Australia WSET Diploma Flashcards
Australia Trade
A combination of competitive prices, consistent quality and market-led style production have enabled.
Success with varietally labelled that give a wine drinker what can expect when they buy a bottle.
Clear concept of marketing and creating labels, both back and front that appeal to the shopper.
Easy drinking styles of wine produced and the value for money promise.
Australia lead export markets, this is essential because the domestic market is small and static.
3 potential threats for Australian wines:
Climate change and impact on water availability and quality.
Supply-demand imbalances leading sometimes to over-production while capacity grows.
Aggressive pricing with wine sold at heavily discounted prices with little profit for the company.
Australian Laws
Old labelling terms of Burgundy, Claret, Chabis have been phased out in agreement with EU law.
Geographical Indication GI as a system to protect the name of the wine producing areas.
No restriction but the 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must come from the GI stated on the label.
85%of stated variety
85% stated origin
85% stated vintage
There is a hierarchy of GI ranging from Zones, Regions and Subregion.
Topography in Australia
Vineyard generally planted near the coast on flat or rolling countryside, due to the arid, dessert conditions inland Australia.
Exception of Murray-Darling where the rivers once provide plentiful water for irrigation, now drought is threatening this.
Western Australia
3% of total production but 30% of the awards: high quality, commanding high prices on the international Market.
It is divided in:
Greater Perth Zone with Swan Region.
South-West Australia Zone
Main region is Margaret River located 200 km south of Perth, maritime climate with dry and warm summer and wet winter due to the proximity of the sea.
1100 ml per year, mostly in winter
Strong wins in spring can disrupt flowering
High salt in the ground water means that irrigation is essential
Variety of style. Such a outstanding Bordeaux Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon. Tannins are earthy providing wines with structure and complexity.
Chardonnay: concentrated stone fruit aromas and retain high level of natural acidity. Range of styles some with oak barrel and malolactic fermentation to add complexity.
Sauvignon and Semillon are usually blended together to get the best of each variety, resultan with attractive gooseberry and tropical fruit aromas with crisp acidity.
200 km to the east, is place Great South Region. with Frankland River and Mount Barker.
Young area. Good for deeply colored Cabernet Sauvignon, elegant and peppery Shiraz, and pure, mineral Riesling. Soils are gravelly or sandy loam and free draining.
South Australia
Producing the 43% of the Australian Wines.
South Australia is phylloxera free state and there are strict quarantine regulations as to the movement of plant material outside the state.
South Australia
Producing the 43% of the Australian Wines.
South Australia is phylloxera free state and there are strict quarantine regulations as to the movement of plant material outside the state.
LOWER MURRAY ZONE: Riverland Region, large quantities for bulk wine.
Healthy grapes due to hot climate and low rain fall.
South Australia
Producing the 43% of the Australian Wines.
South Australia is phylloxera free state and there are strict quarantine regulations as to the movement of plant material outside the state.
LOWER MURRAY ZONE: Riverland Region, large quantities for bulk wine.
Healthy grapes due to hot climate and low rainfall.
Hot climate leads to sugar ripeness before phenolic ripeness.
South Australia
Producing the 43% of the Australian Wines.
South Australia is phylloxera free state and there are strict quarantine regulations as to the movement of plant material outside the state.
LOWER MURRAY ZONE: Riverland Region, large quantities for bulk wine.
Healthy grapes due to hot climate and low rainfall.
Hot climate leads to sugar ripeness before phenolic ripeness.
BAROSSA ZONE: North Adelaide. Fine Wine production.
Soils of limestone and ironstone.
Long, dry summers, necessitation irrigation.
Hot climate produce outstanding wines from old bush vine Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro ( Mourvedre)
Classic Barossa Shiraz is full bodied , soft and mouth filling, with the dark, ripe fruit complement by sweet American oak. Soft and spice developing aromas of leather with age.
New Style of Barossa Shiraz is rpe grapes, with very high levels of alcohol, prominent oak tannins and aromas, and baked fruit flavours.
Eden Valley ( to the right with moderate warm climate) produce high quality, medium bodied dry/off dry with high acidity Riesling, with lime and lemon developing into honey, petrol, adn toast with age.
FLEURIEU PENINSULA ZONE:
McLaren Vale Region is located on the coast to the south of Adelaide. Cooled by ocean breezes.
Red wines (Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet ) are intensely flavoured with dark fruit aromas and have soft, ripe tannins. Red are soft juice fruit with full body.
Langhorne Creek Region produces earthy full bodied, mouth filling Shiraz from old vines.
MOUNT LOFTY RANGES ZONE:
Adelaide Hills , moderate climate region where altitude of 400 metres it is the key. Soils are sandy loam with limited water holding capacity, meaning that irrigation is often necessary during the growing season.
Chardonnays is making complex and elegant, which have high natural acidities and distinct citrus and white stone fruit aromas. Also, Pinot Noir for sparkling wines and Sauvignon Blanc with high acidity.
Clare Valley, located on the north of Barossa Valley.
Hot climate it is tempered by cool afternoon breezes and nights are cold.
Long potential ( red and whites) to aged well.
Riesling are dry in style with distinct citrus and lime aromas and a high acidity. Usually develop kerosene notes in their youth. Good for ageing.
