WINES OF THE WORLD I

Week Five

Australia & New Zealand

AUSTRALIANORTHERNTERRITORY

WESTERNAUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

SOUTHAUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH

WALES

VICTORIA

TASMANIA

Darwin

Alice Springs

Brisbane

Hobart

Melbourne

CanberraSydney

Adelaide

Perth

C O R A L S E A

T A S M A N S E A

I N D I A N O C E A N

©WSET®2003

N

0 600 1200 Km

0 600 MilesWine Producing Regions

35°S

25°S

15°S15°S

25°S

35°S

AUSTRALIA History – Similar timeline & styles as

California

Started over 150 years ago and immigrants plantings have influenced the types of wine produced

Operated in isolation producing wine for the locals until 1980s

Moved from bulk wine (BIB here) to higher quality and respect

Four large companies dominate the wine industry pumping out big, lush and mouth-filling values

AUSTRALIA Over-production and drought (keeps

volume down) have plagued them recently

About the same size as the U.S., but most vineyards are located in South Eastern Australia; very warm, so proximity to water is very beneficial

Mechanical harvesting at night helps grapes to stay fresh and “in balance” and keeps prices down

Chardonnay (blends with semillon) and shiraz (same grape as syrah) is what we look to import from there; blends, “stickies” (dessert wines) & sparklers are popular

NEW ZEALAND

©WSET®2003

N

0 100 200 300 Km

0 100 200 Miles

46S46S

42S 42S

38S38S

Auckland

GisborneNapierHastings

WellingtonNelsonBlenheim

Christchurch

Queenstown

Dunedin

AUCKLANDGISBORNE

HAWKES BAY

MARTINBOROUGH(WAIRARAPA)

NELSON

MARLBOROUGH

CANTERBURY

OTAGO

NORTH ISLAND

SOUTH ISLAND

T A S M A NS E A

P A C I F I CO C E A N

StewartIsland

NEW ZEALAND History – Producing wine for about 200 years

(from non-Vinifera; lower quality)

Located between equator and the South Pole about 1000 miles south of Australia

Vineyards are planted furthest south and east in the world; long growing season helps ripen and enrich aromas and flavors of wines; rocky vineyards in dried-up river beds help radiate sun’s heat

Temperatures are moderated on the two narrow islands by the cooling water surrounding them

Became well known in 1990s with exceptional sauvignon blancs

NEW ZEALAND Many unoaked (“naked”), exotic, racy

whites (about ¾ of total production); pinot noir more recently; some richer red blends (North Island)

Marlborough is the key region and is located on the northern tip of the South Island; gravelly; about 40% of country’s total vineyard acreage is located here and sauvignon blanc dominates the plantings

Has much lower production than Australia and many other countries (about #30 in the world)

Screw caps rule!

FOUNDATION FLAVORS OF WINE

Acidity

Acidity in wine will bring out the flavors in food.Acidity in wine can be described using various

terms

Crisp – Zingy – Tart – Tangy – Sharp – Refreshing – Bracing - Bright

Great Tastes Made Simple – Immer Robinson

FOUNDATION FLAVORS OF WINE

Fruit

Some common fruit flavors found in the classic wines

Whites: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, ChardonnayLean (cooler climates)--------------------------Lush (warmer climates)

Apple – Pear – Kiwi – Citrus – Peach – Melon – Mango – Pineapple

Reds: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet SauvignonLean (cooler climates)------------------------------Lush (warmer climates)

Cranberry – Cherry – Raspberry – Plum – Blueberry – Blackberry – Fig

Great Tastes Made Simple – Immer Robinson

FOUNDATION FLAVORS OF WINE

Oak

Oak-aging creates flavors in wine that don’t “inherently” come from the grape itself. These flavors are a result of the wine-making process.

The most common “oak” descriptors are reminiscent of dessert flavors (without the

sweetness)

Toasty – Nutty – Mocha – Coffee – Spicy – Vanilla – Coconut – Sweet

Great Tastes Made Simple – Immer Robinson

FOUNDATION FLAVORS OF FOOD

Sweetness

Sweetness does not mean a lot of sugar. When you broil, roast or grill you are concentrating the flavors and caramelizing those foods. This brings out the sweetness in the dishes. This doesn’t mean you need to pair the dish with a sweet wine either, but a more bold wine would stand up the bolder flavors.

Great Tastes Made Simple – Immer Robinson

FOUNDATION FLAVORS OF FOOD

Meatiness

When you have a piece of wild salmon or a portobello mushroom, you understand what meaty can really mean. It doesn’t have to be a thick steak or something that originally had a face. It has to do with that texture and richness.

Fattiness

Fat in food does not mean LOTS. Fatty-rich foods have an intrinsic wine-loving flavor simply on their own (good quality olive oil, butter, foie gras). Fatty-rich foods have an amazing power to act as a “bridge” ingredient to boost other flavors in both food and wine. Fat can capture and contain flavor as in smoked foods like salmon, where the flavor is sealed in. Fatty-richness, when not with other flavors, directly showcases wine’s components – fruit, earthiness, oak. It enhances enjoyment of full-bodied wines by adding body to a dish so a big wine won’t overpower the food. Fatty richness enhances red wines by coating mouth and taming tannins, so big fruit and complexity of a wine shine through. Fatty richness also tames wine’s acidity (in both reds and whites). Great Tastes Made Simple – Immer Robinson

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METHODS OF COOKING

Poach, Steam, Boil

Grill, Roast, Barbeque

Accompaniments

Stew, BraiseDeep fry, Shallow Fry, Stir fry

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN MATCHING

Service Temperature

Seasonings

FOOD FLAVORS AND TEXTURES

KEY FLAVOURSStrength

Spice

Smoked

Sour

Salty

Sweet

WEIGHT

Light Rich

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STYLES OF WINES

Full - Bodied

BODY

Light -Bodied

Medium - Bodied

TASTY TIPS FOR PAIRING WINE AND FOOD

1. What grows together goes together. Regional food with the wines of the region.

2. Neither the wine or the food should overwhelm each other. You should always try to match intensities.

3. Start your meal with lighter foods and wines and progress to more full-flavored foods and full-bodied wines.

4. When you pair an acidic wine with high acid foods (tomatoes, lemon), your brain is tricked into thinking there is less acid in both.

TASTY TIPS FOR PAIRING WINE AND FOOD

5. Richer, fattier foods (beef, duck) can coat the tongue and protect it from cutting edge of tannin. Tannin in wine can also cut away that “fatty buildup” on your tongue.

6. Watch out for high tannin wines with fish. It can make the food taste metallic (yuck).

7. Watch out for salty foods! It can react poorly with tannin.

8. Foods that are hot and spicy, smoky or salty go best with fruity, light-bodied red wines or with wines with some sweetness (tames heat especially).

TASTY TIPS FOR PAIRING WINE AND FOOD

9. Make sure your sweet food or dessert has a wine that is as sweet if not sweeter than the food. Otherwise, the food will strip the wine of its fruit and make it taste really unbalanced.

10. When adding wine to a recipe, consider drinking the same wine with that dish.

11. It is always personal preference. Don’t let someone else tell you what to like. If you like chocolate and you like chardonnay, GO FOR IT!

12. When in doubt , go with a Riesling, pinot noir or sparkling wine!