Australia Flashcards
History
Vines arrived in 1788. Early 1830’s European cuttings brought by immigrants including Scotsman James Busby.
Many areas including South Australia are phylloxera free for some of the world’s oldest vines and several still on own rootstocks (Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Grenache).
1850’s and phylloxera in Europe were a golden age of export. 1950’s co’s that dominate today were born: Orlando (now Jacob’s Creek), Lindeman’s, Hardy’s, Penfolds. They began modernizing the industry; using stainless steel and temp control. 1970’s saw dawn of boutique winery and planting in cooler regions.
1980’s shift to export. Wine Australia developed modern marketing and advertising; labeling by grape variety and making it more accessible. Ripe fruit, vanilla, coconut. By 2000’s, became world’s fifth largest exporter.
Same time plantings rose from 59,000ha in 1990 to peak of 170,000 in 2007. But now back to 145,000. Due to huge over supply, other countries copied this model for competition. Made worse by strengthening AUS dollar which made them more expensive than say Argentina and Chile. Large producers forced grape prices down, while a series of droughts pushed up water prices, essential in many regions. Many growers were forced out of business. Some remaining shifted to quality.
Climate & Geography
Most vineyards between 30 and 37S (No Afirca and So Europe) with intense sunlight from such low latitude. Tasmania 41 and 42S (Central Italy).
Wide range of climates. Hot continental inland (Murray Darling Basin). Most others rely on cooling influences such as the coasts.
Relatively flat and little to stop the cooling influence of oceans. The Great Dividing Range runs from Queensland to western Victoria. Producers are seeking out these cooler sites such as Orange, Macedon and Grampians for lighter styles.
In cooler areas spring frosts can be an issue so sites that drain cool air are critical. Winds blowing from the ocean can also help but may disrupt flowering and fruit set.
Great Dividing Range also makes a barrier that protects much of south-eastern AUS from tropical weather from the Pacific to the northeast. The areas in the rainshadow get very low rainfall. Riverland gets 135mm in growing season, Hunter Valley to the east gets 500mm.
Low rainfall means drought is a constant concern. In the worst years, even the basins of the Murray River can be low.
Vineyard Management
Lack of water is a main threat. Majority rely on irrigation to ensure even ripening and protect quality (even in wetter areas due to free draining soils). Historically came from Murray-Darling basin, but those run low in recent droughts.
Some have underground sources (McLaren Vale, Coonawarra) others store rain from winter (Adelaide Hills, Margaret River). McLaren Vale pioneering use of waste water from Adelaide. Drip is used as most efficient.
With water and heat, vigor can be a problem. Old vines are naturally low, divided canopies for new (Scott Henry and Smart Dyson).
Heavily mechanized with wide spacing and on flat or gently sloping land. Some still hand harvest ti limit splitting, greater selection, maintain whole bunches.
Soil salinity an issue as there’s not enough rain to carry away salt deposits from irrigation or saline water from aquifiers comes to surface. This make it hard for vine to get water and can lead to death. Chard particularly sensitive. Suitable rootstocks or larger vol’s of water (to wash away) can help.
Bush fires can be a threat either literally or smoke taint.
Much is phylloxera free incl South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania). New are planted on rootstocks to combat salinity or prevent phylloxera (as it is in Victoria and New South Wales).
Most are low humidity (except Adelaide Hills, southern Victora, Hunter Valley, parts of Tasmania) for low risk of disease and rot. Sustainability easier here. Entwine is national sustainability program; 650 members with 30% of vineyards.
Birds and Kangaroos. Netting is expensive.
Grape Varieties
Shiraz: 40,000 ha Cab Sauv: 25,000 Chard: 21,000 Merlot: 8,000 Sauv Blanc: 6,000 Pinot Noir: 5,000 Semillon: 4,000 Pinot Gris: 4,000 Riesling: 3,000
Shiraz
Flagship variety, 30% of all plantings, very successful on export.