Terra Rosa soil.
Clare Valley Shiraz is fragrant, powerful and structured.
LIMESTONE COAST ZONE:
Under the influence of cold currents from the Antarctic, the maritime climate is cool to moderate. Cloud cover during the summer moderates the temperatures resulting elegant wines.
Coonawarra region: with terra rossa soil over limestone base produce excellent quality cabernets with intense, structured wines with characteristic cassis and eucalyptus or menthol aromas.
Spring frost, rain at harvest and under ripeness of fruit are amin viticultural problems.
Padthaway Region: controlled by large companies.
Moderate to warm with richer fruit flavours.
Tasmania
Small island. 500 km from Melbourne. Cool climate. The coolest climate in Australia. Good provider from sparkling wines but now also good reputation for fine wines Pinot Noir and Alsatian varieties.
New South Wales
HUNTER VALLEY REGION:
2 hours from Sidney.
Divided in Upper and Lower Hunter.
Soils predominantly volcanic basalt.
High rainfall at harvest, making a grey rot a problem.
Grafted vines due to presence of phylloxera. Good for enotourism.
Semillon harvested early with low sugar levels and a high acidity. Light in alcohol and neutral flavour when they bottle but extraordinary flavours of honey and toast with bottle age for 20 years..
Shiraz usually has a red fruit flavours ( raspberry and cherries) soft tannins and an earthy undertone.
Upper Hunter Valley is drier with irrigated vineyards with Chardonnay dominates.
CENTRAL RANGES ZONE: inland of Sydney. with Orange, Mudgee and Cowra. Vineyard planting in altitude with good concentrated Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Also, at 600 m, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling.
BIG RIVERS Zone: Includes Murray Darling, Riverina and Riverlands. The second largest area in Australia. Produce the 15% of the total production.
Bulk production.
Good for Sauternes-style from Semillon with lower alcohol, with similar flavours of apricots, marmalade and honey. Reasonable priced and high quality.
CAnBERRA DISTRICT: increase planting due Constellations. High altitude vineyard with frost problem, producing a delicate Pinot Noir and Riesling.
Victoria
Yarra Valley region stretches from the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Soil structure varies considerably, from sandy or clay loam to red volcanic soils.
Planted on slopes of 50 to 470 above sea level.
Climate is cool and wet, under ripeness and fungal diseases a problem.
Chardonnay with a citrus character and crisp acidity.
Pinot Noir of high quality produced, with a style that is full bodied and fruity without being jammy.
Also, sparkling wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon with firm tannins and acidity, whereas Shiraz are peppery and more subtle than expressions from South Australia.
MORNINGTON PENINSULA: South of Melbourne has a maritime climate, it is made up of boutique producers specialising in Chardonnay, reflext the cool growing conditions having citrus, pear and apple aromas and high acidities that are usually softened by malolactic fermentation.
And Pinot Noir. Ranges from light and delicate, with varietal purity to more structures wines. Better with 3 years.
Gellong Region it is like Mornington Peninsula with more earthy aromas. and more power.
CENTRAL VICTORIA ZONE: The Goulburn Valley and Heath cote region produce white from Rhone varieties: MArsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. Also quality Riesling.
WESTERN VICTORIA ZONE: Grampians Region is recognised for excellent sparkling wines, including Shiraz.
Also: Shiraz with powerful tannin.
The Pyrenees region and Bendigo region full bodied red.
NORTH EAST VICTORIA ZONE: famous for Liqueur Muscats and Tokays.
Also in King Valley, cool climate site experimental with Sangiovese, Graciano.
Shiraz in Australia
For Red wines, the classic Australian variety is Shiraz.
Many ancient, low yielding vineyards where destroyed during the vine-pull scheme of the 1980.
Remaining old vines a major factor in quality Shiraz.
Hot regions such as the Hunter and Barossa Valleys produce a soft earthy, spicy style that develops leather and caramel notes as it ages.
More peppery style is made in cooler regions such as Margaret River, Wester Victoria and the Central Range Zone.
This qualities may be combined in a multiregional blended wine.
Shiraz also used to give softness and body to blends with CS, performing a similar role to Merlot in Bordeaux.
Shiraz/Viognier Cote Rotie style blends becoming popular.
Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia
Darker, with firmer tannins and higher acidity than Australian Shiraz. It may appear as a blended wine, with Shiraz or Merlot.
Classic regions including Coonawarra and Margaret River.
Ripe black fruit characters ( blackcurrant, back cherry) often underpinned by toasty, meaty oak notes.
Chardonnay in Australia
It was the most popular grape in Australia.
Made in wide range of styles.
Also blended from these regions including aromas like peach, melon, fig, banana and different degrees of oak, lees and malolactic flavours.
Use of chips, inner staves or cask fermentation and ageing.
Also blend with Semillon to make cheaper. Semillon crisp acidity and refreshing herbaceous.
Riesling
Australian’s finest white wine.
Have bold citrus fruit ( lime, lemon, grapefruit) in young that develop to toast, honey, petrol notes as the wines ages.
Unoked, dry or off dry.
Made in Eden and Clare Valley in South Australia.
Tasmania and Frankland River also good reputation.
