South Africa, NZ and Australia sparkling Flashcards

1
Q

2 categories of South African sparkling?

A

1) inexpensive carbonated, often sweet. Domestic and African market
2) Cap Classiqu

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2
Q

Cap Classique key grapes

A

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Chenin Blanc
Pinotage

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3
Q

Cap Classique style

A

Medium (+) acid
Medium alc
Ripe apple, citrus, some autolytic

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4
Q

Grapes for carbonated South African

A

Sauvignon Blanc
Msucat
Pinotage

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5
Q

Cap Classique association founded when?

A

1992

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6
Q

MCC members produce what % of bottle-fermented sparkling in south africa?

A

90%

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7
Q

Cap Classique legal standards (3)

A
  1. Trad method
  2. 3 bars of pressure post-disgorge
  3. 9 months lees (moving to 12 mths)
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8
Q

95% of Cap Classique from which four grapes?

A

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Chenin Blanc
Pinotage

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9
Q

Key regions for Cap Classique grapes

A
Robertson
Stellenbosch
Paarl
Darling
Tulbagh
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10
Q

Cap Classique: which two regions have limestone soils?

A

Robertson

Bonnievale (in Breede River Valley)

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11
Q

Topography of Robertson and Bonnievale

A

Narrow valleys, slow to warm up in morning (shade from mountains)
Temperatures drop in afternoon (cool breezes from ocaen)
Cooling influences in otherwise warm climate

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12
Q

Why do MCC producers source from multiple regions?

A

Complexity

Availability of fruit

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13
Q

How many days from flowering to picking for MCC?

A

Approx 90 days

Canopy: more shading slows down ripening, retains acid

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14
Q

MCC picked at what potential alcohol?

A

9.5-11%

final wine around 12% abv

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15
Q

How are South African carbonated wines made?

A
Stop ferment early
Retain RS
Carbonated
Released early
Low cost = inexpensive wines
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16
Q

Picking for Cap Calssique

A

Hand harvest
Small baskets
Whole bunc pressed
Not a legal requirement, but recommended

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17
Q

Acidifcation common for MCC?

A

Yes.

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18
Q

MLF in MCC?

A

A choice
Some do, some don’t
Villiera does
Graham Beck does not

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19
Q

What % reserve wines used for MCC?

A

Around 10%

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20
Q

Rose MCC made how?

A

Blend white and red wines (control amount fo colour and tannin)
or macerate black grape before ferment

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21
Q

Do you need to me a member of MCC to make MCC?

A

Currently (in book) not, but association is trying to make it so

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22
Q

Lees ageing for MCC

A

Currently 9 months

Effotrs to change it to 12 months from 2020

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23
Q

MCC assocaition proposing two categories for MCC (in progress)

A
  1. Standard category: as now

2. Higher quality: only Champagne grapes + Chenin + Pinotage, whole bunch press, lees 36 mths

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24
Q

Example of Cap Classique producer also making carbonated wine

A

JC Le Roux

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25
Q

Cap Classique growing fast?

A

Yes, fastest growing category in ZA

Sales double every five years

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26
Q

Graham Beck domestic/export split

A

50-50

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27
Q

Top export markets for SA sparkling?

A

Angola, USA, UK

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28
Q

Sparklign wine what % of Australian production?

A

6%

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29
Q

Australian sparkling export/domestic split

A

80% domestic

20% export

30
Q

Oz: trad method grapes grown where?

A
Cooler regions especially Tasmania
Also: 
Yarra Valley (Domaine Chandon)
Adelaide Hills
High-altitude in Victoria and NSW
31
Q

Why cooler climate Oz important for trad method?

A

High acidity, moderate potential alcohol (slow sugar accumulation), ripe but medium intensity fruit

32
Q

Leading Australian region for high quality trad method?

A

Tasmania

33
Q

What % of Tasmanian wine is sparkling?

A

40%

34
Q

Tamar Valley vs Pipers River

A

Beside each other in north Tasmania

Tamar Valley: warmer (sheltered from Southern Ocean); harvests 2 weeks earlier

35
Q

Coal River Valley (Tasmania) what climate?

A

Warm

Everywhere else in southern Tasmania generally cooler than north part

36
Q

Main challenges in Tasmania?

A

Spring frost
High rainfall
Coulure, botrytis

37
Q

Fruit for inexpensive Aussie sparkling grown where

A

Riverland, Riverina and Murray-Darling

“South Eastern Australia”

38
Q

Irrigation in South Eastern Australia?

A

Essential!

