Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

WSET 3 > Australia > Flashcards

Australia Flashcards

1
Q

Map of Australia

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Australian Climate

A

Most regions have hot climate due to latitude

Drought is an issue, irrigation essential

Bush fires lead to smoke taint / destruction

Tempered by South Indian Ocean or Murray River

Premium areas cooled by altitude with many going to high-altitude locations or Tasmania

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Australian Shiraz

A

Hot regions: full-bodied, fruity, earth or spice notes, develop to leather

Some more restrained stlyes, managing extraction

Cooler regions – leaner more peppery style

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Australian Red Grapes

A

Shiraz

Cab Sauv - dark, firm tannins, ripe black fruit

Merlot - fleshy and plummy

Pinot Noir - best from cool regions

Hot regions great for late-ripening varieties

Petit Verdot, Mataro (Mourvedre), Sangiovese, Tempranillo

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Australian White Grapes

A

Chardonnay – wide variety of styles

Sauvignon Blanc

Semillion - Hunter Valley unique style, Western Aus herbaceous almost Sauv Blanc style, Barossa was full-bodied but now unoaked and early

Riesling - unique style - pronounced citrus – lime, lemon, grapefruit ages to toast, honey, petrol

Some sweet, most unoaked with high acid, dry or off-dry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Hunter Valley Semillion

A

Harvested early for low sugar and high acid

Protective style, inert vessels

Low alc, neutral at bottling, AGE IS THE KEY

Developes honey and toast with age

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

South Easter Australia

A

‘Super Zone’ covers all GIs in the east including Tasmania

Majority of production for Australia, going to high-volume brands with wide sourcing capacity

Some prestigious wines use large GI range as blending advantage

Riverina makes botrytis wines from Semillion, from morning mists and fogs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

SEA - Barossa Valley

A

Heart of fine wine production

Warm, dry climate old bush vines, Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Grenache

Full-bodied, soft tannins, ripe black fruit, AO

Develops leather and spice with age

Semillion – in unoaked style

Wine labelled Barossa can include Eden Valley fruit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

SEA - Eden Valley

A

Hills east of Barossa Valley, within the Barossa Zone

Cool to moderate climate, varies with altitude

RIESLING in cool vyds

Intense lime and grapefruit, steely

Age shows marmalade and toast w/ age

Also Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Chardonnay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

SEA - Clare Valley

A

Warm climate, cool afternoon breezes, cold nights

Vineyards planted at altitude, 300-400 m, some as high as 570m

Riesling

Dry, citrus, lime, high acid > honey and toast

Shiraz - fragrant, powerful, structured

Cab Sauv – highly varied based on vyd location

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

SEA - Adelaide Hills

A

25km east of Adelaide, moderate climate all above 400m

Rain in winter, soils don’t hold water = needs irrigation

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay – natural acidity, high citrus, peach

Pinot Noir for still wines and also SPARKLING

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

SEA - McLaren Vale

A

On the coast, S of Adelaide

Sea breezes cool warm climate

REDS primarily – Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Grenache

Dark fruit, soft ripe tannins

Old vine Shiraz and Grenache

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

SEA - Coonawarra

A

Narrow strip w/ red Terra Rosa soils over limestone

MARITIME - cold currents from Antarctic, cloud cover moderates

Cab Sauv - concentrated, structured, cassis, eucalyptus, menthol, ages

Also Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Victoria General

A

Some of the coolest vyds on the mainland

Coastal – ocean breezes allow premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for sparkling

Inland – Great Dividing Range provides altitudes and aspect

Higher grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (some Riesling and Sauv Blanc)

Lower altitudes grow Shiraz and Cab Sauv

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Victoria - Yarra Valley

A

NE of Melbourne, COOL-to-MODERATE MARITIME

High geographic diversity and climate impact

Highly regarded for Sparkling as well

Pinot Noir is specialty

Rich fruit, strawberries, plums, dark cherry

Chard, Shiraz, Cab Sauv widely used for blenders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Victoria - Mornington Peninsula

A

Cool-to-Moderate MARITIME, small boutique estates

Cool wet windy weather > issues @ flowering & harvest

Best years produce great wines, some have trouble ripening

Pinot Noir - Light and delicate to structured with pure fruit

Chardonnay - Citrus, pear, apple, high acid – softened by MLF

17
Q

Victoria - Geelong

A

West of Melbourne, similar to Mornington Peninsula

Chardonnay - renowned for quality, complex, concentrated, full bodied

Pinot Noir – tends toward earthy aromas

Shiraz – generally fresh and peppery

18
Q

Victoria - Heathcote

A

Located in center of Victoria, inland from the coast

Cooling comes from altitude, instead of the ocean

Shiraz - firm structure and fresh fruit

Chardonnay and Cab Sauv

Mediterranean varieties – TEMPRANILLO, SANGIOVESE

19
Q

Victoria - Gouldburn Valley

A

East of Heathcote, warmer region

Slightly mitigated by lakes and creeks, Goulburn river

Shiraz

Marsanne

Citrus fruit in youth, develops to honey w age

20
Q

New South Wales - Hunter Valley

A

N of Sydney, hot and humid, high cloud cover and ocean breezes reduce heat impact in summer

Unsettled rain often during harvest

Good canopy management to minimize ROT

SEMILLION

Early harvest for age-worthy wines

Light body, low alc, high acid, neutral > toast, nuts, honey

CHARDONNAY – oaked and unoaked style

SHIRAZ – blackberry, cherry, soft tannin, med body, earthy

21
Q

Western Australia

A

On the SW tip of AUS, fruit can be blended as Western Australia label

Not part of the South Eastern Australia super-zone

22
Q

Western AUS - Margaret River

A

200km South of Perth, Coastal, warm Maritime

High rainfall, mainly in winter

Cab Sauv - widely planted, blend in BDX styles

From light and restrained to fruity/powerful

Chardonnay - concentrated stone fruit, high acid

Many styles, barrel ferment / age, mlf

Sauv Blanc - often blended w Semillion

Gooseberry, tropical fruit, high acid

23
Q

Tasmania

A

COOL MARITIME CLIMATE, free from extremes

Used to be primary producer of sparkling wine

Opening up for quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris

Cab Sauv in the warmest areas

WSET 3 (23 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions