FOUNDATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN

FACILITATOR GUIDE DISCOVERED EDUCATION PROGRAM

The comprehensive, free education program providing information, tools and resources to discover Australian wine.

To access course presentation, videos and tasting tools, as well as other programs, visit Wine Australia www.australianwinediscovered.com supports the responsible service of alcohol.

For enquiries, email [email protected] FOUNDATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN WINE

Australia’s unique climate and landscape have fostered a fiercely independent wine scene, home to a vibrant community of growers, winemakers, viticulturists, and vignerons. With more than 100 varieties grown across 65 distinct wine regions, we have the freedom to make exceptional wine, and to do it our own way. We’re not beholden by tradition, but continue to push the boundaries in the pursuit of the most diverse, thrilling in the world. That’s just our way.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide UNIQUE WINES

FROM - Australia has one of the most diverse wine scenes in the world, with more than 100 different UNSPOILT grape varieties grown across 65 wine regions. LANDS - The Australian wine community is renowned for its creativity and willingness to experiment. - Australian wines are an authentic expression of the people who craft them and the country’s varied soils and climate. - Australia is home to a highly-skilled community, crafting premium wines that stand among the world’s best.

FIRST TASTE and playing with new ideas to create outstanding wines. THIS MAY BE A GOOD – Australian wines are an authentic OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE expression of the people who craft them EVERYONE A TASTE OF A and the unique regional characteristics of their origins. Winemakers take a down- CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN WINE. to-earth approach, reflecting the beauty THE FULL TASTING COMES of Australia’s ancient soils and varied LATER IN THE PROGRAM. climate. Many are cultivated by multi-generational wine families. UNIQUE WINES FROM UNSPOILT LANDS – Australia is home to a highly skilled – Australia has one of the most diverse winemaking community, crafting wine scenes in the world. With more premium wines of exceptional than 100 grape varieties grown across quality. Its world-class vineyards and 65 wine regions, Australian wine today is award‑winning wines stand among an expression of the country’s distinctive the very best. climates and soils, and the passionate communities that cultivate them. – The Australian wine community is renowned for its creativity and willingness to experiment. Winemakers are curious by nature, perfecting old concepts

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide TO DAY

WE’LL - The history of Australian wine - Geography, climate and soil - Noteworthy regions - Key varieties and COVER… wine styles

DID YOU KNOW Australia is the fifth largest exporter of wine in the world and exports around 60% of its total production.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide THE FORTIFIED ERA: 1900 TO 1940s - Driven by - Rutherglen - The thirst for fortified THE HISTORY domestic and Muscats and wines meant that old export demand, Muscadelles Shiraz, Mataró (Mourvèdre) OF AUSTRALIAN were a highlight and vines dominated of this era were maintained – to WINE production be rediscovered and and trade treasured decades later

THE PIONEER ERA: LATE 1700s, 1800s - Australia’s wine - Important regions were - James Busby brought pioneers planted established, including back hundreds of vines, expanded the Hunter Valley, cuttings from Europe, their vineyards Tasmania, , which today are the and began McLaren Vale, the source of precious exporting Barossa and Rutherglen old vines

FEATURE VIDEO been a constant in the wine scene ever since, and has helped uncover and promote Now is a good time to play the feature some of Australia’s most exciting wines. video, History of Australian wine. 1788 European settlement in Australia With European settlement, the first vines THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF were planted in New South Wales at the AUSTRALIAN WINE current site of the Sydney Botanic Gardens. THE PIONEER ERA: LATE 1700s, 1800s The vines were collected by the First Fleet Australia’s wine pioneers expanded vine from Rio De Janeiro and Cape Town on the plantings, produced wines and began journey from England to Australia. exporting their wares, establishing a small 1791 but very promising industry. They built a The first significant plantings legacy of important regions and historical Just a few years later there were three acres vineyards – some of which are still home of vines, around 8,000 plants, at Rose Hill to impressive old vines. near Parramatta and 800 cuttings at The Australian wine show system started Norfolk Island. Since no one in Australia during the 19th century – through the royal had viticultural or winemaking experience, agricultural shows – to help improve the these early efforts were unsuccessful. quality of Australian wine. This system has

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide THE GOLDEN AGE: 1960s TO TO DAY - Food and table-wine - sales - By the early 1980s, - Today the Australian culture grew, and boomed in the 1970s Australia was the 18th wine community is trailblazing winemakers and demand for white largest wine exporter; diverse, unique and discovered or wine rose in the 1980s by the early 1990s it truly world class rediscovered an array was sixth of cool-climate regions

THE RENAISSANCE ERA: 1940s TO 1960s - Ambitious growers and - The popularity of winemakers defied consumer fortified wine reached demands for fortifieds to its peak and people produce tiny amounts of began to develop a some of Australia’s finest taste for table wines table wines

1815 northern banks of the Hunter River, and in the The Macarthurs visit Europe’s years that followed, successful commercial wine regions grape growing began in the region. Pioneer and agriculturalist John Macarthur Tasmanian wine region emerges planted 3.5 hectares of vines on his property Former convict Bartholomew Broughton in Sydney in 1797, but his most important planted the first significant in contribution to Australian wine came 20 Tasmania. Around a decade later, in 1834, years later. John headed to Europe with his settler William sailed to sons James and William with the aim of with grapevine cuttings and plants. “collecting vines and of obtaining information These cuttings became the source of the regarding their culture”. They propagated first vineyards in Victoria and South Australia. these vines in their nurseries at Penrith and First international award for Camden Park and then distributed them Australian wine throughout the colony of New South Wales. Britain’s Royal Society for the Encouragement 1822 for the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce Exports begin awarded a Silver Medal to Gregory Blaxland The first bottle of Australian wine for a wine made at Brush Farm in Sydney. was exported – to London. In presenting the award, the judges made 1823 a wise prediction, saying: “It affords a Hunter Valley foundations are laid reasonable ground of expectation that by By 1823, around 20 acres of grapevines had care and time [Australia] may become a been planted in the Hunter Valley along the valuable article of export.”

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide 1829 1842 Vines arrive in Birth of the Barossa The first grapevines in Western Australia The , one of Australia’s most were planted near Fremantle soon after celebrated wine regions, was established the first colonists arrived. By 1832, botanist when European settlers arrived, followed Thomas Waters of Olive Farm was making soon after by Silesian Lutheran immigrants, and selling the first . who gave the region a distinctly German 1832 flavour. In 1847, the first Eden Valley vines The James Busby collection arrives were planted by Joseph Gilbert at Pewsey James Busby, a Scottish civil servant and Vale. Many of these early vines planted in viticulturist, arrived in Australia in 1824. the Barossa are still producing fruit today. In his short time in Australia, he wrote books 1844 on grape growing and winemaking while A famous name in Australian contributing greatly to the establishment wine is born of Australia’s wine community. During his The Penfolds story began when Dr four-month tour of Spanish and French Christopher Rawson Penfold, a medical vineyards, Busby collected hundreds of vine practitioner from England, and his wife Mary cuttings. These cuttings became the heart arrived in South Australia and purchased and soul of Australia’s collection of old vines. land in Adelaide, now famous as the home 1838 of Penfolds Magill Estate. It took just over Yarra Valley establishes Victorian wine 50 years for Penfolds to grow into Australia’s The first vines were planted in the Yarra Valley, largest producer of fortified wines. making it Victoria’s first major wine-growing 1849 district. But it took a little over a decade for Yalumba: One of the world’s great the region to gain traction. Charles Joseph wine families La Trobe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Samuel Smith arrived in Australia in 1847 Victoria, invited Clement Deschamps, son of and quickly realised the soil and climate of the head vigneron in Switzerland’s Neuchâtel, the Barossa were perfectly suited to vines. to come to Victoria and plant vines. He planted the first Yalumba vineyard in Deschamps was eventually joined in Victoria 1849, sowing the seeds that would grow into by friends and acquaintances from his one of the world’s great wine families. hometown, all of whom contributed greatly 1858 to the burgeoning wine scene. Tyrrell’s Wines: Tradition 1838 and innovation South Australia’s first commercial The founder of the Hunter Valley’s famous vineyard Tyrrell’s Wines, Edward Tyrrell, purchased Young farmer John Reynell established land for his first vineyard in 1858. Vineyards South Australia’s first commercial vineyard were planted in 1867, 1879 and 1908, and in McLaren Vale. He was joined in 1850 by Tyrrell’s became a champion for Hunter Thomas Hardy, who learned from Reynell Valley Semillon and Shiraz. In 1971, Tyrrell’s before establishing his own property in released Australia’s first ever varietally 1853 and going on to become a legend in labelled , sparking an Australian Australian wine. wine revolution.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide 1864 1891 The rise of Rutherglen John Riddoch establishes the George Morris used his fortune gained as a Coonawarra Fruit Colony shopkeeper on gold diggings in Victoria to Pastoralist John Riddoch planted the first purchase 100 hectares of land. Like many vineyard in Coonawarra. In 1951, David and others in the region, he planted vines. By the Samuel Wynn bought Riddoch’s property mid-1880s, the number of vineyards in the and established the famous Wynns region had trebled and Rutherglen was the Coonawarra Estate. Today, the Coonawarra largest wine producer in Victoria. Today, the wine region, with its red terra rossa soil, region is Australia’s capital of fortified wines. is renowned throughout the world. 1877 McWilliam’s Wines: Legendary legacy THE FORTIFIED ERA: 1900 TO 1940s Samuel McWilliam planted vines on the Driven by both domestic and export demand, outskirts of Corowa in New South Wales. fortified wine dominated production and His son JJ McWilliam went on to pioneer trade, with the majority of grown in the region, helping to develop Australia transformed into rich, sweet wines. it into one of Australia’s most important Exceptional Muscats and Muscadelles, commercial wine areas. Today, McWilliam’s particularly from Rutherglen, were a highlight Wines is one of the biggest names in of this period. Australian wine. Consumers’ insatiable thirst for fortified arrives wines meant that precious old Shiraz, Phylloxera was introduced to Victoria in 1877 Mataró (Mourvèdre) and Grenache vines on European vine cuttings, and in 1884 it was were maintained – to be rediscovered and detected at Camden in New South Wales. treasured decades later. But strict quarantine regulations meant 1910 many vineyards and regions remained Carl Angove plants vines in phylloxera-free, including the whole of South the Riverland Australia. Today, South Australia is home The Riverland is Australia’s highest-volume to some of the oldest vines in the world, wine-producing region, making a diverse growing on original European rootstocks range of wines. It all started with Carl – and most of Australia’s main vineyard ‘Skipper’ Angove who recognised the region’s regions are free of the pest. viticultural potential and planted vines in 1886 1910. Vineyards grew steadily with the help Britain gets a taste for Australian wine of European immigrants after World War I, The Colonial Exhibition in London was a who brought new winemaking traditions. turning point for Australian wine in the 1921 British market, with several key merchants Maurice O’Shea purchases inking deals for substantial orders of wines Hunter Valley vineyard from regions like Rutherglen, McLaren Vale One of Australia’s most famous winemakers, and the Barossa Valley. In turn, the growing Maurice O’Shea, persuaded his mother British middle-class developed a taste for to purchase the historic Mount Pleasant Australian wine. property at Pokolbin. He had a passion for Semillon as a single- wine (uncommon at the time) and made thrilling table wines when most wine produced and consumed was fortified.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide 1928 1955 De Bortoli Wines: Evolution Wine research drives quality and innovation The Australian Wine Research Institute Founded when Vittorio De Bortoli crushed a (AWRI) was established, and along with modest 15 tonnes of grapes in the Riverina universities and other leading research for friends and family, De Bortoli Wines institutes, it ensured – and continues to has grown to become an Australian icon. ensure – that viticultural and winemaking Famous for its groundbreaking ‘Noble One’ decisions are supported by the latest Semillon , De Bortoli continues science. The AWRI has become known as to lead through innovation and quality. the world’s foremost wine research facility, Australia’s first challenging winemaking convention with temperature-controlled cellar scientific insights and illuminating the path Following a visit to South Africa, Sydney for winemakers intent on putting taste Hamilton of Adelaide’s Hamilton Ewell Wines above tradition. built Australia’s first temperature-controlled cellar. This greatly improved the quality THE GOLDEN AGE: 1960s TO TODAY of white wines by managing fermentation The modern cool-climate era began as temperatures. In the 1940s he also the food and table-wine culture grew, pioneered the use of refrigeration to control and trailblazing growers and winemakers fermentation temperatures. started exploring new wines and regions. These modern pioneers had much in THE RENAISSANCE ERA: 1940s to 1960s common with the original pioneers, Australian wine took a huge leap forward, discovering or rediscovering more than with a handful of ambitious, quality-obsessed half of Australia’s premium wine regions, winemakers defying consumer demand for mostly in cool-climate environments. fortified wine to produce tiny amounts of Red wine sales boomed in the 1970s and some of Australia’s finest table wines. demand for rose in the 1980s. During this period, the popularity of fortified Australia’s global reputation as a wine wine reached its peak and people began producer grew, as did exports. By the early to develop a taste for table wines. An influx 1980s, Australia was the 18th largest wine of immigrants and returning soldiers from exporter; by the early 1990s it was sixth. Europe helped drive this trend. With 65 distinct wine regions and a deeper 1951 understanding of how to harness Australia’s First of Penfolds Grange unique environment to make outstanding Penfolds Grange is arguably Australia’s wines, the Australian wine community is most famous wine, created by legendary entering a new phase that looks set to be the winemaker Max Schubert with the help of greatest era so far. Geographical diversity research chemist Ray Beckwith. They proved and the flexibility to respond to climate that Australia was capable of producing change by changing varieties within regions wines equal to the best in the world. and moving varieties to new cooler regions is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide 1963 really kicked off. In just over three decades, Vines return to the Yarra Valley it’s grown to include more than 60 Victoria’s first wine-growing district almost and world-class wines. Orange’s rapid didn’t make it after phylloxera hit the state success highlights the growing popularity in 1877. This, combined with economic of Australian cool-climate wines. downturn, led to vines being removed in 2007 the late 1800s and early 1900s. But in the Exports peak 1960s and ’70s a group of wine pioneers Exports of Australian wine globally peaked rediscovered the region’s potential. Reg Egan at A$950 million. from Wantirna Estate was the first to re-plant 2010s vines in 1963, and Yarra Yering’s Dr Bailey New-wave winemaking Carrodus made the first commercial vintage A new generation of experimental produced in the region for over 50 years winemakers began to emerge, with artisan in 1973. production and organic/biodynamic 1967 credentials being explored. These creative Margaret River: Rapid rise of a producers added diversity to the fascinating star region ongoing story of Australian wine. Cardiologist Dr Tom Cullity planted Margaret River’s first modern commercial vineyard, . The region grew rapidly, building an international reputation as a home of quality wine. This is even more impressive given that many of the region’s first vignerons were newcomers to the wine COMPLEMENTARY game. Today, Margaret River produces PROGRAM wines to match the world’s best. Discover more about our history in the 1979 Australia’s old vines program, available Reviving in the Adelaide Hills at www.australianwinediscovered.com Vines were planted in the Adelaide Hills as far back as the 1870s, but most were removed by the 1930s. The rebirth of the SUGGESTED region began when winemaker Brian DISCUSSION POINTS Croser and his family planted Chardonnay. He was soon joined by other wine pioneers – Why does Australia have some of and today there are around 100 producers the oldest vines in the world? Where in this premium cool-climate region. are they growing? 1980s – In the mid-1900s, there was a Table wines dominate dramatic shift away from fortified The gradual shift towards table wines wines to table wines. Why did continued and for the first time in Australia’s that happen? wine history, more table than fortified wine – Australia has numerous fifth- and was consumed. sixth-generation winemaking Orange: A cool new region families. What might be some of The cool-climate region of Orange in New the benefits of passing winemaking South Wales has a grape-growing heritage traditions from generation to that stretches back to the 19th century, generation? How does this influence but it wasn’t until the 1980s that things Australian wine?

