Australia and New Zealand Flashcards
Who owns Penfolds and Lindemans?
Treasury Wine Estates
Phylloxera befell Australia in the latter half of the 19th century but it was confined to what two states due to extreme measures to isolate it?
Victoria and a portion of New South Whales
What two major happenings led to the rise of South Australia’s wine region?
The containment of phylloxera in Victoria and New South Whales along with the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Why was the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia a major contribution to the rise of South Australia as a wine region?
It relaxed interstate trade barriers.
Which Australian state produces about 50% of the country’s wine today?
South Australia
From the post phylloxera period up until the 1960’s what styles of wine was Australia known for?
Sweet and fortified wines; about 80% of production
In the decade before WWII, Britain imported more wine from Australia than from which country?
France
Which type of wine bottle closure is Australia known for being an early proponent of?
The stelvin enclosure. (screw top)
What are the top 4 exporting countries of wine in the world?
1) Italy
2) France
3) Spain
4) Australia
What components are the heart of Australian commercial winemaking?
- Technical proficiency
- Mechanical harvesting
- Irrigation
- Blending
What is the term for winemakers that spread their technical acumen across the globe and where did this term originate?
“flying winemakers”; Australia
Among other things what are flying winemakers most notable for in regards to technical acumen?
Modern canopy management techniques and soil mapping
What common wine practice in cooler climates is not allowed in Australia?
Chaptalization; grapes do not have a problem ripening here.
Why have Australian producers traditionally planted on flat plains rather than the more ideal, but somewhat unworkable hillsides in the past?
Due to a lack of population and cheap labor, Australian winemakers have traditionally relied on mechanical harvesting, thus the need to plant on workable sites for mechanical harvesters.
In Australia’s low cost vineyards what counterintuitive technique was developed by CSIRO to restrict vigor in the vineyard?
minimal or zero pruning
What does CSIRO stand for?
Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization; based in Adelaide
What two GIs rely heavily on irrigation and together account for 40% of Australia’s total production?
Riverina in New South Whales and Riverland in South Australia
What common practice in Australia helps to assure quality and a sense of brand consistency at both the mass-market levels and the highest levels of quality?
Blending across large tracts of land, sometimes across several states.
Who introduced Grange? When? What producer makes it? What was its original name?
Max Schubert introduced “Grange Hermitage” for Penfold’s winery in 1951
Who makes Hill of Grace? From what grape?
Henschke; Shiraz
Why does Australia have some of the oldest wines in the world planted on their original rootstocks?
Because of Australia’s successful Isolation of Phylloxera to New South Whales and Victoria
Who makes Octavius and from what grape?
Yalumba; Shiraz
What is the name of Clarendon Hill’s top wine?
Astralis
Who makes RunRig Shiraz?
Torbreck
What has slowed the growth of the Australian wine region, but may ultimately lead to regulation of the country’s oversupply?
Climatic troubles specifically drought which has led to devastating brush fires. Also the limited access to water for irrigation due to more restricted water rights.
How much earlier do wines in the southern hemisphere of a given vintage hit the shelves before their northern hemisphere counterparts?
6 months due to harvest occurring 6 months earlier
What roles does Wine Australia play for the Australian wine industry?
Regulates label language, defines geographic boundaries of wine regions, moderates trades and exports, and promotes the product at home and abroad.
When was the Label Integrity Program introduced and what does it entail?
1990; it requires any wines labeled by variety, vintage, or region to contain a minimum of 85% of stated grape, year, or region respectively. If multiple grapes are listed the varieties must be listed in order according to the proportion they make up in the blend. Additionally all components that make up 85% of the blend must be listed and no un listed varietal may make up more than a listed variety.
What was Wine Australia’s original name when it was established in 1981?
the Australia Wine and Brandy Corporation
What does GI stand for?
Geographic Indication
What is the name of the list that contains all of the GIs as a means of formal appellation protection?
the Register of Protected Names
How are Australia’s GIs similar to other New World geographic designations?
Purely geographic in scope; no restrictions on grape varietals, yields, etc.
What is the hierarchy of Australian geographic designation starting from the highest level?
State > Zones > regions > subregions
What does Wine Australia define both regions and sub regions as?
Single tracts of land comprising at least 5 independently owned vineyards of at least 5 hectares a piece with a minimum output of 500 tons of grapes annually
The multistage zone of South Eastern Australia encompasses which wine growing states?
Victoria, New South Whales, Tasmania, New South Whales, South Australia, and Queensland
Which is Australia’s most popular state and the site of the country’s first vineyards? When were these vineyards planted?
New South Whales; 1788
What is the name of the Mountain Range that separates the wetter coastal areas of Australia from the more arid interior?
The Great Dividing Range
Which Australian State accounts for approximately one quarter of Australia’s wine production?
