Climate and Natural Factors
Australia is a major player in domestic and international wine production with many styles. The grapes are grown and harvested across many areas with each tailored to the intended wine style. Traditional method wines receive the most attention here as they require cool sites with high diurnal range to assure the grapes are low in potential alcohol – 9-11%, just ripe in flavor and with retained acidity. Louis Roederer and the Tasmanian company Heemskerk established the efforts for high quality, traditional method wines in Tasmania. The southern location of the island is far south in latitude in the southern hemisphere and many locations are actually cooler than Champagne. There are three main regions – Tamar Valley, Pipers River and Coal River – each with cool but varying climates due to ocean effects and whether there are natural protections against the prevailing winds. Tamar is warmer than Pipers river (adjacent and close) but is sheltered from the cool Southern Ocean and harvests two weeks earlier. Coal Valley is warm relative to the island even being further south. Latitude in Tasmania creates highly intense sunlight and long slow ripening and while they are considering subzone identification, most blend grapes from across the varying climates for balance in acidity and ripeness. Other areas on the main island include Yarra Valley (ocean moderated), Adelaide Hills (altitude) and portions of the Alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales (altitude). The tank and carbonated wines are grown in warmer regions including traditional areas (McLaren Vale, Barossa, central Victoria) for Shiraz (sparkling Shiraz), Riverland, Riverina and Murray Darling (fruit for inexpensive sparkling wines), Kings Valley for Prosecco Human Factors and Yield Frost and high/untimely rainfall are the key risks here with Coulure and lower yields being the result. Botrytis in late season is an additional risk. Viticultural Factors and Harvest Harvest is several weeks earlier than still wines for high acid and 9-11% potential alcohol Avoids fall rains Avoids risk of late season disease pressure Shiraz is picked and vinified with still wines – not earlier. Grape(s)
Pre-Fermentation Inter-regional blending Malo? Optional and winemaker choice. Yes for sparkling shiraz. Blending? Usually a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Blending across regions for inexpensive tank method, carbonation or transfer method wines, Maturation 2nd Fermentation Traditional Method with some transfer method employed – Traditional method is the process in which a second fermentation takes place in the bottle in which it will later be sold. No lees requirements and varies with many going with extended lees aging up to 3 years. Bottling Style dependent. Production Traditional method wines on Tasmania are in two groups – larger companies that transport the base wine to the main island for sparkling production (Bay of Fires) or small producers that keep the specialized equipment on the island for sparkling production. The small producers are more likely to use hand riddling or limited gyropalettes. Style(s) Traditional method styles include non vintage, vintage, prestive cuvee, rose. There is no dictated minimum lees aging time but most employ extended lees aging of up to 3 years for pronounced autolytic character. Jansz and Arras produce late disgorged wines of 6 years lees aging. Medium + to high acidity, just ripe flavors and medium alcohol with varying autolytic character. Tank/Transfer/Carbonated wines are medium to medium + acidity with a range of sweetness levels, low to medium alcohol and light to medium body. No autolytic character and fruit driven wines. Brown Brothers, Jacobs Creek and Yellowglen are producers Sparkling Shiraz – dark in color and rangin from ruby to garnet. Medium minus to medium acidity, medium to high alcohol, medium but ripe tannins and balanced by dosage – often with as much as 20 g/l of residual sugar. Two basic styles of savory or fruity and may have oak flavors from the base wine treatment. Autolytic notes are masked if present. Some late disgorged sparkling shiraz are made. Moscato – (e.g., Innocent bystander) – a growing sector – similar in style to the Italian Moscato. Grapes tend to come from warmer areas and tank method produced. Low in alcohol, off-dry to sweet and with distinctive grapey flavors. Acceptable to good Prosecco – Glera based and from Kings Valley predominantly. The naming protections in Italy are not adopted as wine production was started by Dal Zotto in 2004, prior to the Italian efforts to protect the Prosecco name. Tank method and light, fruity in style with medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, light to medium body and delicate peach flavors. Tends to be off-dry to medium dry. Good to very good and some carbonated is made. Pet Nat – cloudy, with varying levels of pressure. Usually dry with medium plus acidity and medium alcohol. Varying levels of intensity and often with yeasty flavors and fruity or cider notes. Winemaker intent Style dependent Marketing and Business considerations Major international player in wine. 6% of total wine crush are sparkling wines equates to 66 million liters. 80% domestic with rising exports.
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Wine Up and DownDennis Smith, IWP, AWE, WSET 3, NPWE Archives
October 2021
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