Australia Flashcards
When did the first vines arrive in Australia?
1788
Who is credited with spreading commercial viticulture through Australia the first half of the 19th century? Why?
James Busby: introduced European vine cuttings in the early 1830s
Has phylloxera been an issue in Australia?
It has been found in Australia, but strict quarantining regulations enabled most areas to remain phylloxera free
There are some very old ungrafted vines such as Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon
When were the first wine exports from Australia?
1850
What event in Europe gave Australian wine producers an opportunity?
What happened following this event?
Phylloxera outbreak
As EU vineyards recovered, focus moved back to the domestic market, particularly fortified Muscat Gordo Blanco, Shiraz and Grenache
What style of wine was in demand in Australia after world war two as immigrants and returning tourists came to the country?
Dry, non-fortified wines
Name four large companies that appeared in Australia in the 1950s.
How did these change the industry?
Penfold’s
Hardy’s
Orlando (Jacob’s Creek)
Lindeman’s
They began to modernise the industry, pioneering use of stainless steel and temperature control
What key events happened in the 1970s in the Australian wine industry?
- Planting of vines in cooler regions
- Boutique winery movement
Why did Australian wines become so successful on export markets in the late 1980s?
- Accessible flavours (vanilla and ripe fruit)
- Labelling using grape variety and providing taste descriptors
- Targeting the lower end of the market
What happened to area under vine in Australia between 1990 to the late 2000s?
How has this changed in the modern day?
Increased dramatically: 59,000ha in 1990 to 170,000ha in late 2000s
Plantings have since fallen to 146,000ha
Why did Australia end up with huge oversupply in the 2000s?
- Increased competition from other non-EU countries
- Australian dollar was strong, making wines look expensive compared to others
- The financial crisis led to decreased demand worldwide
How did large producers respond to the oversupply?
How did this effect other growers?
- Pushed down grape prices in order to stay competitive
- Many forced out of business
What natural factors have increased the cost of production in Australia?
Droughts - increasing frequency means the cost of essential irrigation has increased.
Wild fires - loss of crop and winery equipment
How has the focus of production in Australia shifted in the last ten years?
Moving away from high volume inexpensive wines to small production and higher priced bottlings
Vineyards in Australia fall mainly between which latitudes?
30 to 37 degrees south
How does Australia’s flat topography affect vineyards?
It allows cooling influence of the oceans to travel far inland
How does the Great Dividing Range effect vineyards?
- Creates a barrier protecting many of the southeastern vineyards from tropical weather systems coming off the Pacific Ocean
- Regions in the rain shadow receive little rainfall
What is the importance of the Murray Darling Basin?
Important source of irrigation water for many vineyards, although in recent serious droughts the supplies have started running low
Name two regions that would usually used underground water sources for irrigation
Coonawarra
McLaren Vale
Name two regions that have high winter rainfall and store water in dams until needed for irrigation.
Adelaide Hills
Margaret River
How is McLaren Vale innovative in its sourcing of some irrigation water?
Becoming more sustainable as some of its irrigation water is from recycled waste water from the suburbs of Adelaide
For new plantings in Australia, which training systems are commonly used to manage vigour and ensure vine balance?
Divided canopy systems like Scott Henry and Smart Dyson
What type of irrigation is encouraged in Australia?
Drip - it is more efficient and keeps usage more sustainable
Is hand harvesting or machine more common? Why?
Machine
- Most vineyards are flat or gently sloping
- Manual labour is expensive
- Allows harvesting at night - day time temperatures can be very high
Why are soils typically saline in Australia
What affect does this have on the vine?
How can producers mitigate the effects?
Rainfall does not carry away salts deposited in irrigation water or salt water in deep aquifers finds its way to the surface.
Saline soils make it difficult for the vine to get the water it needs, leading to reduced growth and possible death.
- Select suitable rootstock
- Change irrigation patterns to supply larger volumes of water at less frequent intervals
What percentage of Australian wine was produced by members of Sustainable Wine Growing Australia?
25%
How can producers in Australia protect vines from kangaroos and birds?
Birds can be stopped by netting, but no sustainable option has been found for stopping the roo
Why is it important that harvest is carried out as quickly and as efficiently as possible in Australia?
Due to the climate, many varieties reach optimum ripeness in a very narrow window of time
Name the five most planted varieties in Australia
Shiraz Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Sauvignon Blanc
How has winemaking for Shiraz wines in Australia changed over the last two decades?
Moving away from very concentrated ripe styles
Less intense, more approachable
Reduced extraction
Whole bunch ferments
Reduced new oak
Open fermentation tanks with punch downs for softer tannin extraction
Give a tasting note for a Shiraz from a hot climate.
Name two areas in Australia where this style is typical
Dark fruit, earth and spice, developing leather notes
High soft tannins
Full bodied
High alcohol
McLaren Vale
Barossa
Give a tasting note for a Shiraz from a cooler climate.
