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WSET® Level 4 D3 Wines of the World > D3 - Australia 1: Overview + South Australia > Flashcards

D3 - Australia 1: Overview + South Australia Flashcards

Provides an overview of Australia, plus examines the regions, grapes, methods of production, and styles of South Australia.

1
Q

In what year did vines first arrive in Australia?

A

1788

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2
Q

Who was James Busby?

A

A native Scotsman who is considered to be the father of Australian wine. He brought over vines from Europe on his first trip to Australia in the early 1830s.

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3
Q

Vineyards in Australia are spread over a large area and have a wide range of different climates.

What are the latitudes of most vineyards in Australia?

A

30° – 37°S, the equivalent to southern Europe in the Northern Hemisphere.

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4
Q

What is the climate of Murray-Darling?

A

Hot continental.

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5
Q

Outside of Murray-Darling, most vineyards in Australia are situated closer in relation to what?

A

Cooling influences – Pacific and Indian Oceans, and altitude where available.

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6
Q

What is the name of the mountain range that runs from Queensland to western Victoria?

A

The Great Dividing Range.

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7
Q

Name a pro and a con regarding the cool ocean breezes that affect Australian vineyards.

A
  • Pro: reduce risk of frost;
  • Con: can disrupt fruit set.
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8
Q

The Great Dividing Range protects many of southeastern Australia’s vineyards from what?

A

Tropical weather systems that come from the Pacific and the northeast.

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9
Q

Why is Australia a favorable place to grow wine grapes generally?

A

It has intense sunshine, relatively low rainfall, and in most areas, low humidity (which means low disease pressure).

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10
Q

What are the two main environmental threats to Australia’s wine growing regions?

A

Drought and bush fires.

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11
Q

Select the correct answer.

Most of Australian viticulture is:

a. Hand-harvested only
b. Heavily mechanized

A

b. Heavily mechanized

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12
Q

What are the advantages of mechanized harvesting in Australia?

A
  • Cuts down on labor costs;
  • Covers big areas in short amount of time;
  • Easily done at night;
  • Grapes can arrive at winery quickly.
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13
Q

Cite 3 reasons why an Australian winemaker would hand harvest even though most vineyards are flat enough to machine harvest.

A
  1. Limit grape splitting and crushing;
  2. Maintain whole bunches;
  3. Greater selection at time of picking.
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14
Q
  • What is the issue many soils have in Australia?
  • How can this issue affect vines?
A
  • High salinity – not enough rainfall to wash it away;
  • Saline soils make it challenging for vines to get the nutrients it needs → reduced vine growth and possibly vine death.
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15
Q
  • Which areas of Australia have remained free of phylloxera?
  • In which areas is phylloxera present?
A
  • Phylloxera-free: South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania;
  • Phylloxera present: Victoria, New South Wales
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16
Q

Name four areas/regions in Australia that have high humidity.

A
  1. Adelaide Hills;
  2. Southern Victoria;
  3. Hunter Valley;
  4. Parts of Tasmania.
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17
Q

What are the main vineyard pests in Australia?

A
  • Birds;
  • Kangaroos.
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18
Q

Select the correct answer.

Due to the climate of Australia, most grape varieties achieve optimum ripeness:

  • In a narrow window of time
  • In a wide window of time

What does that mean for harvesting timing?

A
  • In a narrow window of time;
  • Harvest must be done as quickly and efficiently as possible (machine harvesting helps with this a lot).
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19
Q

What are the five key red grape varieties in Australia?

A
  1. Shiraz;
  2. Cabernet Sauvignon;
  3. Merlot;
  4. Pinot Noir;
  5. Grenache.
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20
Q

What are the six key white grape varieties in Australia?

