Australia. Masterclass “Cool climate Australia” by Wojciech Bońkowski MW
Are there cool climate wines from Australia? We sought the answer with Wojciech Bońkowski, the first Polish Master of Wine, during the masterclass "Cool Climate Australia" during the lastest edition of #AussieWineinPoland organized by the Office of the Commercial Counsellor of the Australian Embassy (Austrade) on March 16 at the Raffles Europejski Hotel in Warsaw. The event featured 17 exhibitors presenting wines from 35 producers representing regions from Western Australia to Tasmania. Australian wines are known for their quality, innovation and depth, and Australia is rated as one of the top 10 wine-producing countries in the world.
Australia is the size of Europe, but only about 145,000 hectares (0.02%) of the country's total area is occupied by viticulture. This is an area roughly the size of Bordeaux and Burgundy combined. Australia grows more than 150 grape varieties in 65 wine regions, where creative and well-trained winemakers create some of the world's most exciting wines. About 60% of the wine produced in Australia is exported. In 2022, Australian wines went to 120 countries, up from 112 the previous year. 16 million glasses of Australian wine are consumed overseas every day.
In Australia, we cannot speak of a cool climate, but of cooler parcels and cooling factors. These are due to the influence of the ocean cooling the vineyards within the breeze range, and to the altitude, although the mountains in Australia do not reach dizzying heights, with the highest peak Mount Kosciuszko measuring just 2,228 meters. Australian winemakers are mostly well-trained and technicized enologists, and the wines even seem to be programmed to reflect a particular style. Australian winemaking avoids phenols and "adjusts" the wines through acidification to bring the pH down to 3-4. We tasted 11 wines during the masterclass, I’ve highlighted my favorite with a star:
1. oxhardywines McLaren Vale Fiano 2022 - does not resemble Fiano from Italy, it’s less ripe, sweet flowers, orchids, peach, pear. No importer in Poland.
*2. gapstedwines Alpine Valleys Secret Harvest Grand Manseng 2022 - aging potential, crisp, quince, unripe apple, lemon, a hint of tannin from the grape skin. No importer in Poland.
3. franklandestate Frankland River Riesling 2022 - every winelover has drunk it many times, less aromatic Riesling than in Germany, apple blossom, lemon, quince, sour green apple. No importer in Poland.
*4. bleasdalevineyards Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2022 - the nose is associated with Burgundy, slim green fruits, yeast, salty and buttery notes. Importer in Poland: Wine Express, price: 68 PLN
*5. petalumawines Piccadilly Valley Yellow Label Chardonnay 2021 - Pantheon of Australian wines, salt and toast notes, popcorn, not much fruit, quince. Importer in Poland: Partner Center / Dobre Wino.
6. jansztasmania Tasmania Premium Cuvee Brut NV - not showing too much, green apple, paper apple, apple pie with vanilla. No importer in Poland.
7. smallthingswine Pemberton Pinot Noir 2021 - according to Jancis Robinson, the best canned wine in the world, clean nose, red fruits, and herbal notes. No importer in Poland.
*8. devilscornerwine Tasmania Resolution Pinot Noir 2020 - premium, Burgundy clones, unripe strawberry, red currant. No importer in Poland.
9. The Black Chook McLaren Vale Shiraz Viogner 2021 - smooth ripe fruit, plum, jam, black olive tapenade. No importer in Poland.
10. dandelionvineyards Red Queen of the Eden Valley Shiraz 2018 - big body, eucalyptus, menthol, cherry jam, plums, chokeberry. No importer in Poland.
11. sevenhillwines Clare Valley St Ignatius 2019 - fresh, limey, meaty, red currant, ripe fruit, dry notes, blackcurrant leaf, light eucalyptus. No importer in Poland.
Big thanks for Anna Pławińska from Australia in Poland, Czech Republic and Lithuania Austrade for inviting me to join this exciting masterclass and Winokąt for a very smooth organization.