Australia

Understanding the Wines Down Under

One thing is for certain: there’s no other wine region in the world that has a problem with herbivorous kangaroos! And that’s just one of the things unique to the Australian wine industry. Another is the seasons — exactly the opposite of ours and Europe’s, which means that Australian wines are ready for the market about six months before those of the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s another unique fact: Australians drink more wine per person than any other English-speaking country (more than twice the amount that Americans do!). Trivia aside, there are more important facts you should know about the Australian wine industry. For example, today, Australia is the second-largest exporter of wines to America, after Italy, having outpaced even France, Spain and Chile in recent years. That’s quite an achievement for an industry that produced mostly sweet and Port-style wines until about 40 years ago. Thanks to a commitment to experimentation and automation (you’ll read more about that later on), Australia’s 1,115 wineries now produce just about every kind of wine: dry, “stickies” (sweet), still, sparkling and fortified. Among these, dry table wines — especially robust, fruity reds and creamy whites — are the leading favorites, ranging from vineyard-specific wines crafted from the grapes of century-old vines to blends from multiple regions. And all have earned a reputation for their easy approachability, fruit-forward style and intense flavors.

Stretching some 3 million square miles from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, Australia is nearly as large as the United States and just as diverse in culture — and viticulture. In this overview, we’ll have a go at acquainting you with the nation-continent’s general geography, the most important of its 40 wine regions — and the approach to wine making that makes this the most progressive and creative producer in the world today.

Ancient Soils, Futuristic Techniques

At more than a billion years old, Australia is the oldest continent in the world and also one of the least inhabited. It stands to reason that here are found some of the most ancient soils on earth — and also some of the oldest grapevines. Australia also hosts a huge variety of growing climates and micro climates, from its harsh, desert-like interior,which discourages habitation, to the tropical north and cool coastal south.

It is this very variety that helps give Australia its edge in wine production. Wine styles are as varied as the soils and the climates of this nation entirely bounded by water. And because underpopulation has resulted in a scarcity of labor, Australian winemakers have had to rely increasingly on technology— putting them on the cutting edge of today’s wine industry.

The Aussie Philosophy

With so many varieties grown over such a vast distance and covering so many differing climates and soils, what can explain the way Australian wine as a whole has burst on the international scene so powerfully over the past two decades?

Perhaps the answer lies in two fundamental underpinnings of the Australian wine making industry. Good blend hunting. In Europe — particularly in France — the concept of terroir is virtually sacrosanct: the idea that remaining true to the soil and climate of a specific region reveals the true character of the grape. Obstreperous Australians, on the other hand, consciously pooh-pooh terroir, choosing instead to blend carefully selected grapes from across many regions. The result? Wines that remain consistent year by year, not only for quality, but also for value. There simply are no bad vintages here. While multi-regional blends are generally sold as table wines, many big wineries use blending even for their most prestigious wines.

Among the most popular Australian blends are Chardonnay and Sémillon for whites, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah for reds. The names of all grape varieties appear on the label in order of importance. It’s the technology, mate. Once upon a time, Australian wine makers faced a serious problem. There simply weren’t enough laborers available to perform the many tasks involved in cultivating grapes: pruning, trimming, spraying, harvesting, etc. Their solution has put them on the forward edge of the future of winemaking: machinery. Today, creative vintners have found technological solutions to move viticulture into the new millennium. No wonder a country that produces only 4% of the world’s wine publishes 25% of its technological research papers! Today, with almost every aspect of the process automated, Australian wine makers continue to bring innovation to an industry built on tradition.

Aussie Varieties Add Spice to Life

Although white-wine grapes still dominate Australia’s 400,000acres of vineyard, red-wine grapes are gaining fast, rising from 35% to 47% of total plantings over the past few years. Among the most popular of the 70 grape varieties grown in Australia are Chardonnay, Sémillon, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc for the whites, and Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot for the reds. Here is a closer look at the most important of these varieties.

The Top Grape Down Under: Syrah

Say “G’day” to the quintessential Australian variety, Syrah! Actually identical to the noble Syrah grape of France’s Rhône Valley, Syrah is distinctly linked to the Land Down Under, just as Pinot Noir is to Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon to Bordeaux. Accounting for 25% of the country’s total vineyard area and more than 30% of the area devoted to black grapes, Syrah is also Australia’s top producer in terms of wine volume. It is particularly well suited to the growing climates of South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley in New South Wales and certain areas of the state of Victoria. At its best, Australian Syrah can rank among the world’s finest red wines — robust and full-bodied, bursting with ripe plum, dark cherry, boysenberry, violet and chocolate flavors, with peppery overtones and a lingering finish. Fruitier, slightly sweeter and less spicy than its Rhône Valley counterpart, Australian Syrah tends to be accessible, with soft tannins. The basis forsome Port-style wines, it is also often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Grenache.

The Pride of South Australia: Cabernet Sauvignon

In every hemisphere, Cabernet Sauvignon is responsible for some of the greatest red wines in the world. Australia’s is no exception. Though not as widely planted as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon overtook Grenache in total vineyard acreage in the last decade and counts as one of the major grapes of this nation continent.

Although Australian Cabernet can range from medium to full bodied depending on the region in which the grapes are grown,the preferred style here is always dry, with intense blackberry flavors and a strong, yet supple structure. The variety often lends elegance to a blend with Syrah; Merlot is another popular blending mate Down Under.

The Once and Future King: Grenache

Once the most widely planted black grape variety in the country, Grenache was overtaken by Syrah in the mid-1970s and has remained in the shadow of Australia’s most popular variety eversince. Even Cabernet Sauvignon has accounted for more plantings since the middle of the last decade.

It appears from current trends, however, that Grenache is back on the rise. From serving as a staple of basic red table wines, Grenache is now emerging as a superior blending partner for Syrah and Mourvèdre to create wines in the style of France’s Rhône Valley, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as well as important Port-style wines. The variety also stands well on its own, producing an intense red wine packed with fruit flavors.

Australia’s Great White: Chardonnay

Like California and France, Australia produces far more Chardonnay than any other white wine. Almost every Australian winery offers a Chardonnay, and the selection runs the gamut of price and quality. In fact, Chardonnay has become so popular in Australia, output increased five fold between 1986 and 1996 alone! In the cooler regions of the continent, such as Victoria and Tasmania, the grapes produce a citrus quality, whereas grapes from the hot interior regions suggest syrup and smoke. Yet, although styles vary, Australian Chardonnays are generally unique in the world for their brash exuberance — much like Australia itself! Australian Chardonnays tend to be dry and full flavored,with rich citrus, peach, pineapple and buttery oak flavors,tinged with a hint of spice. The best Australian Chardonnays rank with the best in the world for their elegance and complexity. Chardonnay grapes are also used for Australian sparkling wines.

The 85% Rule

When it comes to regulations, it’s the New World vs. the Old: like that of the U.S., Australia’s wine industry is not as restricted by labeling restrictions as France, with its Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée laws, or Italy, with its DOC regulations. Australia’s Label Integrity Program (L.I.P.), which took effect in with the 1990 vintage, however, does impose these rules on claims of vintage, variety and viticultural region:

• To name a region on the label, 85% of the wine must come from that region.
• To name a variety on the label, 85% of the wine must consist of that variety.
• In a blend, if no grape accounts for 85% of the total, all varieties must be listed in order of importance on the label, and the percentage of each grape must be included.
• The producer’s name must appear on the label.
• If a vintage appears on the label, 95% of the wine must be included