39
Q

Vineyard mgmt in South Eastern Australia

A

Irrigation essential
Mechanisations tandard
Fruit picked early for low alcohol, high acid and avoid over ripe flavours

40
Q

Yields in South Eastern Australia

A

2-3 times as high as cool areas

41
Q

Sparkling Shiraz grapes from where?

A

Warm climates eg central Victoria, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale

Exception to “cool climate” rule here. Need rich and intense flavours, picked at same time as still wines

42
Q

Late disgorged wines in Oz. Leading producers

A

Jansz

House of Arras

43
Q

Tasmania: grapes pressed where, wines made where?

A

Grapes pressed on Tasmania

Transported to mainland (Bay of Fires) to complete winemaking

44
Q

Small Tasmania sparkling producers make their wine on Tasmania. How?

A

Small volume

Carried out by hand and limited machinery (gyropalette)

45
Q

Trad method Aus style

A

Medium (+) to high acid
Medium alc
Medium (-) to Medium (+) body

46
Q

Inexpensive Aussie sparkling

A
Transfer, tank or carbonation
Large brands, blend across regions
Cahrd, Pinot, Moscato, Glera etc
Dry to miedum sweet
Low alc
Jacobs Creek, Yellowglen, Brown Brothers
47
Q

Sparkling Shiraz made how?

A

Make still wine including MLF and maybe oak ageing
Very good to outstanding: trad method
Acceptable to good: transfer, tank, carbonation
Sparkling reds from other varieties too

48
Q

Sparkling Shiraz style

A
Deep colour (ruby to garnet)
Medium (-) to medium acid
Medium to high alc
Medium but ripe, soft tannins (balanced by dosage)
20g/L sugar (balance tannins and alc)
Medium to full bodied
Pronounced intensity: fruity or savoury
Generally no autolytic
Some long lees ageing, most released 1-2 yrs
49
Q

Innocent Bystander is what?

A

Sparkling pink Moscato

50
Q

Sparkling pink Moscato

A
Growing sector in domestic market
eg Innocent Bystander
Blend of regions, usually warmer climates
Better examples: tank method
Inexpensive: carbonation
51
Q

First Australian Prosecco produced by who and when?

A

Dal Zotto

2004

52
Q

Aussie Prosecco labelled what if exported to EU?

A

Glera

53
Q

When did Italy change name of Prosecco to Glera?

A

20009

first Aussie Prosecco 2004, Dal Zotto

54
Q

Accolade owns what sparkling producers?

A

House of Arras

Bay of Fires

55
Q

Sparkling wine is what % of Aussie domestic market?

A

11%

56
Q

Aussie domestic sparkling market; what’s hot and what’s not?

A

Hot: Prosecco adn Msocato
Not: sparkling Shiraz

57
Q

Why reduced interest in sparkling Shiraz?

A

Move away from high alcohol wines
Increase of other options
New interest in foreign wines (sparkling Shiraz considered an Aussie phenomenon)

58
Q

Success of NZ still wines means what for its sparkling production?

A

Fizz a tiny part of offer

59
Q

NZ sparkling: mid to high end dominated by what style?

A
Traditional method
Medium intensity apple and lemon
Light toasty
High acidity
Brut
60
Q

NZ North or South Island better for sparkling grapes?

A

South Island is cooler = better for premium elegant sparkling with crisp acidity

61
Q

Most NZ sparkling comes from where?

A

Marlborough (South Island)

62
Q

Important regions for quality sparkling wine NZ

A
Marlborough
Central Otago (Pinot Noir)
63
Q

Gisborne known for what?

A

Large volume brands

Fuller bodied style, lower acid, less finesse

64
Q

Why Marlborough is good for sparkling grapes

A

Low risk of late frost or hail
Prevalent NW wind removes air moisture after rain (less fungal threat)
Moderate rainfall but vyds have to be irrigated (free draining alluvial soil)
Good access to clean water

65
Q

Most NZ sparkling a blend of what 2 grapes?

A

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

66
Q

MLF for NZ sparkling?

A

Generally yes
Reduce very high acidity levels
(some block MLF to preserve acidity)

67
Q

lees ageing for NZ sparkling

A

generally 18 mths (some longer)

68
Q

No.1 Family Esate

A

NZ traditional method pioneer
Daniel Le Brun Champagne
Least expensive wine: 18 mths lees

69
Q

What happened in NZ sparkling after 2008?

A

Record 2008 harvest = oversupply of Sauvignon Blanc

Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc (carbonation)

70
Q

Sparkling wine what % of NZ exports volume?

A

0.5%