Australia Flashcards
T/F: Australia is the largest new world exporter?
True
What is an environmental hazard that Australia’s Riverland and Murray-Darling regions experience?
Drought
The Geographical Indications (GI) system is applicable in what country?
Australia
What are the restrictions on GI wines?
No viticulture or winery practice restrictions.
85% of the fruit must be from the GI stated on the label
What is the hierarchy of GI’s?
Zones - large areas without any particular qualifying attributes (can be part of a state or multiple states)
Regions- smaller than zones, must have distinct qualities differing from neighbouring regions
Sub-Regions: notable ares within regions that have distinct qualities
If a vintage or varietal is stated on an Australian label - how much comes from that vintage/varietal ?
85%
What is the climate of Australia?
What are the exceptions?
Warm/ hot Mediterranean
Tasmania - high altitude, cooler growing conditions
Which river is “drying up” causing water to be on allocation or unavailable (in dry years)?
Murray River
Where are most of Australia’s vineyards planted?
a. steep slopes
b. valley floor
c. flat ground / gently rolling hills
d. high altitude
C - make mechanization easy
When is Harvest in Australia?
Feb-April
T/F: There is high vintage variation in South Eastern Australia?
False - there is very little variation because a lot of blending takes place
What are the two largest produced wines in Australia (one red, one white)
Shiraz and Chard
What are the main 6 black grapes of Australia?
Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Grenache
What are the main 6 white grapes of Australia
Chardonnay, Semillon, Sultana (Thompson seedless), Sauv Blac, Riesling, Verdelho
T/F: old vines are not considered a major contributing factor to quality Shiraz wines?
False
What’s is the different between a Barossa/Hunter Valley Shiraz and a Margaret River/Western Australia/Central Ranges Zone Shiraz?
Hot regions (Barossa/Hunter Valley) produce soft earth, spicy style that develop leather and caramel as it ages.
Cooler regions (Margaret River/West.Australia/Central Ranges Zone) produce a leaner more peppery style
T/F: You may see a blend of warm region and cool region Shiraz?
True
T/F: Shiraz plays a similar role to Merlot (softness and body) in a Cab Sauv blend
True
T/F: in Australia, Viognier is co-fermented with Shiraz
False - it is generally blended after fermentation
What are classic regions for Cab Sauv in Australia?
Coonawarra and Margaret River
Which has more tannin, Aus Shiraz or Aus Cab Sauv?
Cab Sauv
T/F: Most of Australian Shiraz is oaked?
true
Why are Chard and Semillon blended in Australia?
Semillon is cheaper to grow and can stretch the Chard to make more wine. Semillon can also add crisp acidity and refreshing herbaceous to the blend
Describe an Australian Riesling:
bold citrus fruit in youth, develops toast, honey and petrol notes as it ages. Generally unoaked and dry-slightly off dry.
Some sweet wines can be made.
What are the classic regions for Aus Riesling?
Clare Valley, Eden Valley (South Australia)
Tasmania and Franklin River (sub region)
Where is the classic regions for Semillon in Australia and what is the style?
lower Hunter Valley - picked early, unoaked dry, light body, low alcohol, high acid, neutral flavours
comples toast, nut and honey come with age
What grape can be confused for Sauv blanc in Western Australia?
Semillon
What is the style of Semillon grown in Barossa?
fuller bodied, softer
What are the regions within the South-Eastern Australia Zone?
South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales
T/F: Most of Australia with the exception of Victoria and Hunter Valley Region is phylloxera free?
True - very strict quarantine regulations
What are the regions within the South Australia Zone?
Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Mclaren Vale, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra, Padthaway, Riverland
Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and Heathcote are located in which region?
Victoria
Describe Shiraz from Barossa valley
full bodied, soft and mouth filling with dark ripe fruit and American Oak
Some use exceptionally ripe fruit high very high alcohol and prominent tannin from oak, and baked fruit aromas.
Where is Hunter Valley Located
New South Wales
Which part of Australia are Margaret River, Franklin River and Mount Barker located?
Western Australia
What is a famous soil in Clare Valley and Coonawara
terra rossa
Describe a Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley
rich in fruit, strawberries, plum, dark cherries, and generally without jammy or baked flavours of pinot noir grown in warmer areas
ripe soft tannin
Compare a Chardonnay from Mornington Peninsula Region vs. a Chard from Adelaide Hills
Mornington Peninsula has cooler growing conditions, citrus, pear, apple, high acid, malo
Adelaide Hills have high natural acidity, distinct citrus, white stone fruit
Where does Australia make a botrytis affected Semillon?
Griffith in the Riverina Region
What is the climate of Western Australia?
warm maritime ( just like Bordeax)
What are the main grapes of Margaret River Region
Merlot, Cab Sauv, Chard, Semillon, Sauv blanc
What varieties does Tasmania make?
Alsatian whites and Pinot Noir
In Riverine, viticulture would be almost impossible with out what…
irrigation
