INTRODUCTION

TO WINE
E D U C AT O R G U I D E

AU STRA LI AN W IN E DI SC OVERED
PREPARING
F O R Y O U R C L A S S
T H E M AT E R I A L S

VIDEOS
As an educator, you have access to a
suite of teaching resources and handouts, You will find complementary video
including this educator guide: files for each program in the
Wine Australia Assets Gallery.
EDUCATOR GUIDE We recommend downloading these
This guide gives you detailed topic videos to your computer before your
information, as well as tips on how to best event. Look for the video icon for
facilitate your class and tasting. It’s a guide recommended viewing times.
only – you can tailor what you teach to Loop videos
suit your audience and time allocation. These videos are designed to be
To give you more flexibility, the following played in the background as you
optional sections are flagged throughout welcome people into your class,
this document: during a break, or during an event.
There is no speaking, just background
A D VA N C E D music. Music can be played aloud,
NOTES
or turned to mute. Loop videos should
Optional teaching sections covering be played in ‘loop’ or ‘repeat’ mode,
more complex material. which means they play continuously
until you press stop. This is typically
an easily-adjustable setting in your
chosen media player.
C O M P L E M E N TA R Y
READING Feature videos
These videos provide topical insights
Optional stories that add
from Australian winemakers, experts
background and colour to the topic.
and other. Feature videos should be
played while your class is seated,
with the sound turned on and clearly
SUGGESTED audible.
DISCUSSION POINTS
To encourage interaction, we’ve
included some optional discussion
points you may like to raise with your
class. Consider asking them to work in
small groups to answer the question
and then report back to the class.
If you would like more movement in
your classroom, ask them to write the
group responses down on sticky notes
(one idea per note) and attach them
to a wall or whiteboard.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

PRESENTATION SLIDES TASTING LIST
The presentation follows the content in A editable tasting list template is available
your guide and is designed for your in the Wine Australia Assets Gallery. We
attendees, using visuals and photography strongly recommend filling this in to give
to convey key points. We recommend to your class, so they have a record of
projecting it on a big screen so it’s clearly what wines they tasted and where it can
visible to all attendees. be purchased.
There is a separate version of the CERTIFICATE
presentation available with space for
A downloadable participation certificate is
student notes. You may like to print a
also available in the Wine Australia Assets
copy of this for each participant prior
Gallery. You can add your logo and fill in the
to the event.
relevant course details before presenting to
An editable PowerPoint version of the attendees.
presentation is available on request.
This guide and other complementary materials were
COMPLEMENTARY HANDOUTS produced by Wine Australia in 2018. Information and
statistics were correct at time of publication, but more
You will find downloadable handouts in the up-to-date information may be available.
Wine Australia Assets Gallery. These can be
*Please note these documents, and any information,
printed and distributed to your class. diagrams or images contained therein, must not be
extracted, reproduced, or distributed except to the
extent it has been expressly authorised under license
from Wine Australia.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

SUGGESTED
TIMINGS
This is a modular program that allows you to select which modules you teach and how long
you spend on them. You may also choose to teach the entire program as a half- or one-day
course. Below are the three key modules as well an example of how you may wish to divide
your time over a half-day program. If time is limited, you may prefer to cover fewer topics.

KEY MODULES HALF-DAY PROGRAM

1. What wine is and how it’s made Topic Time

(mins)
2. How to taste wine
Welcome and introduction 10 mins
3. Wine styles, varieties and regions
What is wine? 10 mins

How it’s made 15 mins

How to taste wine 1 hour

Break 15 mins

Wine styles and varieties

(including tasting) 1.5 hours

Regionality and
why it matters 15 mins

How to serve and enjoy 10 mins

Class close 10 mins

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

P R E PA R I N G F O R
YO U R E V E N T
3 WEEKS PRIOR
Confirm event time and book venue
Confirm equipment availability (glasses, projector, mats, etc.)
Invite attendees (recommend setting an RSVP for 1 week prior to event).

1 WEEK PRIOR
Reconfirm venue availability – check tables/chairs if being provided by venue
Confirm number of attendees
Review course content and make any required edits to presentation slides
Select the wines (one bottle per 16 attendees). See suggested mix below
Draft and print your tasting list in order of presentation (blank template provided).

1 DAY PRIOR
Print attendee list
Fill in and print relevant class handouts, including tasting sheets and participation
certificates
Collect and clean glassware
Put wines in fridge to chill overnight, if required
Double-check you have all equipment required to run the event.

3 HOURS PRIOR
Check wines are at an appropriate temperature, with white and sparkling
wines in the fridge
Set up room
Set up and test projector/laptop/iPad
Ensure the venue manager is aware of the start time and location for the event
and can direct attendees if necessary.