Name two areas in Australia where this style is typical
Red cherry, black cherry, black pepper.
Medium plus body
Medium alcohol
Grampians
Yarra Valley
Which Australian wine region is known for producing distinct Cabernet Sauvignons with a eucalyptus and minty note?
Coonawarra
Describe how Cabernet Sauvignons from Margaret River are in style?
Ripe wins with subtle herbal notes. Often blended with Merlot
Give a typical tasting note for an Australian Merlot single varietal wine.
Range from medium body, medium tannin with red fruit to fuller bodied wines with ripe black fruit
Name three quality wine producing areas for Pinot Noir in Australia. Why are these well suited to this grape?
Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Mornington Peninsula
Cool/ moderate climates, suited to this early ripening varietal
What winemaking choices are there for Pinot Noir producers in Australia?
Whole bunch
Stem inclusion
Cold maceration
Use of oak (although less new oak now)
All are variously used
Give a typical tasting note for Pinot Noir from Australia.
Cherry and strawberry
Medium to high acidity
Medium body
Medium alcohol
Where might you find quality old bush vines of Grenache in Australia?
McLaren Vale
Eden Valley
Barossa
What wine making techniques might Australian Grenache producers use to enhance aroma and tannin structure?
Some whole bunch or stem inclusion
What type of oak is often used with Grenache in Australia? Why?
Large old vessels
Grenache is reductive - more protective winemaking is preferred.
New oak flavours can overwhelm Grenache’s fruit
How are producers in Australia making leaner complex styles of Chardonnay
- Earlier picking
- Growing in cooler sites
- Complexity from barrel and lees ageing
- Use of ambient yeastes
Give a typical tasting note for a premium Australian Chardonnay
Ripe citrus and peach with integrated oak
Medium to medium plus acidity
How does Sauvignon Blanc production in Adelaide Hills and Margaret River differ?
Adelaide Hills: Less overtly herbaceous Intense ripe fruit - Citrus to tropical aromas High acid, medium ABV Good to v.good, mid priced
Margaret River:
Blended with Semillon for Bordeaux style
What styles of Semillon would you find in the following areas:
Hunter Valley
Barossa Valley
Riverina
Hunter Valley:
Low alcohol, high acidity, unoaked, more complex with age
Barossa Valley:
Fuller style, high alcohol, oaked
Riverina:
Botrytised sweet wines
Which two regions in Australia are known for producing outstanding quality Riesling? How do wines from here differ?
Clare Valley
Eden Valley
Clare Valley Riesling tends to be higher in acidity, but both are made in a dry style
Describe some winemaking techniques for premium Australian Riseling wines.
- Use of free run juice (low in phenolic compaounds, high in sugar and acid)
- Ferment to dry
- Protective winemaking in stainless steel
What type of wines is Colombard typically used for in Australia?
Where is it typically grown?
Used as a blending partner in cheap wines
Riverland
Murray Darling
Riverland
What is the Label Integrity Programme?
- Introduced in 1990
- Aims to ensure that Australian labels truthfully reflect what is in the bottle
- Producers, growers and suppliers are required to keep detailed records that are regularly audited by Australia Grape and Wine Authority
What are the three main wine producing regions in the Murray Darling Basin?
What is the general climate here? What type of production is this ideal for?
Which of the three benefits from some maritime cooling influence?
Riverina
Murray Darling
Riverina
Hot and continental, with some cooling influence from rivers - ideal for high yields for inexpensive wines
Riverina benefits from some maritime cooling influence
Why is rainfall so low in the Murray Darling Basin?
What type of soils further aggravate the short supply of water?
Where is irrigation water typically sourced from, and why has this become problematic?
In the rain shadow of the Great Dividing Range
Soils are sandy and free draining
Usually sourced from rivers, but recent droughts have seen water levels drop very low.
Significant rises in water prices and decreased prices for grapes is pushing some producers out of business
The regions in the Murray Darling Basin are known for producing high volumes of inexpensive wines, but some higher quality wines are emerging - what are these?
- Some Shiraz and Chardonnay from lower yielding vineyards
- Better wines from better adapted varieties e.g. Petit Verdot, Viognier, Vermentino, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano
Which area in Riverina is known for producing botrytised Semillon?
Area around Griffith
The Barossa Zone is north of _____ and can be split in two:
____ Valley covers the flat valley floor.
____ Valley covers the hills to the east.
____ grapes dominate, with ____ as the most planted variety. Many producers blend grapes from both regions for balance.
North of Adelaide
Barossa Valley covers the flat valley floor.
Eden Valley covers the hills to the east.
Black grapes dominate, with Shiraz as the most planted variety
Barossa Valley protected on the west by ____ ____, on the east by ____ ____ and on the south by the ____ ____ Ranges.
How does this affect the climate in the region?