A
  1. Chardonnay;
  2. Sauvignon Blanc;
  3. Pinot Grigio;
  4. Semillon;
  5. Muscat Gordo Blanco (Muscat of Alexandria);
  6. Colombard.
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21
Q
  • Higher alcohol, fuller-bodied Shiraz notably come from these two hotter regions in Australia.
  • Medium alcohol, less full-bodied Shiraz comes from these two cooler regions in Australia.
A
  • Hotter regions: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale;
  • Cooler regions: Yarra Valley, Grampians.
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22
Q

What winemaking techniques are Australian winemakers using to make less intense, more approachable styles of Shiraz?

A
  • Reducing amount of extraction;
  • Whole-bunch fermentation;
  • Using less oak.
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23
Q

How does Cabernet Sauvignon taste different from Shiraz?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon will be higher in acidity and tannins than Shiraz, with ripe black fruit aromas of cherry and blackcurrant.

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24
Q

What winemaking techniques do Australian winemakers use to enhance the complexity, balance, and texture of their Chardonnays?

A
  • Using ambient yeasts;
  • Leaving a high level of solids in fermentation;
  • Barrel fermentation and/or barrel maturation (typically French oak);
  • Lees aging.
  • Malolactic depends on the climate where the grapes were grown and the style of wine desired (hotter region may block malo whereas cooler regions may encourage it).
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25
Q

Pinot Grigio in Australia can be found in the neutral, Veneto-style and in the riper, Alsatian-style.

How can you tell which style the wine is just by looking at the label?

A

The label will read either ‘Pinot Grigio’ (Italian style) or ‘Pinot Gris’ (Alsatian style) to reflect the style of wine that’s in the bottle.

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26
Q

What is the hierarchy of Australia’s wine growing areas (GIs)?

A

From largest to smallest:

Zones: large areas which can cover a state or several states with similar climatic conditions (e.g. South Eastern Australia).

Regions: smaller than zones in size, but wines must demonstrate consistent and recognizable traits that differ from nearby regions (e.g. Margaret River, Clare Valley).

Subregions: smallest in size, these areas must be within one region and have distinct traits, such as climate, topography, or soil (e.g. Polish Hill River subregion within Clare Valley).

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27
Q

If an Australian wine is labeled with a GI and has a stated vintage or grape variety, what percent of the stated vintage and grape variety must be in the bottle?

A

85%

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28
Q

What regions does the South Eastern Australia Zone cover?

A

The entirety of Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania along with the south-eastern corners of South Australia and Queensland.

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29
Q

Select the correct answer.

The majority of wines that come from the South Eastern Australia Zone are:

  • Inexpensive, high-volume wines
  • Mid-priced, medium-volume wines
  • Premium, small-volume wines

Where do most of the wines come from?

A

Inexpensive, high-volume wines from the Murray-Darling Basin.

30
Q

What are the three main winemaking regions that are nested in the Murray-Darling Basin?

A
  1. Riverland;
  2. Murray-Darling;
  3. Riverina.
31
Q

What are the two main grapes grown in the Murray-Darling Basin?

A
  1. Shiraz;
  2. Chardonnay.
32
Q
  • What is the predominant soil type in the Murray-Darling Basin?
  • Is irrigation allowed here or no?
A
  • Predominantly sandy soils;
  • Yes, irrigation is allowed and essential here.
33
Q
  • What is the name of the area in Riverina known for making sweet, botrytized Semillon?
  • If Riverina is so hot, how does botrytis set in?
A
  • Griffith is the area;
  • Griffith’s autumns bring rainfall, humidity, and morning mists but its afternoons stay warm and sunny, setting up for successful botrytis conditions.
34
Q

Which Australian state is the largest wine-producing state by volume?

A

South Australia – it produces ~50% of the total weight of harvested fruit across the country

35
Q

Where within the state of South Australia are most wineries found?

A

In the southeastern corner near the coast.

36
Q

The state of South Australia is its own Zone (South Australia Zone) – what are four of its well known, nested smaller zones?