30 MINUTES PRIOR
Gather the wines, using ice buckets with a 50:50 mix of ice and water for white
and sparkling wines.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

YO U W I L L N E E D

SUGGESTED PRODUCTS TO TASTE

PER ATTENDEE What you choose to taste depends on the
1 glass for each wine you’ll length and breadth of what you plan to
be tasting teach. Below is a list of prominent regions
for each variety and style. It’s recommended
600mL bottle of water you choose a wine from one of the
 1 spittoon (plastic cups are suggested region/s.
suitable) – Sparkling wine: Tasmanian NV
Palate cleansers, such as – Sparkling Shiraz: Great Western
water crackers – Riesling: Eden Valley or Clare Valley
Tasting mats, wine list and – Chardonnay: Mornington Peninsula,
other relevant handouts Yarra Valley or Margaret River
Pen. – Moscato: Various regions
– Rosé: Various regions
– Pinot Noir: Yarra Valley, Mornington
Peninsula or Tasmania
TO SET UP YOUR TRAINING – Shiraz: Barossa Valley, McLaren
ROOM Vale or Hunter Valley
Tables and chairs to seat all – Botrytis Semillon: Riverina or
participants Hunter Valley
A table (or barrel) at the front Should you wish to extend the tasting,
for the wines the following regions and varieties are
Ice and ice buckets to recommended:
hold wines – Semillon: Hunter Valley
 Corkscrew – Cabernet Sauvignon: Coonawarra,
Wiping cloth or paper towel Margaret River or Yarra Valley
for spills – Cabernet Shiraz: Barossa Valley
or Coonawarra
 Projector and screen/wall
– Skin-contact wine: Adelaide Hills
 Some classes may require
microphone and speakers.

Note:
Tip: – Allow 1 bottle per 16 participants.
Arrange tables and chairs to – Have a second bottle on hand for
encourage discussion. U-shaped room any wines sealed with cork to allow
with a round table format is ideal. for cork taint issues.
– You can pre-pour red wine in
advance if time is tight – wine
should be served at 15°C (60°F).
Avoid pre-pouring white or sparkling
wine so it can be served chilled.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

AUSTRALIAN
WINE
DISCOVERED
EDUCATION PROGRAM

The comprehensive, free education For enquiries, email

program providing information, tools and discovered@wineaustralia.com
resources to discover Australian wine.

To access course presentation,

videos and tasting tools, as well
as other programs, visit
Wine Australia supports the
www.australianwinediscovered.com responsible service of alcohol.
P RO GRAM
I N FO RM ATIO N
A N D
P R E S E N T A T I O N
S L I D E S
INTRODUCTION
TO WINE

AU STR ALI AN WIN E DISCOVERE D

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.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 TODAY

WE’LL
- What wine is
- Regional influences
on grape growing
- How wine is made
- How to taste
- Different wine styles
and varieties
- Australia’s best-known

COVER…
wine regions
- How to serve and enjoy
- Wine faults and how
to identify them

VIDEO
Now is a great time to play the
FUN FACT
Introduction to wine loop video in the ABOUT 600-800 GRAPES
GO INTO MAKING JUST
background, as you welcome people
into your class.
ONE BOTTLE OF WINE.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF WINE
There is much more to wine than just
fermented fruit juice – from where and
how the grapes are grown to the techniques
used to turn them into wine to how we
experience it in the glass.
This program explores several introductory
topics through the lens of Australia’s
innovative wine community and unique
wine styles.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

W H AT
IS
WINE?
An alcoholic drink made by fermenting fruit juice.
Why grapes?
– Higher acidity to preserve the wine
– Higher sugar content for better fermentation

WHAT IS WINE? Wine grapes:

Wine can be both very simple and incredibly Not your average snacking grape
complex. It’s an alcoholic drink made by Wine grapes are very different from the
fermenting fruit juice. Most wine as we know grapes you buy in the grocery store. Around
it is made with grapes, but it can technically 90% of cultivated grapes worldwide are
be made from other fruits too, such as ‘Vitis vinifera’. Within this species there
apples, blueberries and strawberries. are thousands of different varieties – both
red and white. Some varieties are more
Why have grapes become the standard?
common than others due to their ability
There are two main reasons. Grapes contain
to produce high-quality wine.
acids – malic, tartaric and citric acids –
that preserve the juice and allow wine to
be aged for decades or even centuries.
Secondly, grapes have a much higher sugar
content than other fruits, which allows them
to ferment so successfully and produce
complex wines.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 WINE GRAPES
VERSUS TABLE GRAPES
Key differences:
– Origin
– Size
– Skin thickness
– Sweetness
– Seeds

WINE GRAPE TABLE GRAPE

THE BUSINESS OF GRAPE GROWING

Grapes are a big business. Around the
world, there are approximately 7.5 million
hectares dedicated to growing grapes, with
roughly half dedicated to table grapes and
half to wine grapes*. Australia is the fifth
largest producer and exporter of wine,
which makes up more than three-quarters
of grape production.