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide AUSTRALIA’S GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE AND SOILS: ANCIENT AND DIVERSE

AUSTRALIA’S GEOGRAPHY, The climate and soils of Australia are CLIMATE AND SOILS extremely diverse, ranging from the alpine Australia is the world’s sixth-largest country zones of southeastern Australia and by land mass, the only island continent and Tasmania, to the Mediterranean areas of one of the most geologically and biologically southern and southwestern Australia, to the diverse countries on the planet. It’s home tropics of Queensland. In the southern to snowfields, long stretches of coastline, regions, where vineyards are concentrated, rainforests, unique flora and fauna, and the cold and stormy Southern Ocean keeps some of the world’s oldest soils. temperatures cool and contributes to an ideal climate for producing wine. Australia is Understanding Australia’s geography, the only land mass to have a long east-west climate, soils and wine regions helps give boundary with the Southern Ocean. you a better understanding of Australian wines. Wine is produced in all six states In addition to these cool-climate credentials, and two territories, although most wine the world’s purest air blows over the southern production is concentrated around the shores of Australia, and low population southeast and southwest of the country, density and rigorous environmental controls where temperatures are coolest. Roughly combine to produce quality grapes free from 145,000 hectares (or 0.02%) of Australia’s industrial and urban pollution. total land mass is under vine, slightly less With their ancient soils and antipodean than and Burgundy combined. climate, Australia’s distinctive are able to create wines that are equal to, but different from, those of Europe.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide DARWIN

SWEDEN World’s sixth- IRELAND large st cOU ntry, UK

GERMANY biggER tha n EuRO pe POLAND

FRANCE UKRAINE AUSTRIA HUNGARY

ROMANIA BRISBANE PORTUGAL GEOLOGICALLY ANCIENT SPAIN AND BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE ITALY VINEYARDS ACROSS PERTH THE COUNTRY, BUT SYDNEY ADELAIDE GREECE CONCENTRATED IN THE CANBERRA SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST THE COLD SOUTHERN OCEAN KEEPS TEMPERATURES COOL

IN THE SOUTH, IDEAL FOR HOBART MAKING WINE *Indicative only

WESTERN AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES 1 Swan District 30 New England Australia 2 31 Hastings River 3 Peel 32 Hunter 4 Geographe 33 Mudgee DARWIN 5 Margaret River 34 Orange 6 35 Cowra 7 Pemberton 36 Riverina 8 Manjimup 37 Hilltops NORTHERN 9 Great Southern 38 Southern Highlands TERRITORY 39 Gundagai SOUTH AUSTRALIA 40 Canberra District 10 Southern Flinders 41 Shoalhaven Coast Ranges 42 Tumbarumba Clare Valley 11 43 Perricoota 12 Barossa Valley WINE REGIONS OF 13 Eden Valley VICTORIA 14 Riverland 44 15 Adelaide Plains 45 Swan Hill 16 Adelaide Hills 46 Goulburn Valley AUSTRALIAQUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA 17 McLaren Vale 47 Rutherglen 28 18 Kangaroo Island 48 Glenrowan BRISBANE 19 Southern Fleurieu 49 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 29 20 Currency Creek 50 21 Langhorne Creek 51 NEW SOUTH WALES 30 22 Padthaway 52 Strathbogie Ranges 1 31 2 23 Mount Benson 53 10 PERTH 33 32 24 Wrattonbully 54 Heathcote 3 11 44 12 14 35 34 4 15 6 13 36 5 16 37 25 Robe 55 17 38 SYDNEY 7 8 9 21 45 18 19 20 39 40 26 Coonawarra 56 ADELAIDE 41 43 22 47 42 27 Mount Gambier 57 Macedon Ranges 46 48 49 CANBERRA 23 24 55 54 52 50 26 56 51 25 59 57 53 AUSTRALIAN 58 Sunbury 27 60 58 62 QUEENSLAND 61 64 CAPITAL TERRITORY 59 63 28 South Burnett 60 Henty MELBOURNE 29 Granite Belt 61 62 Yarra Valley VICTORIA 63 65 64 TASMANIA HOBART TASMANIA 65 Tasmania

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Seine

Marne PARIS STRASBOURG

Seine

Loire Burgundy Loire DIJON NANTES ONLY ROUGHLY 145,000 FRANCEAllier HE C TA S re (0.02%)

LYO N Rhône OF AUSTRALIA’S TOTAL LAND MASS IS Loire UNDER VINE BoRD eaux This is approximately BORDEAUX Dordogne the same as Bordeaux and Burgundy Rhône combined.

Garonne

- Australia’s latitude, maritime influences and elevation all contribute to a surprising diversity of climates - Premium wine regions located in the country’s temperate areas - Concentrated in NSW, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia THE VARIED CLIMATES OF AUSTRALIA'S WINE REGIONS

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Temperature DARWIN 39ºC / 102ºF 36ºC / 97ºF 33ºC / 92ºF 30ºC / 86ºF 27ºC / 81ºF

24ºC / 75ºF NORTHERN 21ºC / 70ºF TERRITORY 18ºC / 64ºF 15ºC / 59ºF QUEENSLAND 12ºC / 54ºF 9ºC / 49ºF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6ºC / 43ºF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 3ºC / 37ºF BRISBANE 0ºC / 32ºF -3ºC / 27ºF NEW SOUTH WALES PERTH

SYDNEY ADELAIDE CANBERRA

AUSTRALIAN MELBOURNE CAPITAL TERRITORY MINIMUM VICTORIA

TEMPERATURE TASMANIA HOBART

ANNUAL 30-YEAR AVERAGE 1976–2005 Meteorology of Bureau Source:

THE VARIED CLIMATES OF AUSTRALIA’S WINE REGIONS Australia’s latitude, maritime influences and elevation all contribute to a surprising diversity of climates, with extremely variable rainfall. Broadly speaking, there are three types of climates in the world: tropical, subtropical and temperate, with most of the world’s wine regions found in temperate climates. This is also the case in Australia, with the areas most suited for wine production in the temperate southeast and southwest of the country, in the states of New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Rainfall DARWIN millimetres / inches

3200 / 126 2400 / 94.5 2000 / 78.7 1600 / 63 1200 / 47.2 NORTHERN TERRITORY 1000 / 39.4 800 / 31.5 QUEENSLAND 600 / 23.6 500 / 19.7 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 400 / 15.7 300 / 11.8 SOUTH AUSTRALIA BRISBANE 200 / 7.9 0 / 0

