Australia Flashcards

1
Q

When and where were the first vineyards planted in Australia?

A
  • Late 18th century

- New South Wales

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2
Q

When and where was commercial viticulture established in Australia?

A
  • 1820-1840

- Across the southern swath of the continent

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3
Q

As in most New World winegrowing countries, who brought experience, varietal, and stylistic preferences to Australia?

A

European immigrants

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4
Q

In Australia, where was the wine industry centered in the 19th century and what happened to it?

A
  • Victoria

- Phylloxera

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5
Q

When and how did Victoria recover from the phylloxera setbacks in the late 19th century?

A

Recovered quickly with a shift toward fortified wines from warmer regions located principally in South Australia.

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6
Q

What characterized the Australian wine industry in the 20th century?

A
  • Immense tracts of irrigation planted along rivers

- Established foundation for Australia’s role as wine-exporting powerhouse

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7
Q

When die temperature-controlled fermenters arrive in Australia and how did they impact the industry?

A
  • Mid 1950’s
  • Fine wine gained prominence
  • Shift to planting in cooler areas with premium vine varieties
  • Boutique wineries arose and still co-exist with industrial scale producers - this is an important aspect of Australia’s industry!
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8
Q

Where is Australia located in the world?

A

South Pacific Ocean

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9
Q

Roughly how large is Australia?

A

Roughly the size of the United States

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10
Q

How many states make up Australia?

A

6

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11
Q

What is unique about Australia’s climate?

A
  • World’s driest inhabited continent with a hot desert interior that is inhospitable to viticulture
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12
Q

Where are most wine regions in Australia?

A

Clustered in southeastern part of continent

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13
Q

Australia - soil?

A

Ancient, eroded, nutrient poor

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14
Q

Australia - white grape varieties?

A
  1. Chardonnay
  2. Sauvignon Blanc
  3. Semillon
  4. Riesling
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15
Q

Australia - red grape varieties?

A
  1. Shiraz
  2. Cabernet Sauvignon
  3. Merlot
  4. Grenache
  5. Pinot Noir
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16
Q

Where is vine-growing concentrated in Australia?

A
  • Cool coastal areas (moderated by south and Indian Oceans)

- Cooler high-elevation areas

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17
Q

What is imperative to viticulture on Australia?

A

Irrigation

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18
Q

What is an important viticultural consideration when it comes to grape ripeness in Australia?

A
  • Warm, dry climate produces very ripe grapes

- Acidity is difficult to achieve yet still vital to the balance of wine (so in often acidification during vinification)

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19
Q

What is important about the two style of wineries in Australia?

A

Boutique and industrial-scale wineries coexist

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20
Q

Why has Australia’s wine industry long been a world leader in technological development?

A
  • Strong innovative culture

- Expansion could only be achieved through mechanical innovation due to labor shortages

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21
Q

How has an emphasis on technical precision manifested itself in Australian wines?

A

Very clean, fruit-driven style

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22
Q

What’s the deal with oak aging in Australia?

A
  • Traditionally American oak

- French barriques have become increasingly common

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23
Q

In Australia, what is commonly employed during vinification to counterbalance the country’s warm climate?

A

Acidification

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24
Q

Australia has long been a leader in alternative __________ and __________ including __________ to __________ for still wines and __________ for sparkling wines.

A
  • Packaging
  • Closures
  • Bag-in-box
  • Screw caps
  • Crown caps
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25
Q

What is unique about the distance between vineyards and wineries in Australia and how does it affect vinification there?

A
  • Often widely separated
  • Grapes are TRUCKED hundreds of miles and BLENDED from multiple growing sites to produce attain consistent flavors year to year
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26
Q

Does the distance between vineyard and winery impact high-end vineyards, low-end vineyards, or both? Give an example.

A
  • Both!

- Even Penfolds iconic “Grange” is made from blending grapes from multiple regions to achieve consistency

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27
Q

Are Australian vineyards typically hand harvested or machine harvested? Why?

A
  • Machine
  • Labor shortage
  • Vineyards are widely dispersed
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28
Q

When is picking often performed in Australia and why?

A
  • Night

- Preserve freshness and acidity

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29
Q

What is the Australian appellation system based on?

A

The Label Integrity Program

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30
Q

What is required by the Label Integrity Program?

A
  • 85% minimum across the board
  • 85% stated grape variety on label
  • 85% stated vintage on label
  • 85% stated region on label
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31
Q

What is the Australian equivalent of an AVA?