*Source: 2017 World Vitiviniculture Situation, International

Organisation of Vine and Wine
http://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5479/oiv-en-bilan-2017.pdf

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

KE Y FAC TO R S
INFLUENC ING GRAPE GROWING

1 DIURNAL
TEMPERATURE RANGE 6 WATER
QUALITY

2 HOURS OF SUNSHINE
7 SOIL

3 CLIMATE
8 TOPOGRAPHY

4 WEATHER PATTERNS
9 PROXIMITY TO
BODIES OF WATER

5 RAINFALL
10 MICROBES PRESENT
IN THE REGION

And the list goes on...

A D VA N C E D
KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING NOTES
GRAPE GROWING Australia’s terroir is incredibly diverse
How these regional factors interplay has and spans 65 wine regions, from the
a significant impact on the quality and Mediterranean climate of McLaren
characteristics of the grapes. This explains Vale to the cooler climates of
why grapes from different regions and even Tasmania and parts of Victoria, and
specific sites within regions have a signature from the low humidity of the Barossa
style and taste. This is what’s referred to as Valley to the warm-to-hot climate and
“terroir” or “regionality”. moist soils of the Hunter Valley. This
diversity allows Australian winemakers
to produce nearly every major wine
variety while ensuring each wine has
a strong sense of place.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

HOW RED WINE
IS MADE

1. HARVEST 2. DESTEMMING 3. FERMENTATION 4. PRESSING

& CRUSHING

5. MALOLACTIC
FERMENTATION

9. BOTTLING 8. FINING & 7. BLENDING 6. MATURATION

FILTERING

VIDEO
FROM VINE TO WINE:
HOW WINE IS MADE FEATURE VIDEO
In its simplest form, wine doesn’t require Now is a good time to play the feature
much at all. It is simply fermented grape video – How is red wine made?.
juice – and fermentation is a natural Alternatively you can play the feature
process that occurs with or without human video – How is white wine made?. As
intervention. these videos are very similar, it’s not
What makes wine complex – and extremely necessarily to play both.
enjoyable – is the potential to influence the
winemaking process in many ways, and this
is what gives us all different kinds and styles RED WINE
of wine. The fact is, you can technically Harvest
make wine by letting a pile of grapes The grapes are either cut from the vine by a
ferment in a bucket or your bathtub. But it machine or by hand with shears. They need
probably won’t be wine you want to drink! to be harvested at just the right time and
The process is slightly different for red optimum ripeness – you can’t make a good
and white wines, and, of course, the exact wine from bad grapes.
process and techniques vary across wineries
and winemakers. What follows is an De-stemming and crushing
overview of the basic winemaking steps The grapes are usually separated from their
for red and white wine. stems and leaves, often by a de-stemmer,
before they are crushed to get their juices
flowing. Methods for crushing range

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

from barefoot stomping to elaborate and During this process, malic acid in wine
expensive machines. is converted to lactic acid, which has a
This is where winemaking differs depending creamier, fuller mouthfeel. It reduces acidity
on which style of wine is being produced. in the wine, giving it a more velvety texture,
Some winemakers opt to crush grapes and releases carbon dioxide.
‘whole cluster’, which means with the stems
left on. Stems add extra tannin structure to Maturation
red and skin-contact wines, but winemakers Maturation can be done in a number
don’t want those tannins in some light reds, of ways and for varying lengths of time,
so they remove the stems before crushing. allowing winemakers to influence the
Once crushed, red and rosé wines are finished product. Wine can be aged in
fermented on their skins for varying oak or stainless steel, or in traditional
lengths of time, while white wines are vessels such as amphora or concrete – or
pressed, separating juice from skins, before a combination of these. Depending on the
fermentation. Skin and seed contact time is style and desired characteristics, it can
essential for darker wines – it’s what gives be aged for several months or as long as
them their colour and imparts flavour and several years.
tannin. But those same skins would ruin
delicate white and sparkling wines. Seeds Blending
are very high in tannin and can also impart Different batches of wine can be mixed
an unpleasant stringency to the wine. together before bottling to create a desired
style and taste. For example, a winemaker
Fermentation might blend different varieties to achieve a
Fermentation is when yeast turns sugars more ‘complete’ and consistent wine, such
into alcohol, with two by-products: carbon as in GSM (Grenache Shiraz Mataro). Or they
dioxide and heat. This process can occur may blend different batches of the same
naturally because yeast already exists on variety to adjust acid or tannin levels.
grapes and grapevines. However, some
winemakers also add cultivated yeast to Fining and filtering
better control the process and produce These processes help to create a more
different outcomes. polished and refined wine. During fining,
It’s during the fermentation and ageing an agent is added that binds to sediment
stages that winemakers can have the and particles, helping to remove tannins
most influence and things get exciting, and reduce astringency. These particles
particularly in countries like Australia where fall to the bottom of the vessel ready to be
winemaking guidelines are less restrictive. removed. During filtration, the wine is passed
This more experimental approach has led to through a filter to remove particles. Filtration
many new inventions and creative solutions, removes particles that make the wine look
with innovation becoming the engine of cloudy as well as organisms that can make
Australia’s winemaking success – and the wine unstable. Winemakers can choose
benefiting winemakers the world over. whether they remove all particles or only the
larger ones.
Pressing
Once fermentation is complete, the grapes Bottling
are pressed to remove the skins. The wine is bottled, with sulfite often added
to help preserve the wine. It’s then sealed,
usually either with a traditional cork or a
Malolactic fermentation
screw cap, and labelled. And that, of course,
Nearly all red wines undergo a secondary
is where we as drinkers come in!
fermentation called malolactic fermentation.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