Adaptable, planted in most areas with a range of styles. Hotter: Barossa, McLaren Vale; full body, high alcohol, high soft tannin, pronounced dark fruit and spice; leather with age. Cooler: Yarra, Grampians; less full body, med alcohol, red fruit, black cherry, black pepper. Lots of multi regional blends.
Trend is towards less ripe styles. Reducing extraction and oak and using whole bunch. Very goo to outstanding made in open fermentation tanks with punch down for soft extraction of tannin.
Widely used in blends including GSM or Shiraz Viognier (co-fermented in higher quality). Or with Cab Sauv to soften.
Cab Sauv
Grew rapidly in the 80’s. Can produce outstanding varietal wines and blends with other Bordeaux varieties and Shiraz.
Singles range in style but all have higher acid and tannin vs Shiraz. Blackcurrant and cherry. Oak for many.
Leading regions are Coonawarra (with mint or eucalyptus) and Margaret River (often blended with Merlot and riper with more subtle herbal).
Other Red Varieties
Merlot: usually in blends with Cab Sauv. Some varietals in a range of styles.
Pinot Noir: in cooler areas like Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania. Whole bunch for aroma, cold maceration for color and flavor, stem inclusion for structure. Maturation in French oak.
Grenache: 1,500ha. Used in Rhone blends. Old bush vines in McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Barossa Valley for single variety wines. Traditionally high alcohol and jammy, now more restrained. Sometimes whole bunch or stems to enhance aroma and tannin. Old oak or large to not overwhelm.
Chardonnay
Most planted white and found in nearly every region. General style has evolved from ripe with overt oak to earlier picking for a leaner style.
Inexpensive are tank fermented sometimes with oak from chips or staves. Higher quality may use oak (more restrained), lees, ambient yeasts, solids during fermentation, barrel fermentation (french). MLF full or partial depending on desired style. For warmer areas can be blocked to retain acidity, vice versa cooler.
Sauvignon Blanc
Increasing in cooler areas like Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania. Also hotter areas for inexpensive high vol.
Less herbaceous than Marlborough. Adelaide some of the best. Usually stainless, but some barrel.
Blended with Semillon in Margaret River.
Semillon
As a varietal produces very distinct wines.
Notably, low alcohol, high acid, unoaked made in Hunter Valley. Neutral in youth, developing great complexity with age.
Barossa makes full bodied with higher alcohol and oak maturation. Not as age worthy as Hunter.
Also made into Bordeaux blends.
Frequently impacted by botrytis on some sites in Riverina for complex sweet wines.
Other Whites
Pinot Gris / Grigio: Made in both light Italian and fuller Alsatian styles. Some of the best labeled as Gris come from Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania.
Riesling: Mostly bone dry with high acidity. Good coming from Clare and Eden Valley, Great Southern, Canberra, Tasmania.
Laws and Regulations
Geographical Indicators (GI’s) developed in the 1990’s.
Zones: Largest areas. No rules on the boundaries or for shared geographic or climatic characters. Can cover an entire state (like South Australia, Victoria, NSW). or several such as South Eastern Australia (covering several states). Most states have been divided into further zones (i.e. Barossa, Mount Lofty Ranges, Fleurieu). These three make up the Adelaide “super zone”
Regions: Smaller than zones. In 2017, 65 were registered. Coonawarra, Clare Valley, Margaret River. Vary in size but must have consistent and distinct qualities. Must produce 500 tons of grapes / yr across at least five differently owned vineyards of at least 5ha. 14 sub-regions have been made with particular climate, soil, topography (mainly in Great Southern and Hunter Valley).
Labeling governed by the Label Integrity Program (LIP), introduced in 1990. If a GI, vintage, or variety is mentioned, must be 85%. If multiple varieties, must be listed in order. Detailed records must be kept which are audited by the Australia Grape and Wine Authority. Other than this no other rules about grape growing or winemaking.
South Eastern Australia Zone Basic
Vast zone covering the whole of Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania along with the south east corner of South Australia and Queensland. Created for high volume wines blending grapes from across the zone.