NEW SOUTH WALES PERTH

SYDNEY ADELAIDE CANBERRA

AUSTRALIAN MELBOURNE CAPITAL TERRITORY ANNUAL VICTORIA

RAINFALL TASMANIA HOBART

30-YEAR AVERAGE 1976–2005 Meteorology of Bureau Source:

KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING CLIMATE IN PREMIUM VITICULTURAL AREAS COOLING WEATHER LAT ITUDE PATTERNS

Areas at higher latitudes COLD WINDS OF THE – which are further from SOUTHERN OCEAN the equator – are cooler, MODERATE THE WEATHER making southern Australia IN MANY OF AUSTRALIA’S much cooler than the north FAMOUS WINE REGIONS

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide ALTITUDE GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

Temperatures decrease by approximately 0.65°C (33ºF) for every 100 metres (328ft) THREE MOUNTAIN in altitude; the highest RANGES INFLUENCE Australian wine regions CLIMATE AND WEATHER: are up to - DARLING SCARP (WA) - MOUNT LOFTY RANGES (SA) 1000– - THE GREAT DIVIDING RANGE 1200M (QLD, NSW, VIC) (3281–3937FT)

KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING – Altitude: Temperatures decrease by CLIMATE IN AUSTRALIA’S PREMIUM approximately 0.65°C (33ºF) for every VITICULTURAL AREAS 100 metres (328FT) increase in altitude. – Latitude: Areas at higher latitudes – which Australian wine regions can be found up are further from the equator – are cooler, to 1000–1200m (3281–3937ft) above sea making southern Australia much cooler level at their highest points. than the north. Grapevines favour – Geographical features: Three mountain temperate climates, which mostly fall ranges influence climate and weather in within latitudes of 30° and 50° from the Australia’s wine regions: the Darling Scarp equator – and most of Australia’s wine in Western Australia, the Mount Lofty regions sit within this range. Ranges in South Australia and the Great – Cooling weather patterns: The cold Dividing Range – the third longest land- winds of the Southern Ocean moderate based range in the world, running through the weather in many of Australia’s Queensland, New South Wales and famous wine regions. Cooling influences Victoria. These mountain ranges influence in the south, southeast and southwest rain, snow and wind patterns in the of the country are similar to cooler surrounding areas. Mediterranean and maritime climates, such as those in regions of Italy and New Zealand.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

NORTHERN TERRITORY Great diviDI ng

RA nge QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Mount lofty Darling ranges NEW SOUTH WALES scarp

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

VICTORIA

TASMANIA

*Indicative only

Regions in the centre of large land masses that tend to have hotter summers and colder winters. CLARE VALLEY

CONTINENTAL RUTHERGLEN CLIMATE

PARTS OF GREAT SOUTHERN

CANBERRA DISTRICT

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Regions near the coast, where the climate has a narrower range of temperatures and rainfall is spread more evenly throughout the year. ADELAIDE MARITIME HILLS CLIMATE COONAWARRA MORNINGTON PENINSULA TASMANIA

CONTINENTALITY Maritime-climate regions The temperature difference between winter These are regions near the coast, where and summer is referred to as continentality. the climate has a narrower range of There are three types of grape-growing temperatures and rainfall is spread more climates – continental, maritime and evenly throughout the year, which helps Mediterranean – and these all exist within moderate temperatures and sunlight levels. Australia’s wine regions. Growing seasons are longer, so are suited to varieties that need longer ripening times, Continental-climate regions such as . Australia has These are regions in the centre of large land many maritime-influenced regions and a masses that tend to have hotter summers small number with true maritime climates. and colder winters. They are better suited to early-ripening varieties, such as and Regions with maritime climates include: . Cool continental climates can be Mornington Peninsula (Vic), Tasmania, at risk of spring frosts and low temperatures Adelaide Hills (SA) and Coonawarra (SA). during the growing period. They can have dry summers and the vineyards may need to be irrigated. Regions with continental climates include: Clare Valley (SA), Rutherglen (Vic), parts of Great Southern (WA), Canberra District (NSW).

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Similar to maritime climates, but summers tend to be warm and dry. There is less temperature variation between the hottest and coldest months. BAROSSA MEDITERRANEAN VALLEY CLIMATE GEOGRAPHE McLAREN VALE MARGARET RIVER (+ STRONG MARITIME INFLUENCES)

Mediterranean-climate regions These are similar to maritime climates, but their summers tend to be warm and dry. There is less temperature variation between the hottest and coldest months, and the warmth and sunlight lead to wines that are fuller with lower acidity and higher alcohol. Regions with Mediterranean climates include: Barossa Valley (SA), Geographe (WA), McLaren Vale (SA), Margaret River (WA), which also has strong maritime influences.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide AUTUMN (MARCH – MAY) AUSTRALIA’S AND GRAPE SUMMER GROWING (DECEMBER – FEBRUARY) BERRY SET SEASONS AND VERAISON SPRING (SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER) BUD BURST, GROWTH AND FLOWERING

WINTER (JUNE – AUGUST) PRUNING AND DORMANCY

AUSTRALIA’S GRAPE-GROWING Summer (December – February) SEASONS Berry set and veraison: The flowers start As in all wine regions around the world, to form grape berries. Ripening begins the seasons and weather in each individual and grape size increases dramatically. region determine when things are done Autumn (March – May)* in the vineyard. Being in the Southern Veraison and harvest: Ripening continues Hemisphere, Australia’s seasons are different until growers decide the grapes are ready to those of the Northern Hemisphere. for harvest. This varies depending on grape Winter (June – August) variety, region and desired wine style. Pruning: Vines are pruned, leaving a small The grape bunches are picked and vintage number of buds. begins. This is the busiest and most exciting time of year for growers and winemakers. Dormancy: Vines rest. After harvest, the leaves change colour and Spring (September – November) fall from the vine. Bud burst, growth and flowering: The buds *Note: Some harvests begin in January burst, becoming shoots that bear new or February, depending on the wine region. leaves and flowers. The shoots continue to grow.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide UNEARTHI NG AUSTRA LIA’S ANCIen T SOILS

- Australia has been a land mass for over 100 million years - Its soils are some of the most ancient on Earth - There are also younger sand and limestone soils, and fertile volcanic soils - Soil types can vary greatly between wine regions and within the regions themselves – even across a single vineyard block

UNEARTHING AUSTRALIA’S A lack of significant seismic activity has also ANCIENT SOILS contributed to the ancient soils. Australia Australia has been a land mass for more is geologically stable, being located in the than 100 million years, and its soils are some middle of a tectonic plate away from the of the most ancient on Earth. Although plate boundaries, and so it’s characterised by they’re rich in biodiversity, many of the a lack of volcanic and earthquake activity. soils are relatively nutrient-poor. However, However, Australia does have some younger grapevines grow best in soils that aren’t too soils made up of sand and limestone, as nutrient-rich – lower-fertility soils generally well as some fertile volcanic soils. Like so result in grapevines producing less fruit that many aspects of Australia, its soil profile is more concentrated in flavour. is characterised by diversity. Soil types During the last ice age, around 20,000– can vary greatly between wine regions 26,000 years ago, many of Earth’s land and within the regions themselves – even masses were covered by ice sheets, which across a single vineyard block. This can scraped away the soil as they moved over make it hard to describe the typical soils the continents and created new, nutrient- of Australia’s wine regions. rich soils. But only a small amount of Australia was covered by ice during this period, leaving the soils largely intact and continually exposed to weathering.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide GEOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS

PRE-CAMBRIAN AND CAMBRIAN METAMORPHOSED SEDIMENTARY MARITIME VOLCANIC STRATA DEPOSITS (BASALT) Barossa Valley, (LIMESTONE) GRANITE Central Victoria, Eden Valley, Southeast Margaret River, Northern Clare Valley, South Australia, Mount Barker, Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, , Grampians, Hunter Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula, Murray Valley Northeast Victoria Orange Kangaroo Island

GEOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Most of the soils in Australia’s viticultural regions are derived from maritime deposits (limestone), granite, volcanic deposits (basalt) and pre-Cambrian and Cambrian metamorphosed sedimentary strata. Maritime deposits (limestone): Southeast South Australia (including Coonawarra, Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale), Adelaide Plains and foothills, Western Victoria, Murray Valley. Granite: Margaret River, Mount Barker, Grampians, Northeast Victoria. Volcanic (basalt): Central Victoria, northern Tasmania, Hunter Valley, Orange. Pre-Cambrian and Cambrian metamorphosed sedimentary strata: Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide THE MAIN SOIL GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA’S WINE REGIONS

SAND Gritty, free-draining soils that retain heat. Easy to cultivate but can lack nutrients. CLAY Heavy, poor-draining soils that are rock-hard when dry and tend to stay cooler.

LOAM Nearly an equal mix of silt, clay and sand as well as organic matter. Well-drained fertile soils that promote vigorous vine growth, making rigorous pruning important.

SILT Smooth, fine-grained soils that promote water retention and can be richer in nutrients than sandy soils.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide SOIL TYPES SUGGESTED The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation DISCUSSION POINTS recognises more than 100 soil types, – Producers have managed to and there are 77 types found in Australia. successfully grow vines and The soils in Australia’s wine-growing areas make wines in a very diverse can be broadly categorised into four groups: range of climates and soils. – Sand: Gritty, free-draining soils that retain What does this environmental heat. These are easy to cultivate but can diversity mean for Australian lack nutrients. wines? – Clay: Heavy, poor-draining soils that are – Why is the Southern Ocean rock-hard when dry and tend to stay such an important influence cooler. These soils have tiny particles on Australia’s premium and can become easily waterlogged. wine‑producing areas? – Silt: Smooth, fine-grained soils that – ‘’ is a word that’s used promote water retention and can be a lot when talking about wine richer in nutrients than sandy soils. regions and styles. What is your understanding of this word? These well-drained soils are – Loam: What elements contribute nearly an equal mix of silt, clay and to terroir? sand, as well as an organic matter called humus. These are fertile soils that promote vigorous vine growth and can lead to grapes with little flavour and colour, making rigorous pruning important.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide PROMINENT REGIONS

NORTHERN TERRITORY

QUEENSLAND

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA hunter NEW SOUTH WALES v a LL e y C LA re Orange V A LL EY canberra district B A RO S AS VICTORIA M A R GA re T McLAREN VALE Rutherglen R I V ER adelaide hills YARRA VALLEY 0 500 COONAWARRA TASMANIA Kilometres TASMANIA Mornington Peninsula

WINE REGIONS OF AUSTRALIA DID YOU KNOW Australian winemakers craft wines that Australian GIs (Geographical are an expression of place. There are more Indications) are internationally than 100 grape varieties growing in 65 wine protected and defined as a single regions across the country. Regionality tract of land that usually produces is the cornerstone of the Australian wine at least 500 tonnes of wine grapes community: each region has its own in a year, and comprises at least five characteristics and wine styles. independently owned vineyards of Australia’s vineyards are grouped into at least five hectares each. The area Geographical Indications (GI) – these are the of land must be discrete and names of Australia’s wine-producing areas, homogeneous in its grape-growing and are broken down into zones, regions attributes. An 85% rule applies in and subregions. The GI system is similar Australia, which means at least 85% to the naming system used in Europe and of the wine must be from the region is recognised by international law that’s in order for it to appear on the label. designed to protect the use of regional names. This percentage varies from country The largest volume of wine is produced to country. from grapes grown in the warm-climate powerhouse regions of Riverina in New South Wales and Riverland in South Australia. In general, higher-value premium wines come from smaller and more temperate- climate regions.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide ONE OF REBORN IN THE 1970S MODERATE AUSTRALIA’S when vines were MARITIME CLIMATE MOST ELEVATED re-planted. Today it’s AND COOL- with cool-climate CLIMATE WINE key to the evolution characteristics REGIONS of Australia wine ADELAIDE