HOW WHITE WINE
IS MADE

1. HARVEST 2. DESTEMMING 3. PRESSING 4. FERMENTATION

& CRUSHING

5. STABILISATION

9. BOTTLING 8. FINING & 7. MATURATION 6. BLENDING

FILTERING

WHITE WINE fermentation, malolactic fermentation, is

optional, allowing the winemaker to add
Harvest
creaminess and vanilla flavours, such as
De-stemming and crushing in a Chardonnay.
Grape stems add extra tannin structure that
is unwanted in white wines, so the stems are
Stabilisation
Nearly all white wine needs to be stabilised,
removed before crushing.
and most goes through cold stabilisation,
Pressing where the wine is kept at a consistently low
Once crushed, the grapes are pressed, temperature for several days to remove
separating juice from skins, before tartaric acid.
fermentation.
Blending
Fermentation
The major difference between white and
Maturation
Like red wine, white wine can be matured in
red wine is that the juice is fermented
oak or stainless steel, but is generally aged
without the grape skins when making white
for less time.
wine. White wine is generally fermented
at lower temperatures than red wine, to
preserve its fresh, fruity flavours, and can be
Fining and filtering
done in stainless steel or oak barrels. During
primary fermentation, yeast converts
Bottling
the sugars into alcohol. A secondary

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

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

D I D YO U K N O W
How a winemaker ages wine depends on the kind of wine they want to create. Some
of the questions they need to ask include:
Ageing in oak barrels or stainless steel?
If ageing in oak, will they use new oak (which releases more oak flavours and tannin)
or used barrels? French oak or American oak?
How long will the wine age for? It could be anywhere from a few months to several
years. Some whites can be bottled after just three months, while most dry reds need
18–24 months.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

OAK
VERSUS
S TA I N L E S S
STEEL
- 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.

A D VA N C E D
NOTES
THE OAK EFFECT
Ageing in oak affects the colour, flavour, tannins and texture of a wine. Wines can
either be barrel-fermented in oak or moved to oak after fermentation for maturing or
ageing. Does oak make wine taste better? This is open to interpretation, but most of
the world’s most expensive wines are oak-aged in some way. It’s important to note that
new oak adds greater aroma and flavour from the oak, whereas older oak imparts little
flavour and tannin.
There are two main types of oak used in winemaking:
French oak: Most popular for ageing premium wines, it tends to impart more subtle
flavours and aromas due to its tighter grains, and gives wines a silky, cedary or
satiny mouthfeel.
American oak: With its looser grains, American oak adds more flavour to the wine,
often coconut and vanilla, and gives it a creamy mouthfeel.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 5. Conclude

HOW TO 1. Look

TAST E WINE 2. Swirl

3. Smell
4. Taste
5. Conclude

01
XXXX
- Errit huctum satem mo.
- Conventi culicastam muliis
huituam iaecuper.
- Bi erridet huctum satem mo.

HOW TO TASTE WINE

The five steps of wine tasting:
Look.
Swirl.
Smell.
Taste.
Conclude.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 1
LO O K
- Glass about one-third full
- Hold it at a 45-degree angle against
a white background
- Observe the colour of the wine

1. LOOK
Your glass should be about one-third full.
Hold it at a 45-degree angle (ideally against
a white background) and observe the colour
of the wine. This will give you clues about
the wine’s style, body and character. If it’s
a red, is it deep garnet or light magenta? If
it’s a white, is it pale lemon, buttery or deep
golden? Colour can also reflect the age of
the wine. Generally, white wine deepens in
colour as it ages while red wine gets paler.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

T H E C O LO U R
OF WINE
stRAw leMOn yellow gold bROwn

pink salmon magenta

purple ruby GArnet TAwny brown

Next examine the clarity and brightness.