A
  1. Barossa Zone;
  2. Mount Lofty Ranges Zone;
  3. Fleurieu Zone;
  4. Limestone Coast Zone.
37
Q

The Barossa Zone is split into two regions:

A
  1. Barossa Valley (valley floor);
  2. Eden Valley (hills).
38
Q

Why would a winemaker blend Eden Valley Shiraz into Barossa Valley Shiraz when you’d think it would be more prestigious to make the wine just from Barossa Valley?

A

Eden Valley Shiraz brings elegance and higher acidity to the intensity and bigger bodied Barossa Valley Shiraz.

39
Q

Why does Barossa Valley get so warm?

A

It’s protected by hills on three sides:

  1. Low hills to the west;
  2. Eden Valley hills to the east;
  3. Adelaide Hills to the south.
40
Q

Select the correct answer.

In Barossa Valley, both rainfall and disease pressure are:

a. Low
b. Moderate
c. High

A

a. Low

41
Q

What is the general profile of Barossa Valley Shiraz, and what flavors emerge as it ages?

A
  • Full-bodied;
  • High in alcohol;
  • High levels of soft tannins;
  • Pronounced ripe (cooked or dried) black fruits;
  • As it ages, spicy, leathery aromas emerge.
42
Q

Name two important Barossa Zone producers.

A
  1. John Duval;
  2. Glaetzer Wines.
43
Q

How is Eden Valley different from Barossa Valley in regards to topography, rainfall, and wind?

A

Eden Valley:

  • has higher rainfall;
  • is hilly and more exposed;
  • the wind in those exposed sites can be strong enough to affect flowering and fruit set (sites on the valley sides are more sheltered)
44
Q

Name two important producers in Eden Valley.

A
  1. Henschke;
  2. Pewsey Vale.
45
Q

Briefly describe an Eden Valley Riesling.

A
  • Dry;
  • High acidity;
  • Medium alcohol;
  • Fermented in stainless steel to preserve purity of citrus (lemon and lime) and floral aromas.
46
Q

What are the two important regions of the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone?

A
  1. Adelaide Hills;
  2. Clare Valley.
47
Q

What are the characteristics of the Adelaide Hills region?

A
  • Variety of soil types and aspects (mechanization restricted, site selection important);
  • Moderate Mediterranean climate;
  • Proximal to the ocean;
  • Low latitude means intense sunlight → riper fruit flavors.
48
Q

What is the rainfall in Adelaide Hills, and how does it affect the grapes?

A
  • High rainfall during growing season (280-320mm);
  • Higher rainfall = humidity levels are relatively high, making fungal diseases and rot a concern.
49
Q

Which white grape variety is Adelaide Hills known for?

A

Sauvignon Blanc – tends to have ripe fruit aromas more than herbaceous aromas.

50
Q

What environmental factors make grape growing so successful in Clare Valley?

A
  • Warm climate with hot summers tempered by cool afternoon breezes and cold nights (wide diurnal range);
  • Vineyards planted 300 – 500m;
  • Valleys with ridges produce a variety of microclimates.
51
Q

What are the two areas within Clare Valley known for their Rieslings?

What are the soils like in each area?

A
  1. Polish Hill – slate soil;
  2. Watervale – limestone soil.
52
Q

Name two important producers in Clare Valley.

A
  1. Jim Barry;
  2. Wendouree.
53
Q

Why is the maritime influence in Fleurieu Zone so strong?

What exactly is the influence?

A

Two bodies of water surround Fleurieu Zone, which is a peninsula:

  1. Gulf St Vincent (north)
  2. Southern Ocean (south)

Influence is cooling breezes that temper the warm Mediterranean climate.

54
Q
  • What is the most famous appellation within Fleurieu Zone?
  • What is its most planted grape?
A
  • McLaren Vale;
  • Shiraz.
55
Q

What are McLaren Vale Shirazes like? Give a brief description.

