South Australia

Question 1

True or False,

South Australia is the largest wine producing state in Australia?

Answer 1

True, it accounts for roughly 50% of the weight of harvest fruit

Question 2

The Barossa Zone is made up of what two regions?

Answer 2

• Barossa Valley

- Eden Valley

Question 3

What are the 3 things protecting the Barossa Valley?

Answer 3

• Low hills in the west
• Eden Valley on the east
• The steeper parts of the Mt. Lofty ranges in the south

Question 4

What is the climate like in Barossa Valley?

Answer 4

Warm climate with hot summer days and cool nights with relatively low rainfall

Question 5

Is irrigation needed in the Barossa Valley?

Answer 5

Yes, the region receives low average rainfall (around 160mm/6.3) making irrigation necessary

Question 6

When were vines first planted in the Barossa Valley?

Answer 6

in the 1840s

Question 7

Did phylloxera destroy the original vines in the Barossa Valley?

Answer 7

No. While some parts of Australia were harmed by phylloxera, Barossa was not. Meaning that some of the oldest Shiraz and Grenache vines in the world are in the Barossa Valley

Question 8

What is the Barossa Old Vine Charter, and when was it established?

Answer 8

It is an organization that was established to record, promote and preserve all of the old vines in the Barossa Valley. The Charter also established a number of categories that are tied to the age of the vines.

It was established in 2009

Question 9

What is the signature grape of the Barossa Valley?

Answer 9

Shiraz, which accounted for 66% of the harvest weight in 2019

Question 10

Is Eden Valley actually a valley?

Answer 10

No, it is a series of rolling hills that is apart of the Mt. Lofty Ranges, and in some places the gradient is steep enough to limit the use of machines

Question 11

What grape varieties have old vine plantings in the Eden Valley?

Answer 11

• Riesling
• Shiraz
• Grenache

Question 12

Riesling accounts for what percentage of the plantings in the Eden Valley?

Answer 12

1/3 or 33%

Question 13

What are two classic producers from Eden Valley?

Answer 13

• Henschke

- Pewsey Vale

Question 14

What are two significant producers from Barossa Valley?

Answer 14

• John Duval
• Ben Glaetzer
• Torbeck

Question 15

What two regions are located within the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone?

Answer 15

• Adelaide Hills

- Clare Valley

Question 16

Adelaide Hills is characterized by what geographic features? How does this affect vineyard management

Answer 16

Valleys and steep hillsides, which limits the use of mechanization in the region

Question 17

What is the climate in Adelaide Hills?

Answer 17

Cool to Moderate Maritime depending on elevation

Question 18

How does the latitude affect Adelaide Hills as a whole?

Answer 18

Being at such low latitudes, they have more exposure to intense sunlight, leading to riper flavors than what may be expected, especially from whites grown at higher altitudes

Question 19

What two sub-regions are found in Adelaide Hills?

Answer 19

• Piccadilly Valley

- Lenswood

Question 20

When does most of the rain fall in Adelaide Hills?

Answer 20

Mainly in the winter and spring, and sometimes late enough to affect fruit set.

Question 21

What is something unique about how Adelaide Hills collects some of the water for irrigation?

Answer 21

It collects the winter and spring rains in dams, but there are underground sources as well

Question 22

White varieties accounted for ___% of the total harvest weight in 2019, with Sauvignon Blanc making up ____% on its own (Adelaide Hills)

Answer 22

• 64%

- 28%

Question 23

What is the most planted black grape variety in Adelaide Hills?

Answer 23

Pinot Noir

Question 24

What are most of the vineyards in the Clare Valley planted at?

Answer 24

300-500m/1,000-1,650ft

Question 25

Clare Valley is a region with many _____, ______ owned wineries

Answer 25

• Small

- Family-Owned

Question 26

Riesling made up what percentage of the total harvested fruit weight in Clare Valley in 2019?

Answer 26

35%

Question 27

Due to the lower latitudes, what is one of the canopy management techniques used for Riesling in the Clare Valley? Why?

Answer 27

Due to the lower latitude and more direct/prolonged sun light, growers will have thicker canopies on the western side to protect the grapes from sunburn

Question 28

What two bodies of water surround the Fleurieu Peninsula?

Answer 28

• Gulf St Vincent

- Southern Ocean

Question 29

Name the best known region in the Fleurieu Zone

Answer 29

McLaren Vale

Question 30

How many ha does the McLaren Vale cover?

Answer 30

On average its 50-250m, but some vineyards are planted up to 350m

Question 31

What are the top 3 planted red grapes in the McLaren Vale?

Answer 31

• Shiraz
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Grenache

Question 32

What are all of the GI’s found in the Limestone Coast?

Answer 32

• Coonawarra
• Padthaway
• Mount Benson
• Robe
• Wrattonbully
• Mount Gambier

Question 33

Coonawarra has a similar climate to which old world region?

Answer 33

• Bordeaux

Question 34

How do producers in Coonawarra battle spring frost?

Answer 34

With the use of sprinklers

Question 35

What is Terra Rossa?

Answer 35

It is the red, free draining, and iron rich loam that is native to Coonawarra. It sits on top of limestone

The best wines are considered to come from these soils

Question 36

Cabernet makes up how much of the plantings in Coonawarra?

Answer 36

Over 50%