KEY VARIETIES HILLS - - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Shiraz - plus various alternative varieties

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Soil: Soils vary with a mixture of grey-brown or brown loamy sands, and patches of ADELAIDE HILLS sandy soils over clay subsoils. Low-lying The Adelaide Hills landscape is as diverse areas with heavy soils provide potential for as its wines. It’s one of the coolest and greater vigour, while higher, well-drained most elevated regions in Australia, with its stony soils allow vigour control. steep terrain creating an array of valley Key varieties: Adelaide Hills is acclaimed for microclimates. It’s home to Australia’s its Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir oldest‑surviving German settlement and as and Shiraz, which are well suited to the a wine region was reborn in the late 1970s, region’s cool climate. It’s also known for its after most vines were removed by the 1930s. innovative winemakers who are exploring Today, the region produces premium wines a growing range of alternative varieties, and plays a vital role in the evolution of such as Grüner Veltliner, Australian wine. and . Climate: Overall the climate is moderate with cool-climate characteristics in certain areas, including at higher elevations. COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM Altitude: 230–650m (755–2133ft). Discover more in the Adelaide Hills program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES BAROSSA VALLEY - Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache

EDEN VALLEY - Riesling - Chardonnay - Shiraz BAROSSA - Cabernet Sauvignon

BAROSSA VALLEY warm, Mediterranean ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S HOME TO climate SOME OF THE most celebrated OLDEST VINES EDEN VALLEY and historic IN THE cooler Mediterranean wine regions WORLD climate with various mesoclimates

FEATURE VIDEO Soil: Barossa Valley – soils vary widely, Now is a good time to play the feature but are typically rich and deep. All fall within video, Barossa Shiraz. a family of relatively low-fertility clay loam through to more sandy soils, ranging from grey to brown to red. Eden Valley – the BAROSSA varied terrain means there are a number of This is one of Australia’s most celebrated soil types. The most common are shallow and historic wine-producing areas, and rocky, and range from grey to brown in renowned worldwide for its quality wines. colour, and from loamy sand to clay loams. It encompasses the Barossa Valley and Key varieties: Barossa Valley – the region’s Eden Valley regions and is home to some warm climate is conducive to full-bodied red of the oldest continuously producing Shiraz, wines, excellent fortified wines and generally Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Grenache robust whites. It’s particularly noted for its and Riesling vines in the world, dating back Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. to the 1840s. Eden Valley – the cool climate produces Climate: Barossa Valley – warm elegant wines, with a focus on Riesling, Mediterranean climate with high Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. sunshine days. Eden Valley – at higher altitude, Eden Valley has a cooler climate, COMPLEMENTARY with various mesoclimates due to varying PROGRAM altitudes, aspects and slopes. Discover more in the Barossa Altitude: program, available at Barossa Valley – 130–430m (427–1411ft). www.australianwinediscovered.com Eden Valley – 310–540m (1017–1772ft).

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide CORNERSTONE OF WARM, MODERATELY CLASSIC, TRADITIONAL PRODUCERS COUPLED GLOBAL REPUTATION CONTINENTAL CLIMATE WITH HISTORY OF for Riesling, setting the with significant EXPERIMENTATION benchmark for classic, diurnal variation age-worthy wines and cooling breezes CLARE VALLEY KEY VARIETIES - Riesling - Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon

FEATURE VIDEO Altitude: 250–550m (820–1804ft). Now is a good time to play the feature Soil: The Clare Valley has 11 recognised soil video, Clare Valley Riesling. types, ranging from classic terra rossa red topsoil over limestone (Watervale) to broken slate (Polish Hill River). CLARE VALLEY Key varieties: Some of Australia’s finest The Clare Valley is a picturesque region with Riesling is grown here, with the region’s a global reputation for its delicate whites winemakers setting the benchmark and full-bodied reds. It’s an influential wine for classic Riesling flavours and region thanks to its cornerstone of classic, internationally acclaimed, age-worthy traditional producers coupled with a history wines. Other notable varieties include of experimentation. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Climate: Warm, moderately continental climate. However, altitude, significant COMPLEMENTARY diurnal variation and cooling afternoon PROGRAM and night breezes create varying conditions Discover more in the Clare Valley and cooler-climate sites. This is particularly program, available at important for growing Riesling. www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz - COONAWARRA

MARITIME RENOWNED FAMED FOR CLIMATE ITS STRIP OF for producing influenced with premium, age-worthy TERRA ROSSA (‘RED SOIL’) cooling effects of the red wines Southern Ocean

COONAWARRA Key varieties: A diverse range of wines are On South Australia’s Limestone Coast, produced here, but Cabernet Sauvignon is Coonawarra is famed for its strip of valuable king – Coonawarra is one of Australia’s most terra rossa soil. It’s also renowned for important regions for this variety. Other key producing premium, age-worthy red wines. varieties are Shiraz and Merlot. Climate: Coonawarra is only 100 kilometres (62 miles) inland from the coast, so a COMPLEMENTARY moderate ocean-influenced climate PROGRAM prevails in the region, with a dry and Discover more in the Coonawarra moderately cool summer that ripens program, available at many grape varieties to perfection. www.australianwinediscovered.com Altitude: 50–110m (164–361ft). Soil: Although terra rossa (red soil) is not unique to the region, Coonawarra’s distinctive vivid strip is one of the most valuable patches of soil in Australia. It’s either friable clay or a shallow friable loam derived from and lying atop a bed of soft limestone.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide ONE OF THE MOST WARM THE BIRTHPLACE PROGRESSIVE MEDITERRANEAN OF WINE and environmentally CLIMATE IN SOUTH conscious wine AUSTRALIA with a range of communities in Australia mesoclimates and microclimates M c LAREN

VALE KEY VARIETIES - Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Grenache

FEATURE VIDEO Soil: McLaren Vale is one of the most Now is a good time to play the feature geologically diverse regions in the world, video, McLaren Vale alternative varieties. with its wide variety of soil types reflecting its varied terrain. The one thing these soils have in common is that they are fairly MCLAREN VALE free draining, which makes them ideal for producing top-quality grapes. The birthplace of wine in South Australia, today McLaren Vale is home to one of the Key varieties: Around 90% of grapes grown most progressive and environmentally are red varieties, with the big three being conscious wine communities in Australia. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. However, all manner of vines thrive here, Climate: Mediterranean climate and experimentation with alternative characterised by warm summers and varieties is a major focus, such as , mild winters. Fiano, Sangiovese, Vermentino and However, the proximity of Mount Lofty . and Gulf St Vincent play an important role in moderating the climate, and they are largely responsible for many mesoclimatic COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM and microclimatic differences. Discover more in the McLaren Vale Altitude: 10–350m (33–1148ft). program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends - Chardonnay - Cabernet MARGARET Sauvignon RIVER

GEOGRAPHICALLY MEDITERRANEAN

ONE OF THE WORLD’S ISOLATED CLIMATE YOUNGEST WINE with ideal with strong maritime REGIONS, BUT HAS QUICKLY BUILT A grape-growing influences, with ocean GLOBAL REPUTATION conditions on three sides

FEATURE VIDEO Altitude: 0–150m (0–492ft). Now is a good time to play the feature Soil: Predominantly deep, well-drained, video, Margaret River Chardonnay. red gravelly loams on granite and gneiss. These ancient soils are low in nutrients and ideal for growing high-quality grapes. WESTERN AUSTRALIA Key varieties: With a relatively equal mix MARGARET RIVER of red and white varieties, Margaret River wines are renowned for their elegance Margaret River is one of the world’s younger and refinement. Notable varieties include wine regions. From its first in Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, the early 1970s, it has rapidly built an Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. international reputation as a home of quality wine. It’s also one of the world’s most geographically isolated wine regions, providing a pristine environment for COMPLEMENTARY producing high-quality grapes. PROGRAM Climate: Mediterranean climate with strong Discover more in the Margaret River maritime influences due to the ocean program, available at surrounding it on three sides. Most marked www.australianwinediscovered.com maritime climate in terms of rainfall of any region in Australia.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - Riesling - Shiraz CANBERRA DISTRICT

RELATIVELY YOUNG CONTINENTAL ENCOMPASSES region producing VINEYARDS CLIMATE premium wines IN ACT OF EXTREMES AND NSW

NEW SOUTH WALES Altitude: 426–850m (1,398–2,789ft). AND AUSTRALIAN Soil: Soils are mainly hard red duplex with CAPITAL TERRITORY shallow clay loam top soils. Key varieties: The region produces elegant, CANBERRA DISTRICT cool-climate wines, with the most The diverse landscape and cool climate of noteworthy varieties being Riesling and the Canberra District is ideal for producing Shiraz – including blends such as Shiraz high-quality wines. It encompasses . There’s also a growing focus on vineyards in the Australian Capital Territory alternative varieties. and New South Wales. This relatively young wine region is an increasingly popular tourist destination, due to its premium wines and proximity to Canberra. Climate: The region has a continental climate of extremes, with cold, crisp winters and hot, dry summers.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide AUSTRALIA’S HOME TO SOME SUBTROPICAL FIRST OF THE OLDEST CLIMATE COMMERCIAL VINE STOCK IN WINE REGION THE WORLD with maritime influences

HUNTER

VALLEY KEY VARIETIES - Semillon - Chardonnay - Shiraz

HUNTER VALLEY Soil: Soils in the Lower Hunter Valley area The Hunter Valley was Australia’s first range from sandy alluvial flats to deep loam commercial wine region and today is one and friable red duplex soils; in the Upper of the best-known and most-visited wine Hunter, the rivers and creeks contribute regions. It’s home to some of the oldest vine to the area’s black, silty loam soils often stock in the world, with vineyards dating overlaid on top of alkaline clay loam. back to the 1860s. Key varieties: The region is known for Climate: Subtropical climate with maritime creating some of the best and most influences, characterised by warm, humid unique Semillon in the world, alongside days in spring and summer, and cold nights outstanding Chardonnay, Shiraz and a in autumn and winter. growing list of alternative varieties suited to its warm climate. Altitude: 22–254m (72–833ft).

COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM Discover more in the Hunter Valley program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon ORANGE

COOL-CLIMATE SOME OF CONTINENTAL REGION ON THE RISE THE HIGHEST CLIMATE ALTITUDE producing a VINEYARDS IN featuring warm summer growing range of AUSTRALIA days, cool nights and premium wines dry autumn conditions

ORANGE Key varieties: Orange is capable of Orange is a cool-climate region on the rise, producing a diverse range of wines and with one of the highest-altitude vineyard styles. Chardonnay is the signature variety, areas in Australia and a growing range of with styles ranging from crisp and elegant premium wines. Its undulating landscape to full-bodied and rich. Other important is dominated by the extinct volcano, varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Mount Canobolas. Cabernet Sauvignon. Climate: Continental climate featuring warm summer days, cool nights and dry autumn conditions, which make it ideal for grape growing. Altitude: 606–1046m (1988–3432ft). Soil: The rich, volcanic soils of Orange vary widely but largely fall into clays, loams and patches of terra rossa.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide SMALL SEASIDE BOUTIQUE WINERIES TRUE MARITIME REGION and vineyards CLIMATE SURROUNDED BY THREE BODIES producing premium with an array of OF WATER cool-climate wines mesoclimates and microclimates MORNINGTON PENINSULA KEY VARIETIES - Pinot Noir - Chardonnay - Pinot Gris/Grigio

VICTORIA Soil: Diverse soils ranging from yellow and brown soils over friable, well-drained clay to MORNINGTON PENINSULA volcanic red clay to deep, fertile sandy soils Tucked into the southern corner of mainland in the northern area. Australia, the Mornington Peninsula is a Key varieties: Pinot Noir is the undisputed small seaside region producing some of the star, produced in an impressive range of country’s best cool-climate wines. Most of expressions. Other important varieties the region’s 200 or so vineyards are small are Chardonnay and Pinot Gris/Grigio. and many are family run, with the region’s For all varieties grown here, the consistent proximity to Melbourne allowing boutique factor is the clear varietal character that is wineries to thrive. pronounced throughout the different sites. Climate: Surrounded by three bodies of water, this is one of Australia’s only true maritime wine regions. Altitude, aspect COMPLEMENTARY and exposure to prevailing breezes PROGRAM significantly affect each vineyard site, creating an array of mesoclimates Discover more in the Mornington and microclimates. Peninsula program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com Altitude: 10–260m (32–853ft).

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - and Muscadelle (fortified wines) - Shiraz - RUTHERGLEN

CLASSIC CONTINENTAL HISTORIC REGION CLIMATE FIFTH- AND and Australia’s SIXTH-GENERATION with cooling influences capital of WINEMAKERS from the foothills of the PRODUCE A RANGE OF fortified wines AWARD-WINNING WINES Victorian Alps

RUTHERGLEN Key varieties: Rutherglen’s fortified wines Rutherglen is the capital of fortified wines made from Muscat and Muscadelle are in Australia, with many of its great wines uniquely Australian and among the best recognised throughout the world. It’s a in the world. Other important varieties are historic region where fifth- and sixth- Shiraz and Durif, a rare red variety producing generation winemakers produce award- full-bodied, age-worthy wines. winning white, red and fortified wines. Climate: Classic continental climate featuring hot summers, cool winters and a long dry autumn. The nights are cool due to airflow from the foothills of the Victorian Alps. Altitude: 130–320m (427–1050ft). Soil: Soils range from red loam over clay through to sandier soils closer to the Murray River.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide BIRTHPLACE DIVERSE LANDSCAPE LEADING OF VICTORIA’S with continental COOL-CLIMATE REGION WINE climate and substantial with winemakers INDUSTRY mesoclimatic variations embracing both classic and boundary- pushing techniques YARRA

VALLEY KEY VARIETIES - Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon

FEATURE VIDEO Soil: Two prominent and radically different Now is a good time to play the feature soil types create regional diversity. video, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. The northern area features soils of grey to grey-brown on the surface, with red-brown clay subsoils often filled with rock, while YARRA VALLEY the southern area features much younger, immensely deep, fertile red volcanic soil. Known as the birthplace of Victoria’s wine industry, the Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s Key varieties: The climatic variation allows a leading cool-climate regions. Its vast and number of varieties to excel. Yarra Valley has diverse landscape is home to winemakers long been famous for its Chardonnay and embracing both classic and boundary- Pinot Noir, but it also produces world-class pushing techniques. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, along with a promising line-up of alternative varieties. Climate: Continental with Mediterranean influences. Bordered by mountain ranges, it’s one of Australia’s cooler wine regions. Differences in altitude and aspect create COMPLEMENTARY substantial mesoclimatic variations. PROGRAM Altitude: 30–400m (98–1312ft). Discover more in the Yarra Valley program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY VARIETIES - Pinot Noir - Chardonnay - Riesling TASMANIA

MODERN WINE TEMPERATE THIS PRISTINE INDUSTRY ISLAND IS ONE CLIMATE started in 1970s and has OF AUSTRALIA’S with maritime influence quickly built a global FINEST COOL- (from Tasman Sea, CLIMATE WINE reputation, particularly REGIONS Bass Strait and for sparkling wines Indian Ocean)

TASMANIA Key varieties: Tasmania boasts ideal growing conditions for developing naturally The pristine island of Tasmania is one of elegant, intensely flavoured and aromatic Australia’s finest cool-climate wine regions. wines. Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir The modern wine industry started in the lead the charge, with a good proportion of late 1970s and has quickly built a global cooler-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reputation. going into sparkling wines. Climate: This is Australia’s coolest-climate wine region. It has a moderate maritime climate influenced by westerly winds off the Southern Ocean. COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM Altitude: 10–330m (32–1083ft). Discover more in the Tasmania Soil: Soil types vary greatly. On the lower program, available at slopes, the vineyard soils are formed from www.australianwinediscovered.com ancient sandstones, mudstones and soils of volcanic origin. Sandstone and schist appear in Derwent Valley. Peaty alluvial and sandy low humus soils appear in Coal River Valley. Pipers River boasts deep, free‑draining, friable soils, while Tamar Valley is gravelly basalt on a clay and limestone base.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide DID YOU KNOW SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS MULTI-REGIONAL BLENDING – What are Australia’s most Multi-regional blends take the best renowned wine regions? from multiple regions to create – What varieties and styles are balanced and consistent wines. those regions known for? They have long been part of Australia’s revolutionary winemaking history. – Has your initial perception They take advantage of regional of Australia’s wine regions strengths and allow the winemaker changed in any way? to develop the style, lessening the – Why do you think wines from effect of vintage variation on the wine. the Barossa Valley are so different to wines from the Mornington Peninsula?

NOTEWORTHY VARIETIES AND STYLES

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide : RIVALLING THE WORLD’S BEST

- Australia has been making sparkling wine since the late 19th century - Today, Australia is a world-leading producer of a range of styles - Sparkling wine represents a small but significant proportion of production - Considerable growth in recent years

Styles and characteristics TIME TO TASTE Australia produces three main sparkling NOW IS AN APPROPRIATE wine styles. Most Australian sparkling wine consists of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir TIME TO TASTE AND grapes, with the most common style a blend DISCUSS YOUR SELECTED of the two. Some winemakers also make single-varietal (100%) sparkling Chardonnays, MIX OF WINES. known as Blanc de Blancs (French for ‘white of whites’). Australian Blanc de Blancs tend SPARKLING WINE to be elegant, savoury, floral and dry, with Australia has been producing sparkling wine robust acid. Aged Blanc de Blancs – like all since the late 19th century. Today, it’s one of sparkling wines that have spent extended the world’s leading producers of sparkling time on lees – can also develop toasty wine in a range of styles, and prestige notes. Some winemakers also produce sparkling wines from cool-climate, high- single-varietal (100%) sparkling Pinot Noirs, altitude regions are taking their place as known as Blanc de Noirs. the celebratory wine of choice. In addition to Pinot Noir, Australian Sparkling wine represents a small but winemakers blend Chardonnay with significant proportion of the Australian wine ; sparkling wine blends that community’s total production, and it’s a market include red varieties such as Pinot Noir niche for which there is excited consumer or Pinot Meunier tend to be fuller-bodied interest. In the past few years, sparkling wine and show more delicate red fruit notes consumption has seen considerable growth. than those made from just Chardonnay.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY ST YLES AND REGIONS CHARACT ERISTICS ADELAIDE HILLS One of Australia’s most exciting sparkling wine DRY BRUT STYLE regions where crisp, the most popular; aromas cool-climate wines meet include biscuit, dough, subtlety and style toast, apple and grapefruit

THREE MAIN STYLES TASMANIA YARRA VALLEY Produces sparkling Cool climate and wines of impeccable good soil have SPARKLING RED, SPARKLING ROSÉ structure and style, made it a magnet ESPECIALLY SHIRAZ a niche style; many of which are for exceptional a uniquely Australian aromas include premium, Traditional sparkling wine style; crimson floral, rose petal, Method wines producers coloured, juicy, fruity strawberry, raspberry and refreshing and red currant SPARKLING

Key regions Tasmania: A true star in the Australian From bright and fresh Prosecco to complex sparkling wine community. Its pristine, cool and powerful (Méthode environment produces wines of impeccable Traditionelle) styles, Australian sparkling structure and style, many of which are wines rely on pristine wine-growing regions premium, Traditional Method wines. and skilful winemakers. Yarra Valley: The region’s cool climate Adelaide Hills: The altitude provides ideal and good soil have made it a magnet conditions for sparkling wine grapes for exceptional sparkling wine producers Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to retain their including Domaine Chandon. acid levels and develop their fruit flavours. This makes it one of Australia’s most exciting sparkling wine regions – where COMPLEMENTARY crisp, cool-climate wines meet subtlety PROGRAM and style. Discover more in the Australian Sparkling Wine program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide RIESLING: DIVERSE AND DISTINCTIVE

- Australia is one of the world’s top Riesling producers - Long history in Australia; today one of the most renowned varieties - Planted in most wine regions; best examples from cooler areas - Minimal-intervention winemaking approach is common

RIESLING Riesling has a long history in Australia. From humble beginnings, it has grown into one of the country’s most renowned varieties. Australia is one of the world’s top Riesling producers, with production figures similar to the United States and higher than France (Germany takes top spot). It is planted in most of Australia’s wine regions, with the best examples coming from cooler areas. In the , capturing and preserving the vibrant, pure aromas and flavours is key. This often means a less-is- more approach, including cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks and early bottling.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

THE MOST COMMON STYLE AROMATIC, IS DRY, WITH LIGHT-BODIED TO SOME OFF-DRY MEDIUM-BODIED, AND DESSERT HIGH ACID PRESENCE WINES ALSO PRODUCED

YOUTHFUL AGED - Citrus TYPICAL Zippy, fresh Honeyed, FLAVOURS - Apple and drinkable smooth and rich - Honey RIESLING

Styles and characteristics Australian Riesling is zippy, fresh and The most common style in Australia is dry, drinkable when it’s very young, but the best with off-dry and some dessert wines also wines can mature for decades. The vibrant, produced: citrus-based characters transform into flavours of honey, toast and lemon curd, – Dry: Lean, citrus-driven, low residual sugar. while the perception of acidity softens over – Off-dry: A hint more residual sweetness time, giving the wines a smoother texture balanced by acidity. and richer mouthfeel. – Dessert wine: Sweet, age-worthy, rich. Australian are some of the most pure and elegant dry white wines in the world. Riesling grapes produce aromatic light-bodied to medium-bodied wines with high acid presence. These crisp wines are unoaked and generally have a floral perfume, with strong citrus, green apple, and apple/orange blossom characters.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

