Australia Flashcards
Despite a diverse range of climates, due to Australia’s latitude, how can the main growing regions be described in terms of temperature?
Warm and hot
Rainfall is low, what is generally necessary?
Irrigation
What are two major grape-growing risks in Australia?
Drought and fire
Where are many producers increasingly seeking vineyard sites?
Cool and Moderate climates
Intensely fruity, displaying earthy or spicy notes that may evolve to leather with age, describes Shiraz from what type of climate? What are two examples?
Hot climate
Hunter Valley or Barossa Valley
How would producers from a hot climate make a more restrained style of Shiraz?
Controlling extraction
Where might a leaner, more peppery Shiraz come from generally? Give two examples.
Cooler regions
Geelong, Heathcote
What grape might Shiraz play a supporting role to in Australian blends?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What are two classic regions for Cabernet Sauvignon?
Margaret River and Coonawarra
What grape is typically only found in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia? What does it ass to these blends?
Merlot
Body and fleshy, plummy fruit
Strawberry and cherry are typical flavours of what grape when grown in Aus?
Pinot Noir
What is the general body, alcohol level and acidity in Australian Pinot Noir?
Medium body and alcohol
Medium to High acidity
Which late ripening grape is perfect for Australia’s hot conditions?
Grenache
Why might Spanish and Italian grapes have gained in popularity among grape-growers in recent years?
Well adapted to high summer temperatures and a limited water supply
What are the four main white grapes in Australia?
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Semillon
What are the five main black grapes in Australia?
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Grenache
Which white grape produces a wide variety of styles in Australia?
Chardonnay
Basic Aussie Chardonnay is often a blend from different regions. It might be un-oaked with flavours of … but hints of vanilla or toasty flavours might come from the use of…?
Peach
Oak staves or chips
In high quality Chardonnays what might compliment fresh vibrant fruit flavours?
subtle flavours from careful use of lees, MLF and/or oak maturation
Which region is seen as the benchmark of Australian Sauvignon Blanc? Describe (flavour, acidity).
Adelaide Hills
Concentrated passionfruit
High acidity
Which grape, when from which region, tends to be harvested early with low sugar levels and high acidity and made into wine using protective winemaking?
Hunter Valley Semillon
What are the flavours of Hunter Valley Semillon like when new? What flavours present with bottle age?
Almost neutral when new
Extraordinary honey and toast
How does Barossa Semillon traditionally compare to Hunter Valley Semillon?
Fuller-bodied and softer
What characteristic of Western Australian Semillon might lead to it being confused with Sauvignon Blanc?
Herbaceousness
Aside from Semillon, what white grape has a distinctive Australian style?
Riesling
Young Aussie Riesling typically display which characters when young? What others might they rapidly develop?
Citrus - lime, lemon, grapefruit
Toast, honey and petrol with age
What sweetness level are Australian Rieslings generally?
Dry or slightly off-dry
Which ‘Super-zone’ covers all GIs within South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, allowing the blending of grapes from across most of Australia’s wine regions?
South Eastern Australia Zone
Wines labelled from South Eastern Australia Zone are high volume brands who mostly get their fruit from which three fertile regions?
Riverlands, Murray-Darling and Riverina
Which region known for mass-yielding vines is also specialises in botrytised Semillon due to Autumn morning mists and fogs?
Riverina
What are the listed South Australian regions?
Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale (ABCCEM)
What is the climate like in Barossa Valley?
Warm, dry