Australia Wine – A Beginner's Guide

AUSTRALIA WINE A Beginner’s Guide

Part of The Pocket Sommelier Series

This is a preview of Australia Wine – A Beginner’s Guide. This guide contains over 40 pages on Australia’s wine history, grapes, regions and wine law. To download a copy of the complete version, visit http://pocketsommelier.blogspot.com. If you have any questions, please contact Pocket at [email protected].

AUSTRALIA WINE – A BEGINNER’S GUIDE Part of The Pocket Sommelier Series

The Pocket Sommelier, 2009 No part of this book may be transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 978-0-9811374-1-4 Published by The Pocket Sommelier Ottawa ON pocketsommelier.blogspot.com

CONTENTS

1 - INTRODUCTION……………………………..……

1

2 - HISTORY……………………………….…….…….

4

3 - GRAPES & WINE STYLES.....…….………..……..

7

4 - MAJOR GROWING REGIONS…………..………..

14

5 - LABELING REGULATION…………...…...……… 42

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide 1 - INTRODUCTION The Australian Experience Australia has a unique wine industry. Much like other “New World” wine regions around the globe, it has little to no culture of regulating grape growing and winemaking. Loose regulation, coupled with geographic isolation, has allowed Aussie winemakers to develop their own state of the art techniques and to craft fresh, every day, “easy drinking” styles focused on simple fruit flavour for the mass market. Consumers can count on Australian wine to be of consistent quality. A strict dedication to sanitization and modern methods prevents the infection of unwanted environmental influences during winemaking. In addition, a constant climate and the practice of blending grapes in central locations, often sourced from different locations of vast distances apart, reduces any variation from vintage to vintage. Leaders in promoting “varietal” specific wines to the mass market, initially with easy drinking styles of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and eventually Shiraz, Australia still boasts a diversity of wine styles, from dry table wine, to sparkling, to fortified dessert wines. As the world’s sixth largest producer and fourth largest exporter, Australia is still a relative new comer to the international stage. The international market for Australian wines did not exploded until the late 1980s and most wineries in Australia are less than 30 years old.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide 2 - HISTORY From meager beginnings Viticulture of any sort first appeared on the Australian continent near the end of the 18th century. Captain Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, was instrumental in the development of the first vineyards on the outskirts of Sydney, bringing with him Australia’s first grape vines from the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Early viticulture in Australia had its challenges. A land with no native species of grapes, it was inhabited by British colonialists with no knowledge of the vine and with a preference for ale and spirits. The skill and market for early Australian wine just did not exist at the time. The Australian wine scene finally started to develop in 1820, when James Busby, after touring vineyards in Spain and France, brought with him 362 different varietals and a wealth of grape growing knowledge. His many travels to and from Europe demonstrated that Australian wine could travel and potentially supply foreign markets. By the mid-19th century, Australian vineyards had developed to a commercial level, albeit a small one, in Sydney and further north in the Hunter Valley. At the same time, activity in Victoria and Western Australia took root. However, it was in South Australia where the foundations of a serious commercial wine industry began, in large part thanks to strict quarantine restrictions on the movement of plant material that protected the state’s vineyards from the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870s.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide 3 – GRAPES & WINE STYLES Australia has no native species of grapevines - its diverse selection of vine stock was sourced from outside the country. The popular “international varietals” dominate Australia, with no plantings of hybrids or crossings. WHITE WINES

Chardonnay Australia’s most-produced white grape variety is synonymous with luscious, full-bodied Chardonnay packed with oak-injected vanilla and butterscotch flavours. Australian exports of this style of Chardonnay have been invading the wine retail world since the 1980s. The typical Australian style is big and ripe. The grapes develop high sugar levels in the hot and dry climate – an alcohol level reaching 14% is not uncommon. Acidity in the grapes lost during ripening is commonly restored through the addition of tartaric acid during fermentation. Pairing this style of wine with food can be a challenge, due to its tendency to overpower anything in its wake. A good rule of thumb is to steer clear of lighter dishes. Seafood in cream sauce, or even grilled steak, would be appropriate. For fans of this style, Chardonnay from the Barossa Valley in South Australia, will certainly satisfy. Most of the Chardonnay in the state is vinified as giant blends of grapes sourced from various growing regions. The goal is to produce, year after year, wines of consistency, as opposed to

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide wine that exhibits particular characteristics of vintage or place. Contrary to this style, Chardonnay from cooler regions, such as Margaret River in Western Australia and the Yarra Valley in Victoria, are done in a much finer, subtle, food-friendly Chablis-style.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide RED WINES

Cabernet Sauvignon Australia’s Cabernet Sauvignon wines typify the so-called “New World” style of winemaking –wines with “high drink ability”. Generally fruity, juicy, with lots of oak but low on tannin, these wines are full of intense cassis/blackcurrant flavours, with a soft, creamy texture. The state of South Australia is the largest producer, with the Barossa Valley as its flagship region. Also in South Australia, the Coonawarra region has established itself as a unique place for Cabernet. Its terra rosa coloured soils are credited with providing its Cabernet with distinctive chocolate and mocha characteristics. If the “fruit bomb” version of Cabernet Sauvignon is not your style, the Yarra Valley in Victoria is producing a less intense version, complete with hints of mint, more similar to the Cabernet of Bordeaux.