Great Southern Canberra CLARE Valley Rieslings of great district Some of Australia’s intensity that are fresh Typical style is crisp best Riesling; and nervy in their youth and dry; off-dry signature notes and age superbly styles are making of lemon and lime, a comeback. with fruit richness Excellent ageing and a long, lingering potential persistence South Tasmania Western Great length with citrus and mineral Victoria characters and Fine, lime- Eden Valley high levels of accented and natural acidity Signature slate, mineral age-worthy character, strong lime wines juice and fragrant floral aromas; can take 10+ years to reach peak RIESLING

Key regions many will age superbly. The three northern Canberra District: Home to a thriving cool- areas of Frankland River, Mount Barker climate wine culture, with Riesling leading and Porongurup have particularly strong the white-wine charge. Typical style is crisp reputations for Riesling. and dry, however off-dry styles are making South Western Victoria: These cool, ocean- a comeback. These wines have excellent influenced regions, including the Grampians ageing potential. and Henty, are well suited to Riesling, Clare Valley: Produces some of Australia’s producing fine, lime-accented and age- finest Riesling, setting the benchmark for worthy wines. classic Riesling flavours and internationally Tasmania: The inherent cool climate right acclaimed, age-worthy wines. Style is across the island makes it ideal for the typically medium-bodied with fruit richness production of high-quality dry Riesling. and a lingering acid sensation. Typical Tasmanian style has great length, Eden Valley: Rieslings typically display a with citrus and mineral characters and signature slate, mineral character, strong high levels of natural acidity. lime juice and fragrant floral aromas, and great intensity of flavour on the palate. Good Eden Valley Riesling can take 10 years COMPLEMENTARY or more to reach its peak. PROGRAM Great Southern: Known for producing Discover more in the Riesling Rieslings of great intensity, typically in program, available at the citrus spectrum with an underlay of www.australianwinediscovered.com herbs. Fresh and nervy in their youth,

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide SEMILLON: A TRULY UNIQUE EXPRESSION OF A CLASSIC

- Long history in Australia - Delicate, versatile grape produced in a range of styles - Potential to age for many years - Lends itself to botrytis, or ‘’, to produce one of Australia’s most celebrated sweet wine styles

SEMILLON A true Australian original Semillon is a delicate, versatile grape with a long history in Australia, where it’s produced in a range of styles. What makes this iconic white especially exciting is its long ageing potential and the opportunities it affords winemakers to experiment with different expressions. It’s also one of the few grapes that lends itself to botrytis, or ‘noble rot’, to produce one of Australia’s most celebrated sweet wine styles.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

FOUR DISTINCT COMMONLY BLENDED LIGHT-BODIED STYLES: WITH OTHER TO MEDIUM- UNOAKED, OAKED, VARIETIES INCLUDING BODIED BLENDED, DRY WINES DESSERT WINE SAUVIGNON BLANC

BLENDS

SEMILLON CRISP, CLEAN, YOUTHFUL AGED CONTRIBUTES ELEGANT Crisp, fresh Richer with notes FLAVOUR AND AND FRUIT-DRIVEN, and citrusy of toast and honey ROUNDNESS TO AND GENERALLY THE SHARPER MADE FOR EARLY SAUVIGNON BLANC DRINKING - Citrus TYPICAL NOTES - Apple FLAVOURS

- Honey SEMILLON

Styles and characteristics Semillon blends There are four distinct styles of Semillon Fresh, delicate Semillon provides a tempting in Australia: canvas for some winemakers, who influence – Unoaked. aroma, flavour and texture through blending it with other varieties, including Chardonnay Oaked. – and, most commonly, Sauvignon Blanc. Blended (unoaked or oaked). – Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc are inherently – Dessert wine. complementary, with Semillon contributing Typically, Semillons are light-bodied to flavour and roundness to the more austere, medium-bodied dry wines that you can enjoy sharper Sauvignon Blanc notes to create a early while crisp and fresh. They typically wine that’s greater than the sum of its parts. have citrus, green apple and herbal These broadly appealing blends are crisp, characteristics. But many can also age clean, elegant and fruit-driven, and generally well for many years, developing flavours of made for early drinking. toast and honey. -fermented and aged versions tend to be a little richer. Dessert Semillon is rich, succulent and honeyed.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

Barossa Valley Typically riper, richer styles that are often barrel MARGARET RIVER fermented, however styles Semillon Sauvignon are becoming more crisp Blanc blend is a and delicate signature style, known for its liveliness and bright personality

Hunter Valley Unoaked Hunter Valley Semillon is unique in the RIVERINA wine world, capable of Produces gloriously ageing gracefully for sweet, intense well over 20 years and complex botrytis Semillon dessert wines SEMILLON

Key regions Margaret River: The Semillon Sauvignon Barossa Valley: Typically riper, richer styles Blanc blend is one Margaret River’s signature that are often barrel fermented. However, styles. It’s a distinctive style known for as tastes move towards crisp, fresh whites, its liveliness and bright personality with more Barossa winemakers are picking tropical fruit characters, lemony notes earlier and avoiding oak to create lighter, and pronounced herbal, grassy tones. more delicate styles. Riverina: The region that produces most of Hunter Valley: Hunter Valley Semillon Australia’s high-volume, everyday drinking is unique in the wine world, capable of wine is also home to gloriously sweet, ageing gracefully for well over 20 years, intense and complex botrytis Semillon transforming from a zesty, crisp youngster dessert wines. into an aged wine of deep golden hue, with nutty, honey and straw characters COMPLEMENTARY – almost as if the wine has spent time PROGRAM in oak, even though it hasn’t. Discover more in the Semillon Sauvignon Blanc program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide CHARDONNAY: AUSTRALIA’S CLASSIC WHITE

- The most planted white variety and accounts for more than half of white wine production - Australia has some of the oldest plantings in the world - This versatile variety is vinified into all manner of expressions - Evolved from the big, oaky wines of the 1980s and ’90s to more restrained and elegant styles

CHARDONNAY There’s no such thing as a typical Australian Chardonnay. The most planted white variety, it accounts for well over a third of Australia’s white wine production. Some of the oldest Chardonnay plantings in the world sit alongside more recent clones planted for sparkling wines. Chardonnay is vinified into all manner of expressions, informed by the climate and soils in which it is grown, and by the input of the winemaker. It has been greatly influenced in the past decade by the shift to lower-intervention winemaking and a growing focus on retaining a pure expression of vineyards and regions. Previously known for the big, oaky styles of the 1980s and ’90s, many modern Australian Chardonnays are about acidity, restraint and elegance.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

AUSTRALIAN WINEMAKERS HAVE EMBRACED ALL FLAVOURS AND UNOAKED OAKED SPARKLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS VARIETY

THREE BROAD STYLES

STYLES RANGE FROM - Citrus LEAN AND LIGHT-BODIED TYPICAL COOL-CLIMATE EXPRESSIONS FLAVOURS - Stone fruit TO FULLER-BODIED, RICH AND RIPE VERSIONS FROM - Nuts WARM CLIMATES ch A RD O nn A Y

Styles and characteristics Key regions Australia produces three broad styles Chardonnay grows in virtually every of Chardonnay: winemaking region in Australia – from – Unoaked: Fresh, floral, vibrant, lean. the cool crispness of the Yarra Valley and Tasmania, to Mediterranean-like regions Full bodied, smooth, creamy, – Oaked: such as Margaret River. Warmer climates complex, toasty. such as the Barossa Valley and Hunter Valley – Sparkling: Dry, elegant, savoury. continue to produce rich, ripe styles in Versatile Chardonnay can express the contrast to lean cool-climate styles. vineyard in which its fruit was grown, but it Adelaide Hills: This elevated region produces can also be a canvas for the winemaker’s elegant, textured and lean Chardonnays experimentation. Australian winemakers have with the acid structure to age and stand up embraced all flavours and characteristics against the finest cool-climate Chardonnays of this variety, from lean and light-bodied in the world. cool‑climate expressions to fuller-bodied, Hunter Valley: The previously oaky, rich and ripe versions from warm climates. rich and buttery wines have evolved over the past 15 years or so, with producers still delivering full‑flavoured Chardonnays but with a lighter-handed oak treatment and less use of . Flavours typically range from white peach to citrus, with a slatey acidity.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

MORNINGTON PENINSULA Styles range from delicate adelaide hills HUNTER Valley and unoaked through Elegant, textured The previously oaky to medium-bodied wines and lean, these and rich styles of with rich complexity. wines stand up this warm-climate Typical flavours of melon, against the finest region have evolved citrus and fig cool-climate into elegant and Chardonnays in restrained yet full- the world flavoured wines TASMANIA YARRA VALLEY Dry, delicate Elegant and wines with age-worthy cool- MARGARET RIVER piercing natural climate wines World-class, age-worthy acidity and with high levels wines with fruit ripeness, intense fine of acidity and flavour depth and flavours flavours of citrus refreshing acidity and stone fruit ch A RD O nn A Y

Margaret River: The region’s premium wines Yarra Valley: Grapes are often picked earlier, are among the world’s best. Chardonnay at lower sugar levels, to keep acid levels displays fruit ripeness, flavour depth and high. Aromas and flavours span citrus roundness of texture, with refreshing acidity and stone fruit, and are minerally and that allows the wines to age gracefully. floral. With age, these wines can develop Mornington Peninsula: Styles range appealing flavours of fig. from delicate and unoaked through to medium‑bodied wines with rich complexity. Expect typical fruit flavours of melon, COMPLEMENTARY citrus and fig. Chardonnay benefits from PROGRAM the extraordinary natural acidity that the Discover more in the Chardonnay cool climate can produce, and emphasises program, available at the restraint and tight structure for which www.australianwinediscovered.com the region is renowned. Tasmania: Tasmania’s cool climate and suitable soils produce dry, elegant Chardonnays with piercing natural acidity and intense fine flavours. They are restrained and delicate, generally without oak treatment or overly ripe fruit forwardness. Chardonnay is also used in the production of premium sparkling wines.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide PINOT NOIR: COOL-CLIMATE CHARM

- Relative latecomer to the commercial wine community but now an integral variety - One of the hardest grapes to grow - Best examples come from cool-climate regions - Clonal diversity has been linked to an increase in wine quality and complexity

PINOT NOIR Thriving in some of Australia’s coolest corners, Pinot Noir is a relative latecomer to the commercial wine community but has become an integral variety. Through crafting unique Australian expressions, winemakers have secured Pinot Noir’s place among Australia’s prominent reds. Pinot Noir is one of the hardest grapes to grow, but carefully grown on the right site and handled with skill in the winery, it produces outstanding wines of subtlety, elegance and finesse. Clonal diversity has been linked to an increase in quality and complexity in Pinot Noir wines. Dijon clones have been widely credited as being particularly suited to Australia’s diverse wine‑growing regions. Today, Australian Pinot is steadily making headway on the world wine stage as producers hone their craft.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

PREMIUM LIGHT-BODIED TO WINES MEDIUM-BODIED CHARACTERISED AND RESTRAINED BY SUBTLETY IN NATURE AND FINESSE

YOUTHFUL AGED - Cherry TYPICAL Fine cherry, Develops FLAVOURS - Strawberry red berry and herbal classic earthy notes with silky or or ‘forest floor’ - Raspberry satiny texture savoury characters PINOT NOIR