A

GI (Geographical Indications)

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32
Q

What does GI stand for in Australia?

A

Geographical Indications

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33
Q

List Australia’s GI categories from largest to smallest.

A
  1. Country (100% of grapes must originate in Australia)
  2. South-Eastern Australia
  3. State of Origin
  4. Zones
  5. Regions
  6. Sub-Regions
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34
Q

How many states are covered by the South-Eastern Australia GI?

A

5

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35
Q

Why is Australia’s South-Eastern GI so important?

A
  1. Blending for mass-market wines

2. Meeting EU appellation requirements

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36
Q

What states are covered by Australia’s South-Eastern GI? (5)

A
  1. Queensland
  2. South Australia
  3. New South Wales
  4. Victoria
  5. Tasmania
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37
Q

Where is New South Wales roughly located?

A

Eastern Australia near Sydney

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38
Q

Climate in New South Wales?

A
  • Cooler, wetter neat coast

- Dry, arid inland

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39
Q

Important topographic element in New South Wales?

A
  • Great Dividing Range

- Runs north to south separating wet coastal regions from dry interior

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40
Q

What wine is considered one of the great, unique wines of Australia?

A

Hunter Valley Semillon

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41
Q

What are the important GI’s of New South Wales? (2)

A
  1. Hunter Valley GI

2. Riverina GI

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42
Q

Where is Hunter Valley located?

A

North of Sydney

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43
Q

Climate in Hunter Valley?

A
  • Hot, humid
  • Among warmest climates in Australia
  • Moderated by WIND and COOLING EFFECT of the SEA
44
Q

What moderates the climate in Hunter Valley?

A
  • Moderated by WIND and COOLING EFFECT of the SEA
45
Q

Describe topography of Hunter Valley?

A

Gentle, flat river valley.

46
Q

Grape varieties in Hunter Valley?

A
  • White (60% of production)

- Semillon

47
Q

Riverina GI location?

A
  • Far inland
  • Western side of Great Dividing Range
  • Largest wine region in Australia
48
Q

Soil in Riverina GI?

A
  • Fertile river lands
49
Q

Climate in Riverina GI?

A
  • Hot

- Very humid in some areas

50
Q

Grape varieties in Riverina GI?

A
White
- Semillon
- Chardonnay
Red
- Shiraz
- Merlot
51
Q

What is important about the viticulture in Riverina GI?

A
  • Represents 50% of Australian wine productions

- Irrigation from nearby rivers is required to succeed

52
Q

What characterizes the vinification in Riverina GI?

A
  • Known for bulk table wine
  • Also produces fortified wines
  • Also produced botrytis-affected dessert wines
53
Q

Where is Victoria roughly located?

A
  • Southeastern Australia

- Melbourne most importan metropolis

54
Q

Climate in Victoria?

A
  • Broad range
  • Cool, coastal maritime to…
  • Continental which can be very hot when remote from the Southern Ocean
55
Q

What are the important GI’s of Victoria? (3)

A
  • Murray Darling GI
  • Rutherglen GI
  • Yarra Valley GI
56
Q

What types of wines are produced in Victoria?

A
  • Sparkling
  • Still
  • Fortified
  • Dessert
57
Q

Climate in Yarra Valley GI?

A
  • Cool, humid, maritime

- Moderated by Southern Ocean

58
Q

What moderates the climate in Yarra Valley GI?

A
  • Southern Ocean
59
Q

Grape varieties in Yarra Valley GI?

A
White
- Chardonnay
Red
- Pinot Noir
- Shiraz
60
Q

Wine styles in Yarra Valley GI?

A
  • Still

- Sparkling

61
Q

Climate in Rutherglen GI?

A
  • Continental w/ very hot summers
62
Q

Grape varieties in Rutherglen?

A
White
- Muscadelle
Red
- Shiraz
- Brown Muscat (Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains)
63
Q

Rutherglen ___________ is considered one of the world’s great sweet wines.

A

Muscat

64
Q

Wine styles in Rutherglen GI?

A
  • Still

- Fortified dessert wines (often locally referred to as “Stickies”)

65
Q

How do locals refer to fortified dessert wines in Rutherglen GI?

A

“Stickies”

66
Q

Where is Murray Darling GI roughly located?

A
  • Northwestern Victoria

- This GI is partly in New South Wales

67
Q

Climate in Murray Darling GI?