A
  • Deeply colored;
  • Full-bodied;
  • High alcohol;
  • Pronounced dark fruit flavors;
  • Earthy and spicy notes;
  • Many have oak spice characteristics;
  • Hotter, lower sites exhibit cooked or jammy flavors while higher elevation wines exhibit higher acidity and tannins.
56
Q

Explain the diversity of microclimates found in McLaren Vale.

A
  • Proximity to the water influences vineyard climate;
  • Elevation: vineyards are planted between sea level (hotter) to ~350m (cooler);
  • Different soils – poorer in north, more fertile in south (hence higher yields).
57
Q

Select the correct answer.

Which one is McLaren Vale dominated by?

a. Large vineyards
b. Smaller-scale producers

How does each approach harvesting, especially considering Shiraz and Grenache are vigorous?

A
  • Large vineyards;
  • Larger vineyards planted on flatter land allow machine harvesting (at night when grapes are cooler; higher yields);
  • Smaller-scale producers will hand pick (selection, whole cluster, smaller yields).
58
Q

Important McLaren Vale producers include:

A
  • Hardys;
  • Yangarra;
  • Mollydooker.
59
Q

With McLaren Vale being a warm to hot growing region that relies on irrigation, combined with Australia generally suffering from lack of rain for several years, what sorts of innovations are winemakers pushing forward in the vineyards?

A

Sourcing water from sustainable resources: dams, boreholes and recycled wastewater from Adelaide.

60
Q

Limestone Coast Zone

  1. What is its climate?
  2. What moderates the temperature here?
  3. Is it mostly hilly or flat?
A
  1. Cooler climate, but summers can still be warm and some days can be occasionally hot;
  2. Sea breezes and cool nighttime temps moderate the climate;
  3. Mostly flat, so there is still some maritime influence that extends inland.
61
Q

What is the most significant appellation within Limestone Coast Zone?

A

Coonawarra.

62
Q

Coonawarra

  1. What is its climate?
  2. Is it flat or hilly?
  3. What moderates its temperatures?
A
  1. Mediterranean climate;
  2. Flat;
  3. Afternoon sea breezes and cloud cover moderate temps.
63
Q

Select the correct answer.

Rainfall in Coonawarra is:

a. Low (~260mm/year)
b. Moderate (~600mm/year)
c. High (~1200mmm/year)

Is Coonawarra irrigated?

A
  • Low;
  • Irrigation is widely used (source: underground aquifers).
64
Q

What are 3 environmental hazards found in Coonawarra?

A
  1. Rain at flowering (affects fruit set);
  2. Strong winds (can affect flowering);
  3. Spring frost.
65
Q

What comprises the terra rossa soils of Coonawarra?

A

Free-draining iron-rich loam; ~50cm/20” deep, over hard limestone base (roots at times struggle to penetrate, which restricts water access).

66
Q

Select the correct answer.

Coonawarra’s terra rossa soils are:

a. Slightly acidic
b. Slightly alkaline

A

b. Slightly alkaline – this restricts uptake of several nutrients.

67
Q

What effect does Coonawarra’s terra rossa soils – being slightly alkaline and hard to penetrate – have on the grapes?

A

Grapes are concentrated and grow at lower yields.

68
Q

Describe a typical Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.

A
  • Medium to full bodied;
  • Medium alcohol;
  • High levels of firm tannins;
  • Concentrated aromas of dark fruit (cassis, plum);
  • Mint and eucalyptus notes;
  • Oak spice.
69
Q

Name two important producers in Coonawarra.

A
  1. Wynns;
  2. Katnook.
70
Q

Regions in the rain shadow of The Great Dividing Range receive very low levels or very high levels of rainfall?

A

Very low levels.

71
Q

What are the 2 principal black grape varieties grown in Clare Valley?

A
  1. Shiraz (35%);
  2. Cabernet Sauvignon (21%)

WSET® Level 4 D3 Wines of the World (47 decks)

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