Australia Flashcards
Where is wine produced in Australia?
- Southern 10% of the country
- more temperate regions
- Below the 30th parallel of latitude
What is the top white grape of Australia?
Chardonnay
What is the top red grape of Australia?
- Shiraz
- Cabernet Sauvignon
What are the top regions of Australia?
- Western Australia
- Margaret River
- South Australia
- Barossa Valley
- Eden Valley
- Clare Valley
- McLaren Vale
- Coonawarra
- Victoria
- New South Wales
- Hunter Valley
Where does Australia rank in terms of world wine production?
6th
What are the major historic events in Australia leading up to wine production?
- 1788 - Wine planted in Sydney from S. Africa
- Late 1800s - Phylloxera in Victoria/New S. Wales
- 1900 - Sweet fortified wines
- 1960s - Followed world in dry varietal wines. Birth of Shiraz
- 1980s - Penfold’s Grange Shiraz
Why has Australian wine had such success in the US?
- Inexpensive wines (international currency exchange)
- Easy to understand
- Made specifically for Americans
What percentage of grape varietal listed on a label must be in a wine?
Recognized wine region?
- 85%
- 85%
What is the Australian wine classification system?
Geographic Indications (GI) - similar to AVA
What is significant about Chardonnay produced in Australia?
- Can range widely in style and quality
- Cooler climate = reserved and acidity
What is significant abouit Shiraz produced in Australia?
- Heat loving grape
- Ripe and cooked berry fruit
- Rich body
- High alcohol
What is significant about Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Australia?
- Powerful
- Rich
- Dark fruit
- Noticeably soft tannin structure
What is the soil like in Australia?
- Acidic
- High in salinity
- Because = erosion
- Result: limits yields = higher quality wine
What are the top wine producing regions and wine styles in W. Australia?
- Margaret River
- Maritime influence (Indian Ocean/S. Ocean)
- Dry red wines (Shiraz/Cab Sauv)
- Complex Chardonnay
- Swan River Valley GI
- Hot/lack of rainfall
- Fortified wines/jug wines
What are the top producing wine regions in South Australia?
- Barossa Valley
- Eden Valley
- McLaren Vale
- Clare Valley
- Coonawarra
What is the primary grape varietal in Barossa Valley?
Grape(s)
Climate
Subregion
- Shiraz, Grenache, Cab Sauv
- Warm, dry climate
- Subregional GI Eden Valley
- Cooler climats/high elevation
- high-quality, dry Riesling
- legendary Shiraz
What is significant about Clare Valley?
Climate
Grape
- Temperate to cool climate
- Long, sunny days
- Dry Rieslings
- Full-bodied complex Cab Sauv and Shiraz
What is significant of McLaren Vale?
Climate
Grape(s)
- Coastal region = warm climate
- Wide Range: Shiraz, Cabernet, light white, dessert
What is significant of Coonawarra GI?
Location
Soil
Grape
- Southernmost winemaking zone of S. Australia
- Terra rossa soil (red clay and sand)
- Cabernet Sauv.
Stickies
- Before 1960s
- Sweet, fortified wines
- Muscat
- Tokay (Muscadelle)
- Victoria still produces Stickies
What are some notable GIs in Victoria?
- Yarra Valley (Pinot Noir)
- Rutherglen: (Stickies)
What is significant of the Victoria Zone?
- Climate
- Wine Style
- GIs
- Cool Maritime (coastal)
- Hot Mediterranean (inland)
- Fortified Wines
- Yarra Valley: Pinot Noir, Chard, Cab Sauv
- Rutherglen (stickies)
What is significant of New South Wales?
- Main City
- Climate
- GIs / Grape Varietals
- Sydney
- Warm and muggy
- GIs:
- Hunter Valley
- Upper Hunter Valley - Chardonnay
- Lower Hunter Valley - Shiraz/Semillon
- Riverina - bulk wines + fortified wines
- Hunter Valley
Tasmania
- Climate
- Grapes
- Small amount of wine production
- Cool climate
- High quality
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sparkling
Western Australia
- GI
- Grapes
- Terroir
- Margaret River
- White: Chard, Ries
- Red: Cab Sauv
- Marine Influenced