A
  • Very hot
68
Q

What characterizes the viticulture in Murray Darling GI?

A
  • Riverland planting

- Irrigation is essential

69
Q

What characterizes the vinification in Murray Darling GI?

A
  • Important region for bulk wine production
70
Q

Where is South Australia roughly located and what is its most important metropolis?

A
  • East of New South Wales and Victoria

- Adelaide

71
Q

What are important GI’s in South Australia? (5)

A
  1. Barossa Valley GI
  2. Eden Valley GI
  3. Coonawarra GI
  4. McLaren Vale GI
  5. Clare Valley GI
72
Q

What characterizes the climate in South Australia?

A
  • Broad range of climates
  • Warm, dry Mediterranean moderated by cool breezes fro the Southern Ocean
  • Cooler climates at higher elevations
73
Q

What is the main climate moderator in South Australia?

A

Southern Ocean

74
Q

What is important about the Barossa Valley GI?

A

Largest, most important premium wine area in South Australia

75
Q

What city is near Barossa Valley GI?

A

Adelaide

76
Q

Climate in Barossa Valley GI?

A

Mediterranean

77
Q

Grape Varieties in Barossa Valley GI?

A

RED

  • Shiraz
  • Grenache
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
78
Q

What characterizes the viticulture in Barossa Valley GI?

A

Extremely old vines due to the prevention of phylloxera from reaching this area

79
Q

Where is Eden Valley GI located?

A

Adjacent to Barossa Valley GI on the east side

80
Q

Climate in Eden Valley GI?

A

Cooler, higher elevation

81
Q

Grape varieties in Eden Valley?

A
WHITE
- Riesling
- Chardonnay
RED
- Shiraz
82
Q

What characterizes the viticulture in Eden Valley GI?

A

High altitude helps retain acidity in the grapes

83
Q

What characterizes the vinification in Eden Valley GI?

A

Riesling vinified dry

84
Q

Where is McLaren Vale GI located?

A

South of Adelaide

85
Q

Climate in McLaren Vale GI?

A

Warm, yet moderated by cool ocean air

86
Q

Grape varieties in McLaren Vale GI?

A

RED

  • Shiraz
  • Grenache
87
Q

What characterizes the viticulture in McLaren Val GI?

A

Vineyards slope down toward the sea to maximize exposure to cool breezes

88
Q

Where is Clare Valley GI located?

A

60 miles north of Adelaide

89
Q

Climate in Clare Valley GI?

A
  • Warm continental

- Hot days, cool nights

90
Q

What characterizes the topography/aspect in Clare Valley GI?

A

1,300-1,800 feet elevation

91
Q

Grape varieties in Clare Valley GI?

A
WHITE
- Riesling
RED
- Shiraz
- Cabernet Sauvignon
92
Q

Clare Valley is mostly planted to red grapes yet it also produces an iconic new world interpretation of a particular grape. What is it?

A

Clare Riesling

93
Q

What characterizes the viticulture in Clare Valley GI?

A
  • High altitude
  • Cool nights
  • Helps retain acidity in the grapes
94
Q

What characterizes the vinification in Clare Valley GI?

A

Dry riesling production

95
Q

Where is Coonawarra GI roughly located?

A

Small strip of land near the sea

96
Q

Climate in Coonawarra GI?

A

Cool, Mediterranean climate

97
Q

Soil in Coonawarra GI?

A

Terra Rossa - a vivid red soil over limestone base

98
Q

What characterizes the best vineyards in Coonawarra GI?

A

They are located atop a single, narrow 9-mile strip of Terra Rossa soil

99
Q

Grape varieties in Coonawarra GI?

A

RED

- Cabernet Sauvignon

100
Q

Where is the Western Australia wine region located?

A

Southwest tip of Australia

101
Q

What are the important GI’s in Western Australia?

A

Margaret River GI

102
Q

What is the most important metropolis near in Western Australi?

A

Perth

103
Q

What is the most important metropolis near Margaret River GI?

A

Perth

104
Q

Climate in Margaret River GI?

A
  • Warm maritime

- Moderating influence of Indian Ocean

105
Q

Climate moderator in Margaret River GI?

A

Indian Ocean

106
Q

Grap varieties in Margaret River GI?

A
WHITE
- Chardonnay
- Semillon
- Sauvignon Blanc
RED
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz
- Merlot