I N T R O D U C T I O N T O W I N E AUSTRALIAN WINE DISCOVERED
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 grape 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 wines in the world. That’s just our way.
TODAY - What wine is WE’LL - Regional influences on grape growing - How wine is made - How to taste - Different wine styles and varieties - Australia’s best-known wine regions COVER… - How to serve and enjoy - Wine faults and how to identify them
W H AT I S W I N E ? A n a l c o h o l i c d r i n k m a d e b y f e r m e n t i n g f r u i t j u i c e . W h y g r a p e s ? – H i g h e r a c i d i t y t o p r e s e r v e t h e w i n e – H i g h e r s u g a r c o n t e n t f o r b e t t e r f e r m e n t a t i o n
WINE GRAPES VERSUS TABLE GRAPES Key differences: – Origin – Size – Skin thickness – Sweetness – Seeds WINE GRAPE TABLE GRAPE
K E Y FA C T O R S INFLUENCING GRAPE GROWING 1 6 WATER DIURNAL TEMPERATURE RANGE QUALITY 2 7 HOURS OF SUNSHINE SOIL 3 8 TOPOGRAPHY CLIMATE 9 4 PROXIMITY TO WEATHER PATTERNS BODIES OF WATER 5 10 MICROBES PRESENT RAINFALL IN THE REGION And the list goes on...
HOW RED WINE I S M A D E 1. HARVEST 2. DESTEMMING 3. FERMENTATION 4. PRESSING & CRUSHING 5. MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION 9. BOTTLING 8. FINING & 7. BLENDING 6. MATURATION FILTERING
HOW WHITE WINE I S M A D E 1. HARVEST 2. DESTEMMING 3. PRESSING 4. FERMENTATION & CRUSHING 5. STABILISATION 9. BOTTLING 8. FINING & 7. MATURATION 6. BLENDING FILTERING
THE ART - Oak barrels or stainless steel? - New oak or used barrels? OF AGEING French oak or American oak? - How long will the wine age for? It could be anywhere from a few months to several years
O A K V E R S U S S TA I N L E S S S T E E L - Oak barrels increase wine’s exposure to oxygen, giving it complex flavours and tannin structure. TA N K S - Stainless steel tanks minimise oxygen exposure, ensuring wines retain their fruitiness and floral flavours.
HOW TO 1. Look TASTE WINE 2. Swirl 3. Smell 4. Taste 5. Conclude 0 1 XXXX - Errit huctum satem mo. - Conventi culicastam muliis huituam iaecuper. - Bi erridet huctum satem mo.
1 LOOK - Glass about one-third full - Hold it at a 45-degree angle against a white background - Observe the colour of the wine
THE COLOUR OF WINE gold yellow brpwn strbw lempn salmon magentb pink ruby brown purple tb w n y gb r n e t
- Swirling wine helps to open up the aromas - Swirl the glass while holding firmly on a flat surface - See if the wine forms ‘legs’ or ‘tears’ - A wine with good legs is generally bigger, riper and more mouth-filling Wine leg s 2 SW I RL
3 – T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t s t e p S M E L L – H u m a n s c a n i d e n t i f y t h o u s a n d s o f d i f f e r e n t o d o u r s – E x p e r t s c a n l e a r n a l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t a w i n e b y s m e l l i n g i t – D e e p i n h a l a t i o n v e r s u s q u i c k s h o r t s n i f f s – f i n d a s t y l e t h a t w o r k s f o r y o u
T H E T H R E E T Y P E S O F W I N E A R O M A S PRIMARY AROMAS Fruit, herbs, florals SECONDARY TERTIARY AROMAS AROMAS Bready, yeasty, Earth, mineral, toast, vanilla, leather, tobacco chocolate, spice
4 TA S T E Five main elements to note: - Sweetness/dryness - Acidity - Tannin - Alcohol - Body
SWEETNESS/ DRYNESS SWEETNESS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: SCALE – Light tingling Bone- sensation on the tip dry of your tongue – Slightly oily sensation Dry on the middle of your tongue – A bone-dry wine can Off-dry feel as though it’s drawing moisture from Medium- your tongue. But this dry sensation can also be due to high tannin Medium- – sweet Sweeter wine will have sweetness on the finish – Sweet The natural sweetness of fruit juice.