Styles and characteristics As well as producing single-variety still wines, The challenges of growing and making Pinot Noir is one of the three grape varieties Pinot Noir mean the most successful used in Traditional Method sparkling wine. wines are inherently premium in style and Around half of Pinot grown in Australia is quality, characterised by subtlety and used in sparkling styles. finesse. Pinot Noir is influenced by regional characteristics, however top Australian Pinot Noir is typically light-bodied to medium-bodied and restrained in nature. When it’s young, Australian Pinot Noir has fine cherry, red berry and herbal notes. Its texture is often silky, satiny or soft, and lightweight to medium-weight styles are most common. With maturity, some Australian Pinot Noir will develop classic earthy or ‘forest floor’ savoury characters, adding extra dimensions to the wines.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

Adelaide Hills Tasmania The elevation and Ideal for producing cool climate produces high-quality Pinot Noir medium-bodied styles due to its cool climate; with richer, ripe cherry typically light-bodied to and berry flavours medium-bodied with delicate cherry and strawberry flavours

Mornington peninsula Yarra valley Cool, seaside Produces various region producing expressions due to medium-bodied different elevations wines with characters and aspects; typically of strawberry light-bodied to and cherry and a medium-bodied, backbone of acidity with flavours of cherry, strawberry and plum PINOT NOIR

Key regions Tasmania: The island’s cool climate makes Pinot Noir grows best in Australia’s coolest it ideal for the production of high-quality wine regions, producing elegant and Pinot Noir. Typical style is light-bodied to restrained wines. medium-bodied with delicate cherry and strawberry flavours. Adelaide Hills: With its elevation and cool climate, this is the leading region in South Yarra Valley: This region produces a range Australia for Pinot Noir – used in both still of expressions due to its different elevations red wine styles and sparkling wines. It tends and aspects. It is typically light-bodied to to be medium-bodied with richer, ripe cherry medium-bodied, with flavours of cherry, and berry flavours. strawberry and plum. Some of the cooler- grown fruit goes into the production of Mornington Peninsula: Pinot wines from this cool, seaside region are typically sparkling wine. medium-bodied with vibrant varietal characters of strawberry and cherry, COMPLEMENTARY and a juicy backbone of acidity. PROGRAM Discover more in the Pinot Noir program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide GRENACHE: REBIRTH OF A CLASSIC

- One of the original varieties planted in Australia - Australia boasts some of the oldest Grenache vines in the world - A workhorse grape somewhat overlooked in the early years - Today its enjoying a revival as winemakers recognise its exciting potential

GRENACHE Grenache was one of the original varieties planted in Australia and thrived in the warm, dry South Australian climate. But it was largely overlooked in the early years, used as a workhorse grape and forming the backbone of fortified wines and traditional blends. Today, winemakers recognise the beauty of the ripe, spicy, cherry and raspberry- scented characteristics that Grenache can yield. Australia boasts some of the oldest Grenache vines in the world, dating back to 1850. It’s a rare resource that produces incredible wines.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS KEY

USED IN REGIONS SEVERAL WAYS: AS A VARIETAL RED WINE, IN BLENDS, Barossa valley IN ROSÉS AND Warm conditions and cool IN FORTIFIED nights produce medium-bodied WINES Typically medium- to full-bodied wines with rich bodied to full-bodied texture and notes of red fruit, earth and white pepper; Perfumed, elegant GSM blends often consist TYPICAL and food-friendly of Grenache from old vines FLAVOURS - Cherry - Berry - Spice MCLaren Vale Medium-bodied to full-bodied wines with rich texture, spice and TODAY’S STYLES VARY FROM ripe, juicy fruit; GSMs are RICH AND INTENSE TO LIGHTER, full-bodied, with a juicy mouthfeel, fine tannins

BRIGHTER WINES GRENACHE and great length

Styles and characteristics two of Australia’s oldest regions, produce Grenache is sometimes referred to as some of the best Grenache. It’s a lively warm-climate Pinot Noir. Its skill is in making debate as to which region produces the best! lighter-coloured, perfumed, elegant red Barossa Valley: Warm conditions and cool wines, not lacking flavour, but with nights help build weight and fruit richness, freshness, vibrant fruit and balanced producing medium-bodied to full-bodied wines structure. Today Australian Grenache varies with rich texture and notes of red fruit, earth in style, from rich and intense wines to and white pepper. GSM blends often consist of lighter, brighter styles. These elegant reds Grenache from old vines and are bold, complex are food-friendly and highly drinkable. and age-worthy, with spicy and leathery notes. Grenache is a versatile variety that can McLaren Vale: There are many old-vine be used in several ways: vineyards scattered throughout the region, – As a varietal dry red wine. producing medium-bodied to full-bodied wines with rich texture, ripe, juicy fruit, – As blending material, particularly and spice. GSMs are generally full-bodied, with Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvèdre) with a juicy mouthfeel, fine, velvety tannins in GSM blends. and great length. – In rosés. – In fortified wines, especially Tawny styles. COMPLEMENTARY Key regions PROGRAM Grenache relishes warm climates and Discover more in the Grenache improves as the vines age, which is why program, available at the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide SHIRAZ: AN AUSTRALIAN LEGEND

- Australia’s iconic grape and its most famous wine export - Grown in almost every region and accounts for nearly one-quarter of total wine production - Produced in a wide range of expressions, from affordable, quaffable reds to age-worthy classics - Australia has one of the oldest continuously producing Shiraz vines in the world

SHIRAZ Shiraz is firmly established as Australia’s iconic grape and its most famous wine export. It’s grown in almost every region, except for a handful of cooler-climate regions where it struggles to ripen, and accounts for nearly one-quarter of total wine production. You can find everything from affordable, quaffable reds to magnificent, age-worthy classics that are truly world class. Shiraz was one of the original varieties planted, and today Australia has one of the oldest continuously producing Shiraz vines in the world, with vineyards dating back to 1843. Australia adopted the name Shiraz in place of its French name, , in the 19th century.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

IDEAL BLENDING WARM-CLIMATE PARTNER – BOLD FLAVOURS, JUICY GSM, SHIRAZ JAMMY DARK FRUITS, CABERNET, RIPE TANNINS AND SHIRAZ SEAMLESS TEXTURE VIOGNIER

STYLES

COOLER-CLIMATE ELEGANT, FOOD-FRIENDLY, WARM CLIMATE MEDIUM-BODIED - Dark cherry

AZ - Plum - Chocolate TYPICAL YOUTHFUL AGED FLAVOURS Richly textured; ripe, Softer tannins; rich, dark fruits smoother character; COOL CLIMATE spice, liquorice and

SHI R - Ripe red fruits earth characters

Styles and characteristics Australian Shiraz also makes an excellent Shiraz creates medium-bodied to full-bodied blending partner. It is used as: wines with varying flavour profiles and – Blending material in GSM. Shiraz is structure, depending on region, climate, the ‘S’, Grenache is the ‘G’ and Mataró vine age and winemaking techniques. (Mourvèdre) is the ‘M’. Many drinkers love traditional, warm‑climate – The equal partner in Shiraz Cabernet, Shiraz, with its bold upfront flavour kick, a blockbuster style developed and made juicy jammy fruits, seamless texture from popular in Australia. ripe tannins and a high alcohol level all – The dominant variety in Shiraz Viognier. in balance. But many drinkers are also Adding Viognier delivers heightened embracing the style shift to Shiraz grown in aromas and supple texture. cooler climates. These more elegant wines are pure expressions of the variety and allow for more regional distinction to shine DID YOU KNOW through. They make ideal food partners. Some Australian winemakers produce The best Australian Shiraz wines can age a unique sparkling Shiraz. It’s made gracefully for many years. The ripe, primary the same way as sparkling wine, but fruit characters mature to give complex with Shiraz used as the base wine aromas and flavours of spice, tea, tar, instead of Chardonnay and Pinot. liquorice and earth. Sparkling red can actually be made with any red wine grape, but Shiraz is the most common.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

Eden Valley The Grampians Medium-bodied adelaide hills Elegant, savoury to full-bodied with Moderate alcohol Barossa Valley and spicy; deeply classic berry, sage levels, pepper and Bold Shiraz purple in colour and pepper notes spice aromas, fine bursting with flavour tannins and acids and character

Hunter Valley Canberra district Evolved into medium-bodied Powerful yet elegant Shiraz wines that are savoury, that’s spicy, balanced and complex and food-friendly full-flavoured AZ

MCLaren Vale Mount barker Clare valley Full-bodied Silky, elegant Plush, full-bodied and with rich Shiraz with notes richly textured, with blueberry fruit of liquorice,

flavours of blackberry, SHI R and chocolate black cherry and plum and liquorice characters peppery spice

Key regions The Grampians: Produces elegant, savoury Adelaide Hills: Provides a stark contrast to and spicy Shiraz that’s deeply purple in South Australia’s big, bold reds. This cool colour and has all the sophistication of a maritime-influenced region makes Shiraz cooler-climate Shiraz. with moderate alcohol levels, fragrant Hunter Valley: Shiraz from this warm, humid pepper and spice aromas, and fine tannins region was previously big and bold, but styles and acids. have evolved into medium-bodied wines that Barossa Valley: Produces bold Shiraz bursting are savoury, complex and food-friendly. with flavour and character, thanks to its McLaren Vale: Warm-climate region temperate Mediterranean climate. producing full-bodied Shiraz with rich Canberra District: Cool-climate region blueberry fruit and chocolate characters. producing powerful yet elegant Shiraz that’s Mount Barker: This subregion of Great typically spicy, impeccably balanced and Southern typically produces silky, elegant bursting with flavour. medium-bodied Shiraz with notes of Clare Valley: Opulent and vibrant Shiraz liquorice, black cherry and peppery spice. that’s plush, full-bodied and richly textured, with flavours of blackberry, black cherry, COMPLEMENTARY plum and liquorice. PROGRAM Eden Valley: The Barossa Valley’s cooler Discover more in the Shiraz and neighbour produces medium-bodied to blends program, available at full-bodied Shiraz with classic blackberry, www.australianwinediscovered.com blueberry, sage and pepper notes.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide CABERNET SAUVIGNON: POWERFUL AND AGE-WORTHY

- Australia’s third most planted grape variety - Known for its intensity of colour, flavour, acidity and tannins, and its ability to age for many decades - A fixture in a lot of Australia’s most historic and successful wines - Grows best in warm to cool, dry regions

CABERNET SAUVIGNON Deeply hued Cabernet Sauvignon is Australia’s third most planted grape variety and an integral part of Australia’s wine heritage. It’s known for its intensity of colour, flavour, acidity and tannins, and its ability to age for many decades. As a result, it has been a fixture in a lot of Australia’s most historic and successful wines. Although Cabernet Sauvignon can grow in a variety of climates, it’s a late-ripening vine that grows most successfully in warm to cool, dry regions.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide STYLES AND CHARACTERISTICS

AUSTRALIA IS KNOWN SUCCESSFUL AS FOR FULLER-BODIED, BOTH A SINGLE- CONCENTRATED CABERNET, VARIETY WINE BUT ALSO PRODUCES AND A DOMINANT MEDIUM-BODIED, FEATURE IN TANNIN-DRIVEN STYLES CLASSIC BLENDS