New South Whales
Over half of New South Whales is located west of the Great Dividing Range. What vineyard practice is heavily relied on because of this?
Irrigation because the climate west of the Range is very arid.
What is the Riverina region also known as?
the Murumbidgee Irrigation Area
Who makes Yellow Tail and where do they source most of their grapes from?
Casella; Riverina
What is Noble One, who produces it, and from which region?
a botryitised dessert wine made from Semillon, produced by De Bortoli in Riverina
What kind of sparkling wine did Napoleon III sip at the closing ceremonies of the Paris Exhibition, the same famous event that christened the classified growths of the Medoc?
A sparkling wine from the Hunter Valley
What kind of climate does Hunter Region have?
Sub-tropical
What mitigates the warm climate of the Hunter region?
High amounts of humidity, rain, and wind
Why is Hunter Region counterintuitive in regards to wine production?
Despite their warm climate they produce more white wine than red. (60%)
What is the synonym for Hunter Region’s greatest grape, Semillon?
Hunter Riesling
What is Vat 1 and who makes it?
Hunter Valley Semillon produced by Tyrrell
What is surprising about Semillon in Hunter or “Hunter Riesling” ?
Despite the warm climate, the grape rarely achieves more than 11-12% ABV
What other white grape is popular in Hunter that you might be more likely to find in Portugal?
Verdelho
Which Australian subregion lays claim to the oldest Verdelho plantings in the country?
Broke Fordwich, a subregion of Hunter.
What are Hunter Region’s most important red grapes?
Shiraz and Cabernet
Where is Tumbarumba and what style of wines is it most known for? Grapes?
Southwest of the Canberra region in New South Whales; known for sparkling wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
What is the name of the mountain range containing many of the slopes planted with grapes destined for sparkling wine production in Tumbarumba?
The Snowy Mountains
What is the name of the smallest and coolest state on the Australian mainland?
Victoria
Why is it so cool in Victoria and why are average winter temperatures around Port Phillip lower than those found in Bordeaux and Burgundy?
Cool breezes blow up from Antarctica
Why does Cabernet Sauvignon find less success on Mornington Peninsula?
The climate here is too cool and later-ripening varietals such as Cabernet do not bode well here.
What three grapes have shown the most success in Mornington Peninsula?
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay
Who owns the Australian Domaine Chandon?
Möet & Chandon
Where is Domaine Chandon?
Yarra Valley
What two zone GIs are shared between Victoria and New South Whales?
Murray Darling and Swan Hill
What producer in the Nagambie Lakes subregion of Goulburn Valley produces a Shiraz made form vines planted in 1860?
Tahbilk
What other grape in addition to Shiraz is Tahbilk known for?
Marsanne. Oldest vines in Australia and possibly the world.
Where are Rutherglen and Glenrowan and what style of wines are they famous for?
North East Victoria zone; sweet fortified wines
What grape is used in the production of “Topaque” style (formerly Tokay)?
Muscadelle
What grape is the star of Rutherglen’s wines?
Brown Muscat (Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge)
Established in 1995, what producers’ syndicate developed a four-tier classification system for the wines of Rutherglen based on age, sweetness, and complexity?
The Muscat of Rutherglen Network
What demarcation is listed on bottles that are included in the Muscat of Rutherglen Network?
A stylized “R” logo on the label.
How many different zones are in the wine state of South Australia?
8
What is the name of the region in the Limestone Coast zone said to produce some of Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon?
Coonawarra
What is the name of the soil in Coonawarra that is optimal for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon?
terra rossa
What are the 8 zones of New South Whales for wine production?
- Big Rivers
- Central Ranges
- Hunter Valley
- Northern Rivers
- Northern Slopes
- South Coast
- Southern New South Whales
- Western Plains
What are the regions of the Big Rivers Zone?
Murray Darling
Perricoota
Riverina
Swan Hill
What are the regions of the Central Ranges zone?
Cowra, Mudgee, Orange
What is the name of the region of Hunter Valley zone?
Hunter
What are the subregions of Hunter region?
Broke Fordwich
Pokolbin
Upper Hunter Valley
What is the region located in the Northern Rivers zone?
Hastings River
What is the name of the region of the Northern Slopes zone?
New England Australia
What are the regions of the South Coast zone?
Shoalhaven Coast
Southern Highlands
What are the regions of the Southern New South Whales zone?
- Canberra Discrict
- Tumbarumba
- Hilltops
- Gundagai
What zone in New South Whales has no regions or subregions?
Western Plains
What are the six zones in Victoria?
- Central Victoria
- North East Victoria
- North West Victoria
- Western Victoria
- Port Phillip
- Gippsland
What is Victoria’s oldest GI?
Yarra Valley
Where is Domaine Chandon, who owns it, and when was it founded?