Is the wine clear or hazy? How much does
it reflect light? A cloudy or hazy wine usually
means the wine is either intentionally
unfiltered or it is flawed. A brilliant wine is
unmistakable: it’s usually a pale, young white
wine such as a Semillon from Australia’s
Hunter Valley.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 - 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

2
W i ne
l eg s

SWIRL
2. SWIRL
Give the glass a swirl while holding it firmly
on a flat surface. This spreads and aerates
the wine, releasing its aromas. After you
swirl, see if the wine has ‘legs’ or ‘tears’
running down the sides of the glass. A wine
with good legs has higher alcohol and
glycerine content, which generally means
it’s a bigger, riper, more mouth-filling wine
than one without legs.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

3
SMELL
– The most important step
– Humans can identify thousands of
different odours
– Experts can learn almost everything about
a wine by smelling it
– Deep inhalation versus quick short sniffs
– find a style that works for you

3. SMELL
Smell is the most important sense. While
humans can only taste five flavour
sensations (sweet, sour, bitter, salty and
umami), we can identify thousands of
different odours. So a good sniff of your wine
will reveal more complexity than if you jump
straight into tasting. In fact, experienced
tasters can find out almost everything about
a wine by smelling it.
Experts develop their own unique way of
smelling wine: some put their nose right in
the glass and inhale deeply, while others
hover their nose over the top and take a
series of quick, short sniffs. You might like
to experiment and find a technique you
like best.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

THE THREE TYPES OF

WINE
AROMAS
PRIMARY
AROMAS
Fruit, herbs,
florals

SECONDARY TERTIARY
AROMAS AROMAS
Bready, yeasty,
toast, vanilla, Earth, mineral,
chocolate, spice leather, tobacco

THE THREE TYPES OF AROMAS Tertiary aromas:

Ageing in the bottle can produce a new set
Primary aromas: of aromas, sometimes referred to as the
Depending on the growing conditions, wine’s ‘bouquet’. As wine ages, its primary
each grape variety has certain flavours and flavours soften and other notes become
aroma profiles. These are most commonly more prominent, such as earth, mineral,
fruit flavours, as well as herbs and florals. For leather and tobacco.
example, Australian Cabernet Sauvignon is
Note that when you’re just starting out with
typically associated with blackcurrants and
wine tasting, it can be difficult to identify
herbs.
aromas beyond ‘red wine’ and ‘white wine’,
Secondary aromas: and this can be frustrating. But through
These come from the winemaking practice, your brain will begin to pick up
process. Bready or yeasty aromas such on more complex smells and you will learn
as cheese rind or stale beer are a result to distinguish and identify these. Simply
of fermentation. Ageing in oak produces be curious, trust your instinct and enjoy
savoury aromas such as toast, vanilla, the process.
chocolate and spice. In the case of aged
Riesling or a Hunter Valley Semillon,
secondary aromas develop without
oak ageing.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 4
TA S T E
Five main elements to note:
- Sweetness/dryness
- Acidity
- Tannin
- Alcohol
- Body

4. TASTE
It’s time to confirm what you’ve hopefully
already smelled and to find out more about
the wine, including structure – that is the
level of alcohol and acidity, the tannin and
the finish. Take a small sip and breathe in
gently to draw the aromas into both your
mouth and nasal passages in the back of
your throat.
There are five main elements to take note of
when you taste:
- Sweetness/dryness.
- Acidity.
- Tannin.
- Alcohol.
- Body.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 SWEETNESS/
DRYNESS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
– Light tingling
SWEETNESS
SCALE

sensation on the tip Bone-

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-
– Sweeter wine will have sweet
sweetness on the finish
– The natural sweetness Sweet
of fruit juice.

SWEETNESS/DRYNESS
First notice the taste structure: is it sweet,
sour, bitter? Sweetness in wine isn’t like the
artificial flavour you get from something like
chocolate – it’s more of a natural sweetness
derived from the grapes. Dryness is simply
the opposite of sweet, meaning the wine
has no residual sugar. However you can still
taste fruit in a dry wine. Most wines are dry
or off-dry.
What it feels like:
A light tingling sensation on the tip of your
tongue and a slightly oily sensation on the
middle of your tongue. You’ll also notice
sweetness on the finish of a sweeter wine.
A bone-dry wine can feel as though it’s
drawing moisture from your tongue. Be
careful though: a dry wine can sometimes
be confused with having high tannin.
Comparison:
The natural sweetness of fruit juice.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

TA S T E S

– Green apple

SWEET WHITE
– Figs
– Herbs
DRY WHITE – Honey
– Lemon
– Tropical fruit
– Tropical fruit

TA S T E S

– Tart fruit
SWEET RED

– Candied fruit
DRY RED

– Herbs
– Honey

– Dark berries
– Flowers

– Ripe berries

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 ACIDITY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: ACIDITY
SCALE
– Mouth-watering
– Tart Low
– Rush of juiciness
on both sides of
your tongue

COMPARISON:
Eating a green apple
Medium
or lemon.

High

ACIDITY
What it feels like:
Mouth-watering, tart, a rush of juiciness on
both sides of your tongue.
Comparison:
The reactive sensations in your mouth
caused by eating a green apple or lemon.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 TANNIN Tannins add structure, TANNIN
backbone and complexity SCALE
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.