- Blackberry YOUTHFUL AGED TYPICAL Firm tannins, Tannins soften, FLAVOURS - Cherry high acidity, mellow and smooth, - Mint flavours of cassis, characteristics of blackberry cedar, tobacco, and herbs earth, cocoa CABERNET N SAUVIGNO

Styles and characteristics Australian Cabernet ages better than Australia is known for fuller-bodied, most other wines, with some expressions concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon, but in need of age to open up and develop also produces medium-bodied, tannin- their flavours. High-quality examples have driven styles. Cabernet is successful as the tannin structure, concentration and both a single-variety wine and a dominant complexity to age for decades. Young feature in classic blends. These include the Cabernet Sauvignons have firm tannins, full-flavoured Cabernet Shiraz, on which high acidity and flavours of cassis, winemakers have put a uniquely Australian blackberry and herbs. As the wines mature, stamp. their tannins soften, becoming mellow and smooth, and they take on characteristics of cedar, tobacco, earth, soy and cocoa.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide KEY REGIONS

Coonawarra Powerful, complex Cabernet wines; medium-bodied to full-bodied with concentrated flavours of blackcurrant, mulberry, plum, blackberry Margaret river and dark cherry Medium-bodied to full-bodied; richer and more rounded in texture than those of Coonawarra; dark, blueberry fruit characters and bay Langhorne leaf, bouquet garni or Creek dried-herb aromas Full-bodied, rich, flavourful wines with soft tannins and ripe black- fruit flavours. Signature style blends Australian Shiraz with Cabernet CABERNET N SAUVIGNO

FEATURE VIDEO Langhorne Creek: The ocean-influenced climate is well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, Now is a good time to play the producing full-bodied, rich, flavourful wines feature video, Margaret River with soft tannins and ripe black-fruit flavours. Cabernet Sauvignon. Langhorne Creek’s signature style typically blends Australian Shiraz with the Cabernet. Key regions Margaret River: This slightly warmer region You can find Cabernet Sauvignon’s brilliance produces medium-bodied to full-bodied wines all across Australia, and although regional that are richer in flavour and more rounded expressions vary, the variety’s character in texture than those of Coonawarra. shines through no matter where it’s grown. They can show an astonishing balance of However, three Australian wine regions have fruit ripeness, acidity and defined tannin established themselves as iconic, world‑class structure. The wines are characterised by producers of Cabernet Sauvignon. dark, blueberry fruit characters and bay leaf, Coonawarra: The moderate, maritime- bouquet garni or dried-herb aromas. influenced climate here produces powerful, complex Cabernet wines known for their intensity. They are medium-bodied to COMPLEMENTARY full-bodied and showcase bold, dark and PROGRAM red fruits, with concentrated flavours of Discover more in the Cabernet blackcurrant, mulberry, plum, blackberry Sauvignon and blends program at and dark cherry. Classic flavours of mint, www.australianwinediscovered.com eucalyptus and cassis are also present.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide ALTERNATIVE VARIETIES: INNOVATION AND DIVERSITY

- Southern Mediterranean varieties well suited to Australia’s climate, food and lifestyle - Each year the number of alternative varieties being planted increases - They currently account for only 4% of Australia’s wine-producing vineyards, but are attracting attention worldwide

ALTERNATIVE VARIETIES The spirit of experimentation has been alive Innovation and diversity in Australian wine since the first colonial The imagination and curiosity of winemakers vignerons planted vines in the 1800s, but it’s has led to the success of many Southern only now that there is appetite for these Mediterranean varieties, and each year alternative varieties. The combination the number of varieties planted in Australia of creative winemakers and a thirst for increases thanks to how well suited they are something ‘new’ from consumers means to the country’s climate, food and lifestyle. making wine from alternative varieties is Alternative varieties account for only 4% today a smart business decision. of Australia’s wine-producing vineyards, but they’re attracting the attention of critics and drinkers all over the world.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide VARIETIES ON THE RISE

FIANO: Crisp, fresh and NEBBIOLO: Fruit-pure SANGIOVESE: Firm tannins; aromatic; flavours range from and fresh to powerful, aromatic notes of plum, citrus to stone fruit to hazelnut aged and age-worthy cherry, herbs AVOLA ’ FIANO NERO D GRÜNER VELTLINER NE BBIOLO VERMENTINO SANGIOVESE

GRÜNER VELTLINER: Aromatic NERO D’AVOLA: Medium-bodied, VERMENTINO: Ranges from fresh and refreshing; quite dry, naturally fresh acidity, generous to textural; notes of almond, savoury and somewhat fruity tannins, food-friendly citrus, green apple and ‘sea spray’

VARIETIES ON THE RISE Nebbiolo (Italy) Fiano (Italy) – Characteristics: Australian Nebbiolo – Characteristics: Australian Fiano can comes in a variety of expressions, display a crisp freshness with perfumed from fruit-pure and fresh to powerful, aromatics, and flavours ranging from aged (and age-worthy) styles. lemon and grapefruit through to peach, The tar‑and-roses aroma runs equally hazelnut and apricot, with a palate that throughout most examples, and most is viscous, textured and deep. are high in tannins and acidity. – Key regions: McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, – Key regions: King Valley, Mornington Hunter Valley, Granite Belt. Peninsula, Beechworth, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley. Grüner Veltliner (Austria) – Characteristics: Grüner Veltliner’s natural Nero d’Avola (Italy) acidity and citrus fruit flavours mean it – Characteristics: In Australia, Nero d’Avola strikes a balance between being aromatic is mostly produced as a medium-bodied and refreshing; it’s quite dry, savoury and wine, with its naturally fresh acidity, somewhat fruity. generous tannins and savoury edge making it a top food-friendly wine. – Key regions: Adelaide Hills, Canberra District. – Key regions: Riverland, Murray Darling, McLaren Vale.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Sangiovese (Italy) DID YOU KNOW – Characteristics: Australian Sangiovese LABELLING LAWS displays aromatic notes of plum and cherry, along with herbs. On the palate, Rules apply to all variety claims the tannic structure is firm, often showing stipulating the minimum amount of a another layer of plum, cherry and single grape that a wine must contain sour cherry. for that wine to be labelled as a single variety. In Australia, at least 85% of King Valley, McLaren Vale, – Key regions: the wine must be from the grape in Beechworth. question. This percentage varies from Vermentino (Italy) country to country – for example, – Characteristics: The appeal of Australian it’s 75% in the US and 85% in the EU. Vermentino lies in its delicate nose and long, fresh palate. Styles range from fresh to textural. On the palate, expect notes of almond, lime, grapefruit, green apple and a typical ‘sea spray’ note. – Key regions: McLaren Vale, Riverland, Hunter Valley, King Valley.

COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM Discover more in the Alternative Varieties program, available at www.australianwinediscovered.com

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide AUSTRALIAN WINE: AS DIVERSE AS THE COUNTRY KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER: - The first vines were planted in THAT MADE IT Australia in 1788; today there are 65 wine regions growing more than 100 grape varieties

- Australia’s climate and soils are extremely diverse, and wine is produced across the country, although it’s concentrated around the southeast and southwest

- Australia has been a land mass for over 100 million years, and its soils are some of the most ancient on Earth; soils vary greatly between and within regions

AUSTRALIAN WINE: AS DIVERSE AS THE COUNTRY THAT MADE IT There’s nothing quite like Australian wine. The country’s unique landscape, climate and soils are home to a community of passionate and fiercely independent winemakers and grapegrowers. Australian wine is defined by its diversity, creativity, authenticity and quality, with producers drawing on generations of experience while experimenting with new techniques, varieties and styles in order to make delicious wines.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide - Latitude, maritime influences and elevation all contribute to a surprising diversity of climates – ranging from alpine zones, to Mediterranean areas, to the tropics, to the very dry centre

- Each of Australia’s 65 wine regions has its own characteristics and wine styles; in general, higher-value premium wines come from smaller and cooler-climate regions

- Australia’s most prominent varieties and wine styles are sparkling wines, Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon

- Alternative varieties – largely Mediterranean vines – are rapidly growing in popularity, adding to the diversity of Australian wine

Today, these wines are better than ever, with a strong focus on freshness, natural acidity, balance and regional distinction. As young wine regions mature and the established ones evolve, the Australian wine scene will only increase in quality and diversity.

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide SUGGESTED TIMINGS

This program can be taught in a single session as a half-day course or treated as a modular program, which allows you to select which topics you teach and how long you spend on them. The approach you take will depend on your attendees as well as time allocation. If time is limited, you may prefer to cover fewer topics. Below are the four key modules as well an example of how you may wish to divide your time over a half-day program.

KEY MODULES SUGGESTED WINES TO TASTE These are just suggestions – you can select 1. History of Australian wine whichever wines best suit your tasting and audience. Wines may or may not be available 2. Australia’s geography, climate and soil in your area. 3. Noteworthy Australian wine regions Sparkling – House of Arras ‘Brut Elite’ 4. Australia’s key varieties and wine styles Tasmanian Sparkling – Bird in Hand Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir Sparkling NV HALF DAY CLASS – Dal Zotto ‘L’Immigrante’ King Valley Prosecco Topic Time (mins) Riesling – Grosset ‘Polish Hill’ Clare Valley Riesling Welcome and introduction 10 mins – Frankland River Riesling History of Australian wine 15 mins – Harewood Estate Mount Barker Riesling Australia’s geography, – Crawford River Henty Riesling 15 mins climate and soil Semillon/SSB Noteworthy Australian – Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon 45 mins wine regions – Fraser Gallop Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Break 10 mins – Tyrrells ‘Stevens Vineyard’ Australia’s key varieties Hunter Valley Semillon 2 hours and wine styles – Sorrenberg Beechworth Summary and class close 5 mins Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Chardonnay – ‘Art Series’ Margaret River Chardonnay – Giant Steps ‘Sexton Vineyard’ Yarra Valley Chardonnay – Printhie ‘Mt Canobolas’ Orange Chardonnay – McWilliam’s ‘842’ Tumbarumba Chardonnay

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Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide Pinot Noir – Stonier Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir – Josef Chromy Wines Tasmania Pinot Noir – William Downie Gippsland Pinot Noir – Pemberton Pinot Noir Grenache – Cirillo Barossa Valley Grenache – SC Pannell McLaren Vale Grenache Grenache Blends – Mount Mary ‘Marli Russell’ Yarra Valley Grenache Mourvèdre Shiraz – La Violetta Almirante y Obispo Geographe Grenache Mourvèdre Shiraz – John Duval ‘Entity’ Barossa Valley Shiraz – Tyrrell’s Wines ‘Vat 9’ Hunter Valley Shiraz – Best’s ‘White Gravels Hill’ Great Western Shiraz – Eden Hall ‘Block 4’ Eden Valley Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon – Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon – Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon – Bremerton ‘Walter’s Reserve’ Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Alternative varieties – Coriole McLaren Vale Fiano – Castagna ‘La Chiave’ Beechworth Sangiovese – Golden Grove Granite Belt Vermentino – Ravensworth Hilltops Nebbiolo – Scion Rutherglen Durif

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide THANK YOU

Foundations of Australian wine / Facilitator guide