Yarra Valley; 1987; Möet & Chandon
What are the two distinct soil types of the Yarra Valley?
grey-brown sandy loam and red-basalt derived soils
What are the 8 zones of South Australia?
- Far North
- The Peninsulas
- Mount Lofty Ranges
- Barossa
- Lower Murray
- Fleurieu
- Limestone Coast
- Adelaide Super Zone
What three zones together make up the Adelaide Superzone?
- Mount Lofty Ranges
- Fleurieu
- Barossa
What is considered Australia’s best expression of Cabernet Sauvignon (GI)?
Coonawarra
Name 3 quality producers of Coonawarra?
Majella, Parker Estate, and Wynn
Who makes First Growth? What is it? From where?
Parker Estate; Cabernet Sauvignon; Coonawarra
What is the soil called in Coonawarra?
Terra Rossa
What is the only region in the Lower Murray zone?
Riverland GI
Where is McLaren Vale? And what grapes dominate here?
Fleurieu Zone; Cabernet and Rhone Varietals; Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre (Mataro)
Who makes Dead Arm Shiraz? What GI is this in?
D’Arenberg; McLaren Vale
Who makes “High Sands” Grenache?
Yangarra, located in McLaren Vale
Who makes “Astralis” Shiraz?
Clarendon Hills in McLaren Vale
Where can you find Australia’s best and most age worthy expression of Riesling? GI?
Clare Valley GI in the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone
What are two unofficial subregions of Clare Valley notable for quality Riesling?
Watervale and Polish Hill River
Where is Grosset and what are they known for?
Clare Valley Riesling
What is the traditional barrel in Barossa?
American oak Hogshead
What is the volume of an American oak Hogshead?
300L
What GI is home to Yalumba, Pewsey Vale, and Henschke?
Eden Valley GI within the Barossa Zone
Who makes Hill of Grace?
Henschke
What is Western Australia’s most prominent GI?
Margaret River
What are the five regions of Central Victoria Zone?
- Bendigo
- Goulburn Valley
- Heathcote
- Strathbogie Ranges
- Upper Goulburn
What is the subregion of Goulburn Valley?
Nagambie Lakes
What are the regions of North East Victoria Zone?
- Alpine Valleys
- Beechworth
- Glenrowan
- King Valley
- Rutherglen
What are the two GIs of North West Victoria Zone?
- Murray Darling
- Swan Hill
What are the 5 regions of the Port Phillip Zone?
- Geelong
- Macedon Ranges
- Mornington Peninsula
- Sunbury
- Yarra Valley
What are the three GIs of the Western Victoria Zone?
- Grampians
- Henty
- Pyrenees
What is the subregion of Grampians?
Great Western GI
What are the Region GIs of Barossa?
- Barossa Valley
- Eden Valley
What is the subregion of Eden Valley?
High Eden
What are the 5 region GIs of Fleurieu?
- Currency Creek
- Kangaroo Island
- Langhorne Creek
- McLaren Vale
- Southern Fleurieu
What are the three region GIs of Mount Lofty Ranges?
- Adelaide Hills
- Adelaide Plains
- Clare Valley
What are the two subregions of Adelaide Hills?
- Lenswood
- Picadilly Valley
What is the regional GI of the Far North Zone?
Southern Flinders Ranges
What are the 6 region GIs of the Limestone Coast?
- Coonawarra
- Mount Benson
- Padthaway
- Robe
- Wrattonbully
- Mount Gambier
What is the region GI of Lower Murray?
Riverland
What are the 5 zones of Western Australia?
- Central Western Australia
- Greater Perth
- South Western Australia
- West Australian South East Coastal
- Eastern Plains, Inland & North of Western Australia
What are the three regions of Greater Perth?
- Peel
- Perth Hills
- Swan District
What is the subregion of Swan District?
Swan Valley
What are the 6 regions of South West Australia?
- Blackwood Valley
- Geographe
- Manjimup
- Pemberton
- Margaret River
- Great Southern
What are the subregions of Great Southern?
- Albany
- Denmark
- Frankland River
- Mount Barker
- Porongurup
What are the two regions of Queensland?
Granite Belt and South Burnett
What kind of climate does Granite Belt have? South Burnett?
Continental in Granite Belt; Subtropical in South Burnett
What is Australia’s coolest wine growing region?
Tasmania
The climate of northern Tasmania is similar to what two wine regions in Europe?
Rheingau and Champagne
Where is Tamar Valley and Coal River?
Tasmania
What style of wine is Tasmania best known for?
Traditional method sparkling wine
Where on Tasmania does Pinot Noir flourish the most?
Pipers River Area
New Zealand’s first wines were produced at the hands of who?
James Busby, a British minister who was involved with early viticulture efforts in New South Whales
Who was Romeo Bragato?
