Viticulture / Winemaking / Laws

Question 1

Viticulture

How many hectares?

1. Canopy Management? Harvest?
2. Hi or Low Vine Density
3. Phylloxera?
4. Key Hazards?

Answer 1

170,000ha

1. Most vineyards wire trained for ease of pruning & machine harvesting (cheap viticulture cost). At the forefront of trellising and canopy management. Top grafting to allow quick change.
2. Low vine densities
3. No phylloxera ever in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, most of New South Wales and Riverland• Harvest between February & April, May in cooler regions
4. Key hazards: climate change (searing sunshine, severe frosts), fires

Question 2

Reds

1. Ferment Temp?
2. Pumping over? Roto
3. Long Maceration? MLF?
4. Oak?
5. Filtration?

Answer 2

Very modern winemaking equipment & techniques

2. Reds
3. Normally fermented at 22-28C in stainless steel (Pinot Noir in open top fermenters)
4. Pumping over and rotofermenting to achieve tannins & colour required
5. Limited post-fermentation maceration (≠Europe/US); MLF straight after fermentation for more stable wine
6. French oak for premium wines (i.e. Pinot Noir & Cabernet Sauvignon), American oak for Shiraz. Oak chips for cheaper wines
7. Gentle filtration via centrifuges followed by diatomaceous earth filtration to avoid stripping too much flavour

• Australian Wine Research institute:

1. Wine research organisation owned and led by the Australian wine industry; south-east of Adelaide
2. Created in 1955 it researches wine composition, quality and sensory characteristics, industry devt & support and coordinating oenological activites and information
3. Examples: management of wine and oxygen at different stages or identification & control of mouthfeel components in wine

Question 3

Reds

1. Ferment Temp?
2. Pumping over? Roto
3. Long Maceration? MLF?
4. Oak?
5. Filtration?

Answer 3

Very modern winemaking equipment & techniques

2. Reds
3. Normally fermented at 22-28C in stainless steel (Pinot Noir in open top fermenters)
4. Pumping over and rotofermenting to achieve tannins & colour required
5. Limited post-fermentation maceration (≠Europe/US); MLF straight after fermentation for more stable wine
6. French oak for premium wines (i.e. Pinot Noir & Cabernet Sauvignon), American oak for Shiraz. Oak chips for cheaper wines
7. Gentle filtration via centrifuges followed by diatomaceous earth filtration to avoid stripping too much flavour

• Australian Wine Research institute:

1. Wine research organisation owned and led by the Australian wine industry; south-east of Adelaide
2. Created in 1955 it researches wine composition, quality and sensory characteristics, industry devt & support and coordinating oenological activites and information
3. Examples: management of wine and oxygen at different stages or identification & control of mouthfeel components in wine

Question 4

Whites

1. Where based?
2. Created in what year?
3. What does it research?
4. Examples?

Answer 4

• Australian Wine Research institute:

1. Wine research organisation owned and led by the Australian wine industry; south-east of Adelaide
2. Created in 1955 it researches wine composition, quality and sensory characteristics, industry devt & support and coordinating oenological activites and information
3. Examples: management of wine and oxygen at different stages or identification & control of mouthfeel components in wine

Question 5

1. Legal Framework since when?
2. How many levels?

a)

b)

c)

3. Explain 85% Rule: Vintage / Region / Varietal

Answer 5

Legal framework for regions and labelling since 1994 with 3 levels:

1. Zone: area without any specific qualification e.g. Southeastern Australia super zone 95% of vineyards
2. Region: single land parcel w min 5 vineyards of min 5ha owned by 5 different landowners w min 500t of grapes/yr
3. Sub-region: region w homogeneity in grape growing attributes

≠ appellation system as does not specify grapes, methods or wine styles

• 85% labelling rule: 85% of vintage, 85% of region and 85% of varietal stated