TANNIN
Tannins come from grape skins and the oak
barrels used to age wine. In moderation,
they add structure, backbone and
complexity to a wine, particularly in reds.
They’re also vital if the wine is intended to
age, as they act as a preservative.
Tannins can help a wine feel ripe and soft
as opposed to green or stalky, and coarse
rather than fine-grained.
What it feels like:
Bitterness on the sides of your tongue and
texture throughout your mouth. When
tannins are strong they make your tongue
and teeth dry out and cause a puckering of
your gums.
Comparison:
Strongly brewed tea turned cold.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 BODY Swish the wine around BODY
your mouth to coat your SCALE
tongue, cheeks and Light-
palate. Generally the bodied
more alcohol, the fuller
the body.
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE:
– Light-bodied wine:
lighter, thinner, less Medium-
viscous mouthfeel bodied
– 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

BODY
Swish the wine around in your mouth so it
coats your tongue, cheeks and palate, and
consider the weight of the wine. It will sit
somewhere along the spectrum of light to
full-bodied. Generally the more alcohol, the
fuller the body.
What is feels like:
A light-bodied wine will have a lighter,
thinner, less viscous mouthfeel, whereas a
full-bodied wine will feel heavy and creamy
in your mouth.
Comparison:
Light-bodied wine – non-fat milk.
Medium-bodied wine – whole milk.
Very full-bodied wine – heavy cream.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 ALCOHOL WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: ALCOHOL
SCALE
– Heat in the middle of
your tongue, throat
and chest 8% Low
– Fortified wine will 9%
produce a warming 10%
glow in your mouth,
throat and chest 11%
12%
COMPARISON:
13%
The warm, burning
sensation of spirits. 14%

TASTES: 15%

Wines high in alcohol 16%

can taste more ww or 17% High
sweeter.

OPTIONAL
ALCOHOL D E M O N S T R AT I O N
What it feels like: Sweetness/dryness: Mix solutions
Wines high in alcohol give a sensation of of sugar and water in different
heat in the middle of your tongue, your concentrations: dry – less than 4g/litre;
throat and your chest. A fortified wine such off-dry – 5–9g/litre; medium-dry/sweet
as port will produce a warming glow in your – 10–45g/litre; sweet – above 45g/litre.
mouth, throat and chest. Acidity: Set up five glasses of water.
Keep one plain and in the others
Comparison: squeeze the juice of: ¼ orange,
The warm, burning sensation of spirits. ¼ grapefruit, ½ lemon, ½ lime. You
Tastes: can also use tartaric or citric acid –
You shouldn’t be able to taste alcohol in as it is very sour, only mix ¼ acid.
wine, but wines high in alcohol can taste Tannins: Place three black tea bags
more tannic or sweeter. in three mugs. After two minutes,
remove the first bag. After four minutes,
remove the second. After eight minutes,
remove the final tea bag. Let the tea
cool.
Body: Light-bodied wine – non-fat milk.
Medium-bodied wine – whole milk. Very
full-bodied wine – heavy cream.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 5. Conclude

5 – Short or long finish?

CONCLUDE
– Does it taste balanced?

01
– Do the flavours linger?
– Do any particular characteristics
stand out?

XXXX
– What have you learned about
- Errit
thehuctum
wine? satem mo.
- Conventi culicastam muliis
huituam iaecuper.
- Bi erridet huctum satem mo.

SUGGESTED
5. CONCLUDE DISCUSSION POINTS
Savour the wine and notice how it finishes: –  Age can strongly affect every
short or long? Consider your overall opinion element of wine. Have you tasted
of the wine. Everyone has a unique palate any old wines, and if so how did
so we experience the same wine in different they taste compared to similar,
ways. Does it taste balanced? Are there any younger wines of the same variety?
particular characteristics that stand out?
–  Must a wine be well balanced at
What have you learned about the wine?
the time it’s bottled, or could it
BALANCE AND HARMONY develop harmony in the bottle
All winemakers seek balance: that perfect over time?
harmony of components where no one
characteristic shouts over the others. There’s
no single formula for wine, and varying
opinions abound on what makes a great
one, but there should always be a balance
between five elements: alcohol, acidity,
sweetness, tannins and fruit. If a wine is too
sugary, too astringent or too sour, it’s not
well balanced. A balanced wine is enjoyable
to drink and is often described as elegant.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 A D VA N C E D
NOTES
VINTAGE: WINE’S BIRTH DATE
A wine vintage is simply the year the grapes were harvested and turned into wine.
Although the same wine variety may be made at the same winery in exactly the same
manner, wines can vary greatly year to year. This is mainly due to the influence of
weather on the vines. In Australia, the growing season is October to April, with grapes
usually harvested between January and April.
A vintage wine indicates that all the grapes were picked in a single year. The weather in a
given growing season – and primarily the amount of sunshine – is the biggest influence
determining whether it’s a good or bad vintage. Plenty of sunny days help grapes ripen
fully – but not too many or they can burn – and generally lead to better-quality grapes.
Non-vintage wine is made by blending multiple years together. A traditional non-vintage
wine is Champagne or sparkling wine, labelled as ‘NV’, in which a certain amount of
reserve wine – that is, older wine – is added to achieve complexity and the desired style
and consistency.