Most grapes come from the Murray-Darling Basin, an area of 1M km^2 formed by the Murray and Darling rivers and tributaries. Three regions within this basin are Riverland (along Murray River in South Aus), Murray-Darling (along both rivers in Victoria and NSW) and Riverina (along Murrumbidgee River in NSW). Riverland is in the Lower Murray Zone and Murray Darling and Riverina are in Big Rivers Zone. Three largest wine producing areas by vine and vol.
Murray Darling Basin Viticulture
Hot and continental with a slight cooling from the rivers. Despite being 200km inland has a slight maritime influence as no mountains in b/n.
Ideal for consistently high yields of healthy grapes. A number of biggest producers have bases here including Casella Family Brands (Yellowtail) and De Bortoli in Riverina, Australia Vintage in Riverland and Lindeman’s (part of Treasury) in Murray Darling
In the rain shadow of the great dividing range so low rainfall (135 during growing season in Riverland). This with sandy soils means irrigation is essential. Water from the rivers, but recent droughts has made for very low water levels. Sig increases in water prices and lower grape prices have pushed some out.
Murray Darling Basin Grapes & Winemaking
Shiraz and Chard are main with Semillon in Riverina.
Med body, high alcohol, relatively low acid, ripe fruit flavors.
Some higher quality are emerging. Better balanced, more complex Shiraz and Chard from lower yields. And varieties better suited to heat; Petit Verdot, Viognier, Italian varieties (Vermentino, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano).
The area around Griffith in Riverina has a reputation for excellent lusciously sweet wine from Semillon. Here summer is hot and dry, but autumn brings rainfall and humidity, morning mists, and afternoons that are still sunny; ideal for noble rot.
South Australia
Largest wine producing state by volume; nearly 50% of national annual crush.
Much is too hot so most vineyards in the south east corner near the coast. There is significant diversity of climate, topography, and soil between the different regions.
Covers the whole area in the state and also forms part of the South Eastern Zone. Eight smaller zones: Barossa, Mount Lofty Ranges, Fleurieu, Limestone Coast. The Lower Murray Zone contains the Riverland Region.
Barossa Zone
One of Austalia’s best known regions.
Split into two regions: Barossa Valley mainly covering the flat valley floor and Eden Valley covering the hills to the east.
Black varieites are 80% with Shiraz the most. Many blend Shiraz from both regions to combine the intensity and body from the warmer Barossa Valley with elegance and higher acidity of cooler Eden Valley.
Barossa Valley
Plain protected on the west by low hills, east by the Eden Valley, and south by steeper parts of Mount Lofty Ranges known as Adelaide Hills. Over 9,000 ha.
Warm climate with hot sunny summers but cooler nights. Rainfall low during growing season (160mm), irrigation necessary in most years but disease pressure low.
Most on plain b/n 250 and 370m. Ideal for ripe full bodied red wine. vineyards on valley sides are little cooler for slightly fresher style. Some blend b/n two.
Complex variety of soils, increasingly being exploited for wines with diff characters. Northern part; ironstone layer prized for water retention and making some of the most age worthy.
Vines first planted in 1840’s and now home to some of the world’s oldest vines; Shiraz, Grenache. Low yielding, dry farmed bush vines making outstanding complex wines. In 2009, Barossa Old Vine Charter estd to record, preserve, promote. Large number were lost during the vine pull scheme in the 80’s.
Shiraz over 60% of crush, full body, high alcohol, high soft tannin, pronounced ripe(sometimes cooked or dried), black fruit aroma. Many aged in new American oak, with some using French. Some picking earlier for a fresher more elegant style. Both are age worthy.
Cab Sauv second and does better on slightly cooler higher sites. But still richer and riper than Coonawarra or Margaret River. Also some old vine Grenache.
Whites only 10%. Warm climate Chard. Distinct Semillon with higher alcohol and lower acid than Hunter Valley. Prem are fermented and aged in oak, but increase in lighter unoaked styles.
John Duval and Glaetzer Wines.
