Sparkling Wine: Australia Flashcards
1
Q
one card on Australian Sparkling
A
- Sparkling less than 6% of Australia’s wine production, but still 69m litres
- 78% domestic
- 22% export (risen in recent years)
- All methods - traditional, transfer, tank and carbonation
- Styles include classic Champagne blends fermented in bottle, tank method Glera/ Prosecco and Moscato, sparkling Shiraz and small Pet Nat
2
Q
Climate and grape growing for Australian Traditional Method sparkling
A
- Cooler regions - esp Tasmania, Yarra Valley (Dom Chandon), Adelaide Hills, alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales at altitude
- Highly suitable as high acid, mod pot alcohol (due to slow sugar accumulation) and ripe but med intensity fruit
- yields lower than norm, so prices higher
- Tasmania leading region (see sep card)
3
Q
Describe Tasmania for sparkling wine
A
- Australia’s best region for quality trad method
- 30% total grapes for sparkling
- mid 1980s Tamanian co Heemskerk venture with Champagne Loius Roederer
- Climate on island varies eg Tamar Valley & Piper’s River both N coast and close, but Tamar sheltered from cold Southern Ocean; much warmer - harvest fortnight earlier
- Southern Tasmania cooler than Champagne but higher sunlight intensity because of latitude. Yet Coal Valley sheltered and much warmer.
- Argument for sub-zones, but currently happy
- Producers blend grapes from diff locations for balance
4
Q
Risks and Diseases in Tasmania
A
- Spring frosts
- High rainfall
- Coulure in early season
- Botrytis later
5
Q
Where grapes grown for inexpensive wines in Australia
A
- Vast majority in South-East Australia
- Riverland
- Riverina
- Murray-Darling
- Irrigation essential
- Mechanised
- Pick early (retain acid, avoid over-ripe fruit)
- Yields high (2x or 3x cool areas)
- Prices low (1/4 that of super premium fruit)
6
Q
Where are grapes grown for sparkling red, especially Shiraz?
A
- Exception to rule about cool sites/ early picking
- Warm climates
- central Victoria, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale
- Rich and intense flavours, so grapes picked at same time as still wines
- Yields high for inexpensive, to moderate for premium +
7
Q
Winemaking for Traditional Method Australian sparkling
A
- NV, vintage, prestige cuvée, rosé
- Time on lees varies, often 3 + yrs (premium producers look to Champagne, but not constrained by its rules
- New “late disgorged” 6 yrs + (Jansz, Arras)
- Most Tasmanian producers press grapes on island, but complete winemaking on mainland (eg Bay of Fires).
- Refrigerated juice or base wine transported to own wineries on mainland for second ferment.
- Smaller Tasmanian producers complete wine on island by hand and using machinery like gyropalettes
8
Q
Style of premium traditional method Australian sparkling
A
- Med(+) to high acidity, med alcohol
- Body & flavour varies from med (-) to full depending on style and lees ageing
- light styles softly fruity citrus and apple
- rich will have prominent toasty autolytic notes
- Malo depends on style wineries want to make
9
Q
Winemaking for Transfer, Tank & Carbonation Australian sparkling
A
- Inexpensive to mid priced sparkling made across a number of cool, moderate and warm climate regions
- Often blends from multiple regions, some have regional designations
- Big brands Brown Bros, Jacob’s Creek, Yellowglen - also grapes from warm, irrigated, inland regions like Riverina
- Grapes vary - Chard, PNoir, Moscato, Glera/ Prosecco
- wines tend to be fruity, some intensely so, citrus to peach/ apricot, grapey Moscato. No autolytic (some in transfer).
- Dry to med-sweet, low to med alcohol, light to med body, med-med(+) acidity
10
Q
Winemaking for Australian sparkling shiraz
A
- made like normal still red (inc malo), perhaps oak aged
- v good - outstanding trad method
- acceptable - good by transfer, tank or carbonation
- higher dosage (eg 20g/l resid sugar) than Brut white & rosé sparkling cos of drying tannins, high alcohol
- Deep colour (ruby to garnet), med(-) to med acidity, med(+) to high alcohol, med, but ripe/soft tannins, med to full bodied, med to pronounced intensity.
- Styles from fruity to more savoury (if oak maturation pre 2nd ferment). Autolytic notes masked by other flavours
- Usually released after 1-2 yrs, though some late disgorged have extended lees ageing.
11
Q
Winemaking for sparkling Australian moscato
A
- Growing sector, esp pink Moscato eg Innocent Bystander
- High quality small production Moscato made by tank method, but mostly cheaper carbonation
- Grapes grown in varied warmer climates
- low alchol, med acidty, off-dry to sweet, distinctly fruity with classic grapey Muscat flavours.
- Acceptable to good.
12
Q
Winemaking for Australian Prosecco
A
- Rapidly growing importat market segment
- Main region King Valley - Prosecco its flagship sparkler
- Was planted in Australia before Italy changed use of name from variety to PDO in 2009
- Dal Zotto launched first Australian Prosecco 2004
- If exported to EU must be labelled Glera
- King Valley region legal battle trying to use Prosecco in eg China, arguing its a variety, not a region
- Tank method for light, fruity style. Med(+) acidty, med(-) to med alcohol, light to med body, delicate white peach
- Off-dry to med dry, made by small producers focus on quality. Good to v good
- Some carbonated
13
Q
Winemaking for sparkling Australian Pet Nat
A
- Made by many small, natural winemakers in several regions from several varieties
- White rosé or red
- Q cloudy, varying levels of pressure from slightly sparkling to fully
- Usually dry, med(+) acidity, med alcohol, light to med(+) body, falvour intensity med to pronounced.
- Often yeasty characteristics with fruit flavours
14
Q
Wine Law in Australian Sparkling
A
- Not constrained by wine laws relating to Geographical Indication, so can be innovative (eg Prosecco, Sparkling Shiraz)
15
Q
Structure of wine business in Australian Sparkling
A
- Made by full range from huge corporations to small artisan producers
- Success of Tasmanian trad method has led to significant acquisitions and consolidation
- Brown Bros bought Tamar Ridge
- Accolade owns House of Arras and Bay of Fires