IS VINTAGE IMPORTANT?
The significance of vintage depends on the grape-growing region. It can be very
important in less predictable climates, where some seasons are warmer and sunnier than
others and produce better quality grapes. A poor vintage is less likely in warmer regions,
where the weather tends to be more consistent.

A D VA N C E D
NOTES
WHY DO SOME WINES TASTE BETTER WITH AGE?
As wine ages, its colours, flavours and aromas change. White wines grow darker
in colour while red wines become paler. Their primary, fruity aromas begin to soften
and make way for earthier, more savoury tertiary aromas such as leather, chocolate
and spice. These changes are due to complex chemical reactions that scientists are still
unravelling, but are largely a result of tannins and acid interacting with oxygen.
The adage that wine gets better with age does not apply universally: most wine we buy
from the bottle shop or liquor store was made to be opened within months and will lose
its fruit characters if left too long. Wines that age well usually have high levels of tannins
and acid, which act as preservatives that slow oxidation and flavour-changing chemical
reactions. This also means they may not be pleasant to drink young.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

W I N E
STYL E S
A N D
VA R I E T I E S

TIME TO TASTE
NOW IS A GOOD TIME
TO TASTE AND DISCUSS
YOUR SELECTED MIX
OF WINES.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 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

SPARKLING WINE traditionnelle): This is the most well-

The pop of a cork, the splash of foam, known method and the one used to
the bead of fine bubbles: nothing says make Champagne – which legally can
celebration like a bottle of sparkling wine. only be produced in the French region
Traditionally synonymous with Champagne of Champagne, using approved grape
in France, sparkling wines from other varieties and made according to specific
regions, including high-altitude regions in rules. Despite this, the traditional method
Australia, have stepped up to compete. can also be used in other countries, such
Of all wines, sparkling wines are the as in Australian sparkling wine regions like
most technical and time-consuming to Tasmania and Adelaide Hills.
make because they have to undergo two – Transfer method.
fermentations: first to make the wine and – Méthode Ancestral: This is the oldest –
second to produce bubbles. and most difficult to control – method of
How it’s made making sparkling wine, and in recent years
Over time, a number of methods have been it’s had a resurgence. It’s used to make
developed for producing sparkling wine, Pétillant Naturel, also referred to as ‘Pét-
each resulting in a slightly different style. Nat’, which is currently making a splash in
This includes, from highest quality to lowest: the Australian wine scene.
– Tank: Popular method used in many
– Traditional method (méthode
countries. Used to make Prosecco
and Sekt.
– Carbonation.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 C O M P L E M E N TA R Y
Sparkling Shiraz READING
The evocative sparkling Shiraz is a unique
style made the same way as sparkling wine, THE STORY OF AUSTRALIA’S
but with Shiraz most often used as the base RUBY RED BUBBLES
wine instead of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Australians have been drinking
Sparkling red can actually be made with sparkling wine for many years. Indeed,
any red wine grape, but Shiraz is the most as far back as 1881, Victoria was
predominant. It should be served slightly home to the Victorian Champagne
chilled. Company. This was where French
winemaker Auguste D’Argent made
one of the first examples of Australian
‘sparkling burgundy’ (out of Shiraz).
The Victorian Champagne Company
didn’t last, but Hans Irvine at Great
Western took up the sparkling
burgundy baton and the trend
continued under Seppelt with the
legendary Colin Preece. His delicious,
rich, long-lived sparkling reds have
inspired many other producers to
create their own take on this unique
Australian style – a style that is still
sought out by connoisseurs.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE

AUST R A L I A N
RIESLING
LLY
N ATI ONA
INTER WNED REGIONS

RENO GROWS
PRIMARILY IN:
Clare Valley
Eden Valley
Tasmania

RIESLI NG
Orange
Canberra District
NATURAL Great Southern
ACIDITY Henty
AUSTRAL IAN

CHARACTERISTICS
- Citrus fruits
- Green apple
AGES - Perfumed
WELL - Bright fruit characters

LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE Australian examples

These popular wines are light, dry and Riesling: Australian Rieslings are some
easy-drinking, with particularly good of the world’s best, with many local
examples coming from cooler climates. winemakers taking a minimalist approach
Popular wines in this category include to let the wine’s clarity, freshness and purity
Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris speak for itself.
and Pinot Grigio.
Characteristics: Crisp, light-bodied wines
are generally enjoyed for their zesty acidity,
and flavours and aromas of citrus, green
apple, white stone fruit, white flowers and
fresh herbs.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE

AUST R A L I A N
S E M I L LO N
REGIONS

GROWS IN
LIGHT TO MANY REGIONS
MEDIUM-BODIED particularly the
Hunter Valley and
Margaret River.

