Australia & New Zealand Wines

Question 1

NZ Savignon Blanc (most planted)

Answer 1

Pungent aromas

Intense flavours of Elderflower and Passion fruit

High acidity

North: more Tropical flavours

South: more Acidity and Green pepper and Gooseberry

Inert/cooled for Fruit aromas

Some oak

Question 2

NZ Chardonnay

Answer 2

Variety of styles created

Different techniques

Generally: Concentrated Citrus and Tropical Fruits

Subtle Toast & Sweet Spice - French Oak

Question 3

NZ Aromatic Grapes

Answer 3

Riesling and Gewurztraminer

Also for semi-aromatic Pinot Gris

Dry night-times and cool night temperatures ensure aromatic compounds have plenty of time to develop before the grapes are harvested

From dry to sweet
Off-dry is the most prevalent style

Question 4

NZ Pinot Noir

Answer 4

2nd most planted, through out south, some in North

Fine Ripe Tannins, Soft texture
Quite High Alcohol
Vibrant fruit

Question 5

NZ Merlot

Answer 5

2nd largest volume

Blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to add Tannin and notes of Cassis

North Island - Bordeaux Style Blends know for Purity of Fruit

Question 6

NZ Syrah

Answer 6

Elegant and closer in style to those made in the Rhône than those from hotter countries, such as Australia

Question 7

Gisborne Chardonnay

Answer 7

Displays Distinct, Ripe Tropical fruit

Gisborne also makes High Quality Gewurztraminer

Full Body Pinot Gris

Question 8

Martinborough Pinot Noir

Answer 8

Medium to full bodied

Ripe with hints of Black Plum and Spice

Question 9

Awatere Valley v Wairau Valley SavBlanc

Answer 9

1. Higher Acidity

2. Pronounced Herbaceous Character

3. Lack Tropical Fruity found in Wairau

Question 10

Marlborough Pinot Noir

Answer 10

Medium-bodied

Fine tannins

Red Cherry & Cranberry

Increasing quality

Question 11

Central Otago Pinot Noir

Answer 11

Full-bodied, High Alcohol (from high sun intensity)

Juicy and Vibrant with concentrated Ripe Red fruit flavours

Question 12

Australian Shiraz Hot/Warm

Answer 12

Full-bodied and Intensely fruity

Often display Earthy or Spicy notes and develop Leather aromas with age

Producers are making a more restrained style by controlling the level of extraction in the winemaking process

Question 13

Australian Shiraz Style

Answer 13

Full-bodied

Lean & Peppery

Can be mulit-regional blends

Question 14

What is the role of Shiraz in Australian multi-varietal blends?

Answer 14

It performs a similar role to Merlot in Bordeaux, adding softness to Cabernet blends

Question 15

Australian Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 15

Generally dark with firmer Tannins and Higher Acidity than Shiraz

Ripe Blackcurrant, Black Cherry

Toasty oak notes

Coonawarra

Margaret River

Question 16

Australian Merlot

Answer 16

Typically found in blended wines

Often alongside Cabernet, to provide body and fleshy, plummy fruit

Question 17

Australian Pinot Noir

Answer 17

Medium body

Medium alcohol

Medium to high acidity

Red Cherry & Strawberry

Yarra Valley / Mornington Pennisula / Tasmania

Question 18

Australian Chardonnay

Answer 18

Often a blend of fruit from different regions

Unoaked for Peach flavours

Oak chips/staves for Toast/Vanilla flavours

Question 19

Warm Australian Chardonnay

Answer 19

Beautifully balanced with Fresh, Vibrant fruit

Use of lees, MLF and/or oak maturation

Margaret River

Question 20

Adelaide Hills SavBlanc

Answer 20

Moderate Temp

Concentrated Passion Fruit flavours as well as refreshing High Acidity

Benchmark for Australia

Question 21

Hunter Valley Semillon

Answer 21

Early Harvest, Low Sugar Light Bodied, Low Alcohol, High Acidity,

Neutral Flavors evolve to complex Toast, Nut, Honey when bottle aged 20 years+

• 1. Cloud cover cools in hot summer, Harvested before autumn storms, Canopy management to minimize rot*
• 2. It is harvested early with low sugar levels and high acidity*
• 3. Oxygen contact is kept to a minimumInert vessels used for fermentation and storage*