West: low hills
East: Eden Valley
South: Mount Lofty Ranges
Sheltered, warm climate with low rainfall
Where are most grapes planted in Barossa Valley and how does this affect the final wines produced here?
On flat plains at 250 to 370m above sea level
Most wines are full bodied with ripe fruit and high alcohol
Where are some of Barossa Valley’s most ageworthy wines produced?
Describe the soils here
In the northern part of the valley
There is an ironstone layer in the soils , prized for its water retention.
What was established in Barossa Valley in 2009? Why?
The Barossa Old Vine Charter
Barossa Valley is home to some of the world’s oldest vines, notably Grenache and Syrah, which are low yielding and dry farmed.
How is Cabernet Sauvignon from Barossa different to those produced in Coonawarra or Margaret River?
Richer and riper with softer tannins and higher alcohol
Which two white grapes are commonly grown in Barossa Valley? Describe the style.
CHARDONNAY
Some high quality, full bodied with ripe tropical fruit. Premium wines often fermented and aged in oak
SEMILLON
Fuller style with higher alcohol and lower acidity than those from Hunter Valley
Name two significant producers in Barossa Valley
Glaetzer Wines
John Duval
Describe the topography, elevation and rainfall in Eden Valley.
- Area of exposed rolling hills (part of Mount Lofty Ranges)
- Higher sites are more exposed (up to 600m)
- Rainfall is higher than in Barossa Valley
Where are drier, warmer sites found in Eden Valley?
On the valley sides where there is more shelter
What weather conditions can affect flowering and ripening in Eden Valley?
Winds
Why is dry farming in Eden Valley usually more possible than in Barossa Valley?
- Soils in Eden Valley generally have better water retention
- Rainfall is slightly higher
Old vine plantings of which varieties are common in Eden Valley?
Shiraz
Riesling
Grenache
Give a typical tasting note for an Eden Valley Riesling..
Pronounced intensity Apple, lemon, lime, grapefruit, peach Develop honey, toast, petrol aromas over time Dry High acidity Medium alcohol
Good to outstanding
How does Shiraz from Eden Valley differ to that produced in Barossa Valley?
Eden Valley Shiraz has more structured tannin with higher acidity.
Barossa Valley Shiraz is typically fuller bodied with high alcohol, high levels of soft tannins and pronounced ripe (cooked, dried, jammy) fruit aromas
Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley are located in which zone?
Mount Lofty Ranges Zone
Is harvest by hand or machine more common in Adelaide Hills? Why?
Hand - valleys and steep hillsides limit mechanisation
Describe the climate in Adelaide Hills.
What is the average rainfall during the growing season?
What are the main cooling influences
Cool to moderate maritime climate (temperature varies with altitude)
280 to 320mm rainfall during the growing season (dams and ground water used for irrigation when needed)
Cooling influence from altitude (400-500m) and proximity to the ocean
Describe growing conditions in the centre of Adelaide Hills.
What grapes are grown here?
Higher altitude in the centre: High diurnal range, but low latitude means sunlight is still intense, giving ripe fruit.
Area is cool enough for early ripening grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Name the two subzones in the central area of Adelaide Hills
Lenswood
Picadilly Valley
What quality and price would you expect from Adelaide Hills Chardonnays?
What winemaking techniques are common?
Very good to outstanding, mid to premium
MLF, oak and lees ageing are all common
Describe the climate in Clare Valley.
What provides high diurnal range?
Warm climate - hot summers tempered by cool afternoon breezes and cold nights
300 to 500m altitude provides diurnal range
Where are white grapes typically planted in Clare Valley?
Black grapes?
White: higher altitudes on more exposed slopes
Black: lower, warmer sites
What can be an issue for Riesling grapes grown in Clare Valley and why?
What can be done to prevent this?
Sunburn - sunlight is very intense due to low latitude
Grow thick canopies on the western side for protection
Explain how the soils in Polish Hill and Watervale differ in Clare Valley and the resulting differences of Rieslings from these areas.
Polish Hill
- Slate soils
- Less aromatic, flintier style of Riesling
- Toast and honey with age
Watervale
- Limestone soils - more fertile
- More aromatic, fruity styles of Riesling to drink young
What quality and price would you expect from Clare Valley Riesling?
Good to outstanding, mid priced to premium
Name two significant Riesling producers in Clare Valley.
Jim Barry
Wendouree
Which two black grapes are planted in Clare Valley? What price and quality would you expect?
Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon
Good to outstanding, mid priced to premium
The Fleurieu Zone is ____ of Adelaide, with ___ ____ ____ to the north and the ____ ocean to the south.
Vineyards receive strong _____ influence with cool breezes tempering the ___ _____ climate.
South of Adelaide
Gulf St Vincent to the north
Southern ocean to the south
Strong maritime influence
Cool breezes tempering the warm, Mediterranean climate
What is the climate in Fleurieu Zone?
Warm, Mediterranean Climate