters in Australia
- 2019/2020: Bush Fires in South Australia, NSW, Victoria and Queensland
Who is Max Schubert?
- 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
How are the Rutherglenn Fortified Wines scaled?
- Classic: 10 years of aging
- Rare: 20 years of aging
- Grand: 15 years of aging
What is the Yellowtail Business Model?
- 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
Where are the oldest Verdelho Vineyards?
Hunter Valley, in Broke Fordwich
What happened with Vat 1 respec. Vat 47
- 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