Austrian viticulturist from Victoria who was brought into New Zealand that identified many of the wine regions in New Zealand and assisted in combating
What stymied the promising start to the 20th century for New Zealand’s wine industry?
the temperance movement
What was six o’clock swill?
An early closing hour for pubs in Australia and New Zealand during WWI enacted by anti-alcohol forces in both countries which was passed into law for the purpose of returning men to their wives at a respectable hour. This lasted up until 1967 on both the North and South islands of New Zealand.
What was New Zealand’s most planted variety in 1960?
Albany Surprise
What initiative in the 1980’s contributed greatly contributed to the rise of Vitis Vinifera plantings, the fall of hybrid varietals, and an improvement in quality wine production across New Zealand?
Government-sponsored vine pull schemes and an increased emphasis on site selection and canopy management.
Which producer, who is also New Zealand’s largest wine company, first established vineyards on Marlborough?
Montana
When was New Zealand’s first varietal wine produced? By who? What was it?
1973; Montana produced Gisborne Chardonnay
Who put Marlborough on the map with production of their premium varietal Sauvignon Blanc? When was this producer established?
Cloudy Bay; 1985
What is the name of the mountain range on the south island of New Zealand that runs north to south? What effect does it have on the island’s climate?
Southern Alps; creates a rain shadow effect
What is the name of the southernmost wine region in the world?
Central Otago
Where are the majority of vineyards planted in New Zealand?
On flat expanses mostly located within twenty miles of the eastern shoreline.
What kind of harvesting is most common in New Zealand? Why?
Mechanical due to the lack of a cheap manual labor work source.
Why is there no New Zealand equivalent to California’s Central Coast or Australia’s Riverland?
Because of a lack of land to spare it is not economically feasible to allocate so much land for grape production.
Which country commands the highest price per bottle on average in the world?
New Zealand
What is the name of the organization that every producer in New Zealand belongs to? When was it formed?
New Zealand Wine Growers; 2002
Who was the first producer to release a commercial New Zealand wine under screw cap?
Kim Crawford
If a wine is labeled by vintage or variety in New Zealand what % minimum must each abide by?
85%
What was the name of the association established in 2001 to promote the use of the Stelvin enclosure?
The Screwcap Initiative
What are the major wine regions of the North Island of New Zealand?
Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa
What are the major regions of the South Island of New Zealand?
Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, and Central Otago
When and where were New Zealand’s first vines planted?
1819 in Northland on the North Island of New Zealand.
What is the name of New Zealand’s northernmost and smallest area for wine production?
Northland
Kumeu, Waiheke Island, and Matakana are all subregions of what wine growing region on New Zealand’s North Island?
Auckland
Where is the second largest wine region in New Zealand and the driest climate on the North Island?
Hawkes Bay
Which region is New Zealand’s largest red wine producing region?
Hawke’s Bay
What is the leading red grape of Hawkes Bay ?
Merlot
What area on the North Island of New Zealand is known for its deep shingle soils and is rapidly establishing a reputation for as a source of good Syrah and Bordeaux-style blends? Where is this region?
Gimblett Gravels; within Hawke’s Bay
Ngatarwa Valley, Esk Valley, and Dartmoor Valley are all subregions within what wine region in New Zealand?
Hawke’s Bay
What grape is the star of Ngatarwa Valley?
Merlot
What is Gisborne also known as?
Poverty Bay
What wine region is the first in the world to see sunlight?
Poverty Bay/Gisborne
What grape has replaced Muller Thurgau as Gisborne’s most planted grape?
Chardonnay
Where is Martinborough and what is the entire region’s official name?
Martinborough is located within Wairarapa which itself named Wellington.
What is the name of the South Island of New Zealand’s northernmost wine region?
Nelson
What wine region on the South Island produces over half of New Zealand’s annual wine production?
Marlborough
Who controls over 2/3 of the vineyards and wine production in Marlborough?
Montana
Which famous Champagne producer formed a partnership with Montana cementing Marlborough’s future in the world of Bubbly?
Deutz
Wairau, Southern Valleys, and Aware Valley are all subregions of what wine region in New Zealand?
Marlborough
What is the soil like in Marlborough?
Sandy, alluvial loam topsoil over gravel that provides excellent drainage and limits vine vigor.
Where is Waipara Valley and Banks Peninsula?
Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand
What is New Zealand’s southernmost and highest-altitude wine region?
Central Otago
What is the star grape of Central Otago?
Pinot Noir
What is the only wine growing region in New Zealand to experience a true continental climate?
Central Otago
Wannaka, Gibbston, Alexandra, and Cromwell Basin are all subregions of what region?
Central Otago
What are three premium Pinot Producers in Central Otago?
Felton Road, Mt. Difficultry, and Rippon