Shiraz Shiraz, as it is called in Australia, is genetically the same grape as the Rhône Valley’s Syrah. The differences between the two arise from the unique growing conditions, cultural practices and vinification techniques found in Australia.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide Australia has the oldest “Syrah” grapes in the world. Planted in the late-nineteenth century in excess in South Australia, these vines were fortunate to escape the ravages of the phylloxera epidemic. Until 20 years ago, these vines were actually considered a pest, but efforts in producing world class wines from them has paid off. European-style Syrah tends to be more “spicy”, with black pepper and sharp tannins, whereas the Australian-style is more “fruit forward” and jammy, with lots of plum and blackberry, not to mention toffee and chocolate aromas. It is sweet and rich, with a creamy mouth feel. The Barossa Valley in South Australia is the source of Penfolds Grange, the benchmark wine for Australian Shiraz.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide 4 - MAJOR GROWING REGIONS Australia has 27 wine zones, broken down into 60 wine regions and further into many more wine sub-regions and districts. We will focus on the major wine producing areas, the most important being the five “must know” regions of the Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley and the emerging regions of Margaret River, Yarra Valley and Coonawarra. NEW SOUTH WALES New South Wales has a diverse range of climates from coastal to desert to alpine. Wine regions have been established west along the Great Dividing Range, inland along the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers, and north into the subtropics. An important state in terms of diversity of wines produced, New South Wales still consumes more wine than it produces. Hunter Valley Located just 130 km north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is New South Wales’ premium wine region, yet is responsible for less than 3% of the Australia’s production. Its close proximity to this major urban area has provided the conditions for the development of a thriving wine tourism industry. When speaking of the Hunter Valley, it is usually referred to in terms of its two main components: the Lower Hunter and the Upper Hunter.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide The Lower Hunter has a subtropical climate, with very hot and humid summers complete with heavy rainfall. It is not an ideal climate for grape growing, however, the afternoon cloud cover provides some relief from the heat. The valley vineyard soil is composed of red volcanic loam with alluvial sands and silts. Also found in the area is basalt, which provide the wines with a mineral flavour. This is a white wine growing region. The benchmark wine here is made of Semillon. The grapes are usually picked early, before fully ripening. This produces a grassy, citrus wine in youth, which eventually ages into a green-gold colour, with toasty and mineral aromas and a complex flavour profile of honey, butter and nut. This wine is dry and long-lived, with alcohol content as low as 10% alc/vol. Also found here is soft, peachy Chardonnay, in a full bodied style. The Verdelho is soft and flavourful, and is making a comeback in this region. Moderate in tannin, the Shiraz is soft, with aromas of plum, jam, spice, earth and tar, with a lengthy finish. In better vintages the wines can be age-worthy, developing leathery notes and a silky texture. Cabernet Sauvignon is not an important varietal here – it just does not do well with the rain. In contrast to the Lower Hunter, the Upper Hunter is a much drier region. Chardonnay is big here, established in the 1970s by Rosemount. Also common is Semillon, grown on sandy, alluvian soil.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide Central Ranges The Central Ranges is a major growth area in New South Wales and is located on the western side (inland) of the Great Dividing Range. Compared to the Hunter Valley, the vineyards are planted at higher elevations and are exposed to a cooler continental climate. Mudgee The climate here is cooler and drier than the Hunter Valley. It is one of the oldest wine regions in Australia - plantings here were established in the mid-19th century but were never hit by the phylloxera epidemic. Mudgee is red wine country, producing deeply coloured and intensely flavoured Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. It is also home to a virus-free clone of Chardonnay. Orange The vineyards are located on hillsides planted in volcanic soil at a high altitude. Orange is one of the coolest grape growing areas in New South Wales. The warm days and cool nights result in grapes with lots of natural acidity . Orange’s Chardonnay is zesty and lively. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced, along with some Merlot and Shiraz.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide VICTORIA Victoria is Australia’s most varied state in terms of wine production. Up until the end of the 19th century, Victoria was on par with New South Wales and South Australia for quantity, until phylloxera wiped out most of its industry. Victoria has since recovered to boast over 600 wineries, but still ranks third in overall wine production due to the lack of a mass bulk wine-producing area. Murray Darling and Swan Hill represent Victoria’s warm climate regions, situated along the Murray River in the north west of the state. East along the Murray, is the region of Rutherglen, home to fortified dessert wines. Victoria’s other wine regions to the south are generally cooler - the Yarra Valley region near Melbourne, for example, is producing delicate, European-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Producers looking to expand are shifting more towards the cooler climates of the region, either south to the sea or into the hills, in order to produce wines of greater structure. Central Victoria Heathcote Heathcote is a premier wine region. The region has a temperate climate with vines planted on ancient Cambrian soil (decompressed igneous greenstone turned red brown over time). The Shiraz here is rich and deeply coloured, with alcohol content reaching 14% to 15 % alc/vol.

AUSTRALIA WINE – A Beginner’s Guide 5 – LABELING REGULATIONS Australia does not have a history of any strict “appellation system” similar to those that exist in Europe. The current system, implemented in the 1990s, was developed solely to conform to the European Union’s export regulations. The Australian appellation system is based on the concept of Geographical Indication (GI). A GI is an official description of an Australian wine “zone”, “region”, or “sub-region” designed to protect the use of the regional name under international law. It’s similar to the system in Europe, but much less restrictive in terms of viticultural and winemaking practices. There are three principles to the system: - where a variety is specified, 85% of the wine is made of that grape; - where a region is specified, 85% of the wine is made from grapes originating from that region; - where a vintage is specified, 85% of the wine is made from grapes from that vintage. In instances where more than one grape (or region) is specified, they are listed in descending order. For example, a wine specified as “Cabernet – Shiraz” will have more Cabernet than Shiraz.

The Pocket Sommelier Australia Wine – A Beginner’s Guide

The Pocket Sommelier – 2009 Ottawa ON pocketsommelier.blogspot.com

ISBN 978-0-9811374-1-4