T A S T E S – Green apple E DRY WHITE T – Figs I H – Herbs W – Honey – Lemon T – Tropical fruit E E – Tropical fruit W S
T A S T E S – Tart fruit SWEET RED – Candied fruit DRY R ED – Herbs – Honey – Dark berries – Flowers – Ripe berries
ACIDITY ACIDITY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: SCALE – Mouth-watering – Tart Low – Rush of juiciness on both sides of your tongue COMPARISON: Eating a green apple Medium or lemon. High
TANNIN TANNIN Tannins add structure, SCALE backbone and complexity to a wine, particularly Low in reds. They’re also vital if the wine needs to age, as they act as a preservative. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: – Bitterness on the sides Medium of your tongue – Texture throughout your mouth – Strong tannins make your tongue and teeth dry out and cause a puckering feeling on High your gums COMPARISON: Strongly brewed tea turned cold.
BODY BODY Swish the wine around SCALE your mouth to coat your tongue, cheeks and Light- bodied palate. Generally the more alcohol, the fuller the body. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: – Light-bodied wine: lighter, thinner, less Medium- bodied viscous mouthfeel – Full-bodied wine: heavy or creamy COMPARISON: – Light-bodied wine: non-fat milk Full- bodied – Medium-bodied wine: whole milk – Very full-bodied wine: heavy cream
ALCOHOL WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: ALCOHOL SCALE – Heat in the middle of your tongue, throat 8% Low and chest – Fortified wine will 9% produce a warming 10% glow in your mouth, 11% throat and chest 12% COMPARISON: 13% The warm, burning sensation of spirits. 14% 15% TASTES: Wines high in alcohol 16% can taste more ww or 17% High sweeter.
5 – Short or long finish? – Does it taste balanced? CONCLUDE – 0 1 Do the flavours linger? – Do any particular characteristics stand out? – What have you learned about XXXX - Errit huctum satem mo. the wine? - Conventi culicastam muliis huituam iaecuper. - Bi erridet huctum satem mo.
W I N E S T Y L E S A N D V A R I E T I E S
SPARKLING WINE A number of methods have been developed for producing sparkling wine, each resulting in a slightly different style. - Traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) - Transfer - Ancestral - Tank - Carbonation
LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE AUST R A L I A N RI E S L I N G Y LM A OO I T A N ES T N D I E N R E G I O N S W NP RF GROWS PRIMARIL Y IN: Clare Valley Eden Valley RELING Tasmania Orange Canberra District Great Southern NATURAL Henty ACIDITY AUSTRALIAN C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S - Citrus fruits - Green apple - Perfumed AGES WELL - Bright fruit characters
LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE AUST R A L I A N S E M I L LO N R E G I O N S GROWS IN MANY REGIONS LIGHT TO particularly the MEDIUM-BODIED Hunter Valley and Margaret River. SEMILLON The unique style of Hunter Valley Semillon ages well COMMONL Y BLENDED WITH SAUVIGNON - Citrus BLANC AUSTRALIAN - Floral - Green apple - Stone fruits
FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE AUST R A L I A N C H A RD O N N AY R E G I O N S N O I C T U D O P R E N I W T E I H W GROWS IN ’ S + A I 50% A L T R S U A O F ALL REGIONS - Pear C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S - Apple - Peach - Citrus Big oaky HARDY, - Toasty VERSATILE styles replaced GRAPE AUSTRALIAN - Subtle oak by wines with crisper acidity, minerality and elegance
AROMATIC WHITE WINE AUST R A L I A N M OS CATO PA I R I N G POPULAR AS AN APERITIF AND DESSERT WINE Best examples MOSCATO from cooler regions LOW - Light, refreshing, ALCOHOL sweet wine CONTENT - Pretty, floral AUSTRALIAN characteristics
RO SÉ WINE AUST R A L I A N ROS É R E G I O N S GROWN POPULAR MODERN ACROSS AUSTRALIA STYLE IS PALE AND DRY ROSE FRESH RED FRUITS: - Cherry AUSTRALIAN - Strawberry - Raspberry EXTREMELY DIVERSE STYLES made from a variety of red wine grapes
LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE AUST R A L I A N P I N OT N O I R R E G I O N S F OCUS ON COOL-CLIMATE YOUNG regions such as Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania bright red and black fruit flavours AUSTRALIA’S PINOT NOIR MOST POPULAR C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S LIGHT RED A U S T R A L I A N AGED more complex STYLES VARY characters such depending on region as tobacco, forest and winemaking process floor, earthsmoke and spice
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