Question 22

Styles of Semillon in Australia

Answer 22

Western Australia: Herbaceous style, very similar to Sauvignon Blanc

Barossa Valley: Fuller bodied and softer. some fresh, unoaked

Hunter Valley: Low ABV, Neutral flavor, Develops to extrodinary Honey & Toast and ages

Other: Some early-picked and unoaked styles being made

Question 23

Australia Riesling

Answer 23

Dry/slightly off-dry (some sweet styles are made)

High acidity

Unoaked

Pronounced Citrus fruit aromas, Lime, Lemon & Grapefrui

Aged: Toast, Honey and Petrol

West Australia are more Floral than Citrus

Question 24

Riverland

Murray-Darling

Riverina

Answer 24

Can produce high yields of healthy grapes

Lack the flavour concentration of those from other, high-quality areas

Can be remedied by blending from better components from places like Barossa, Adeilaide Hills, McLaren Vael

Question 25

Barossa Valley Shiraz

Answer 25

Full-bodied Soft tannins **Ripe black fruit** Sweet **American oak** Develops **leather** and **spice** with age

Question 26

Eden Valley Riesling

Answer 26

**Intense** L**ime** and **Grapefruit** aromas **Steely** character **M****armalade**and**Toasty** characters after ten years

Question 27

Clare Valley Rieslings

Answer 27

Dry in style, High acidity Intense **Citrus** and **Lime** aromas Develop to **Honey** and **Toast** characters

Question 28

Clare Valley Shiraz

Answer 28

**Fragrant** Powerful & Structured

Question 29

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

Answer 29

**Elegant** High natural acidity **Pronounced Citrus and Peach aromas**

Question 30

McLaren Vale Wines

Answer 30

Intensely flavoured **Dark** fruit aromas Soft, ripe tannins

Question 31

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 31

Concentrated, structured wines Characteristic **Blackcurrant** and **Eucalyptus** or **Menthol** aromas Best examples age very well

Question 32

Higher Altitude VIctoria Wines Lower Slope on Great Divide

Answer 32

Elegant Pinot Noir & Chardonnay Aromatic Riesling & Sauvignon Blanc **Lower**: They grow later-ripening black varieties such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon Fresher and lighter than those from Australia's hotter regions

Question 33

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

Answer 33

Ripe, soft tannins **Rich** fruit with **Strawberries, Red** p**lums** and **Dark cherries** Complexity added by **careful oak handling** Age-worthy when made by top producers

Question 34

Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir

Answer 34

It ranges from light and delicate to more structured All tends to display **very pure fruit characteristics**

Question 35

Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay

Answer 35

High acidity (reflecting the cool climate) Usually softened by MLF **Citrus, Pear and Apple aromas**

Question 36

Geelong Chardonnay

Answer 36

Complex, concentrated & Full Bodied

Question 37

Geelong Pinot Noir

Answer 37

Can take **Earthy** aromas

Question 38

Geelong Shiraz

Answer 38

**Fresh & Peppery**

Question 39

Heathcote Shiraz

Answer 39

**Firmer fruit structure and fresher fruit** than those of other regions

Question 40

Goulburn Valley

Answer 40

**Citrus** fruit in youth Developing **Honey** aromas with bottle age

Question 41

Hunter Valley Shiraz

Answer 41

Medium body Soft tannins Black fruit flavours (**Blackberry** and **Black Cherry**) **Earth** undertone

Question 42

Margaret River Bordeaux Blend

Answer 42

Styles 1. Elegant and restrained 2. Fruity and powerful

Question 43

Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 43

It's often blended with **Semillon** **High Acidity** Attractive **Goosebury** and **Tropical Fruit** aromas

Question 44

Margaret River Chardonnay

Answer 44

**Concentrated Stone Fruit** **High Natural Acidity** A range of styles using MLF and barrel ageing