Australia

Question 1

What grape are the Clare and Eden Valleys of Australia noted for?

Answer 1

Riesling

Question 2

Which aroma is distinctive in a Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 2

eucalyptus

Question 3

What climate does Tasmania have?

Answer 3

cool maritime

Question 4

Marsanne is the specialty of which region in Australia?

Answer 4

Goulburn Valley

Question 5

Which grape is widely planted in the Margaret River region of Australia?

Answer 5

Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 6

Wines labelled Barossa may also source their fruit from which region?

Answer 6

Eden Valley and Barossa Valley

Question 7

What are the classic regions for Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia?

Answer 7

Coonawarra and Margaret River

Question 8

In which regions, the vines may not have a trellis system and the shoots will hang down often as far as the ground (bush vines; typically head-trained and spur-pruned) ?

Answer 8

This system is best suited to warm or hot, dry, sunny regions, such as the Southern Rhone in France and the Barossa Valley in Australia, where the extra shade helps to protect the grapes.

Question 9

What are the benefits of the screw caps? Which regiona are the used?

Answer 9

They do not taint the wine and they can provide an impermeable seal from the air. Trials have shown that they preserve the fruit flavour in the wine longer than cork. New Zealand and Australia

Question 10

Which region in Australia produces high-quality Sauvignon Blanc, and frequently blended with Semillon to give a slightly less aromatic but fuller bodied wine?

Answer 10

Margaret River. This can also be seen in Bordeaux whites

Question 11

What are the regions that have built up a reputation for premium Chardonnay in Australia?

Answer 11

Adelaide Hills, Geelong and Mornington Peninsula

Question 12

What are the regions that have built up a reputation for premium Chardonnay in the New World?

Answer 12

Russian River Valley and Los Carneros in California; Adelaide Hills, Geelong and Mornington Peninsula in Australia; Gisborne and Marlborough in New Zealand; and Casablanca Valley in Chile

Question 13

In the New World, where can high-quality Pinot Noirs be found?

Answer 13

Los Carneros and Sonoma (California)
Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago (New Zealand)
Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania (Australia)
Walker Bay (South Africa)
Casablanca Valley (Chile)

Question 14

Which are the classic regions for Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 14

Napa Valley in California
Coonawarra and Margaret River in Australia
Hawke's Bay in New Zealand
Stellenbosch in South Africa
Colchagua Valley in Chile

Question 15

How does the Shiraz style change in Australia with the natural factors in Australia?

Answer 15

Hot regions, such as the Hunter and Barossa Valleys, produce soft earthy, spicy styles of Shiraz with concentrated black fruit aromas. Cooler regions, such as Great Southern, Geelong and Heathcote, produce leaner, more peppery styles.

Question 16

Outside Europe where is the highest-quality Grenache produced?

Answer 16

Australia, particularly in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. These wines used to be produced in intensely concentrated, full-bodied styles with high levels of alcohol. Now, they are made with more restraint. Old bush vines yield low volumes of highly concentrated grapes, giving robust, ripe wines with intense flavours of red berries and peppery spice.

Question 17

Which grape is blended with Shiraz in Australia and what components Shiraz adds to this blend?

Answer 17

Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz is also used to give softness and body to blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, performing a similar role to Merlot in Bordeaux.

Question 18

In which area in Australia good canopy management techniques are essential to minimise rot?

Answer 18

Hunter Valley.
There is hot, humid climate.
Fortunately, high cloud cover and ocean breezes reduce the effect of the heat in the peak of summer. Unfortunately, the region often suffers from unsettled rainy weather at harvest.

Question 19

What is the most planted grape variety in Hunter Valley? Describe the style.

Answer 19

The most planted grape variety is Semillon: light bodied, with low alcohol, high acidity and flavours that are initially rather neutral but evolve into a complex spectrum of toast, nut and honey flavours with bottle age.