SEMILLON
The unique style
of Hunter Valley
Semillon ages well
COMMONLY
BLENDED WITH
SAUVIGNON
BLANC - Citrus
AUSTRAL IAN

- Floral
- Green apple
- Stone fruits

Semillon: Semillon has a long history in

Australia and is grown in many regions
across the country. Hunter Valley Semillon
is one of the wine world’s great wonders,
morphing over time from a zesty, crisp
young wine into a deep golden, nutty, honey
and straw-scented wine – almost as if it has
spent time in oak (even though it hasn’t).
Margaret River produces a lighter-style
Semillon that can be similar to Sauvignon
Blanc. It’s also commonly blended with
Sauvignon Blanc.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE

AUST R A L I A N
C H A R D O N N AY
REGIONS

UCTION
WINE PROD GROWS IN
+ OF AUSTRALIA’S WHITE
50% ALL REGIONS

- Pear
CHARACTERISTICS - Apple
- Peach
- Citrus
HARDY, Big oaky
VERSATILE styles replaced - Toasty
GRAPE by wines with - Subtle oak
AUSTRAL IAN

crisper acidity,
minerality and
elegance

FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE Australian example

These are richer, creamier, textural and fuller Chardonnay: One of the most planted
wines, often with characteristics developed white wine grapes in the world, Chardonnay
through the winemaking process. For is an iconic wine in Australia. Previously
example, ageing in oak adds new flavour known for the big, oaky styles of the 1980s
compounds. Popular examples include and 90s, which subsequently became less
Chardonnay and Viognier. fashionable, modern Australian Chardonnay
is all about acidity, restraint, elegance
Characteristics: These diverse wines offer
and minerality.
flavours ranging from lemon and green
apple through to guava and mango. Those
from warm climates have ripe tropical fruit
flavours or those aged in oak can have
flavours of vanilla, caramel, butter, spice and
ripe tropical fruits, along with a bold yellow
colour and smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 AROMATIC WHITE WINE

AUST R A L I A N
M O S C AT O
PA I R I N G

APERI TIF
POPULAR AS AN
E
Best AND DESSERT WIN
examples
from cooler

MOSCATO
regions

LOW
ALCOHOL - Light, refreshing,
CONTENT sweet wine

- Pretty, floral
AUSTRAL IAN

characteristics

AROMATIC WHITE WINE Australian example

These floral, fruity wines are full of aromas Moscato: This is a light, sweet wine popular
that leap out of the glass. They are often in Australia for its refreshing character
refreshing, yet have complex, pronounced and low alcohol content. Moscato is the
aromas that come from the grapes Italian name for the Muscat family of
themselves rather than the winemaking grapes. It’s produced in many Australian
process. Classic aromatic varieties include regions including the Hunter Valley,
Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley
Blanc. and Margaret River.
Characteristics: Aromatic wines often have
tropical fruit, exotic flowers and perfumed
characteristics. Look for aromas such as
melon, peach, citrus fruits, passionfruit,
orange blossom and rose.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 ROSÉ WINE

AUST R A L I A N
RO S É
REGIONS

GROWN
RN ACROSS

LA R MODE AUSTRALIA
POPU ST YLE IS
A L E AND DRY
P

ROSE
FRESH RED FRUITS:
- Cherry
AUSTRAL IAN

- Strawberry
EXTREMELY - Raspberry
DIVERSE STYLES
made from a variety
of red wine grapes

ROSÉ WINE Australian examples

Rosé is made from red wine grapes, with Rosé is diverse in Australia, with wineries
the skins only left on long enough to stain across the country producing different styles
the wine pink. It can be made from a single using a wide variety of grapes including
grape variety or a blend of two or three, and Shiraz, Grenache, Merlot and Nebbiolo. In
its pretty colours can range from soft peach the past, Australian rosé wines erred on
to deep magenta. Another – less popular the side of sweet, medium-bodied and
– method involves blending red wine with dark pink. But today the style proving most
some white wine. Rosé wines are made all popular is the light and delicately flavoured
over the world in both sweet and dry styles. dry rosé.
Characteristics: Rosé wines vary greatly
depending on where they are produced and
from which grapes. Their primary delicate
and fresh flavours often include red fruits
such as strawberry, raspberry and cherry,
and flowers, citrus and melon.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE

AUST R A L I A N
P I N OT N O I R
REGIONS

FOCUS ON COOL-CLIMATE
YOUNG regions such as Yarra
Valley, Mornington
Peninsula and Tasmania
bright red
and black fruit
flavours

ALIA’S
AUSTR ULAR

PINOT NOIR
CHARACTERISTICS
POP
MOST ED
AUSTRALIAN LIGHT R
AGED

more complex STYLES VARY

characters such depending on region
as tobacco, forest and winemaking process
floor, earthsmoke
and spice

LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE Australian example

Light red wines are typically paler in colour Pinot Noir: Australia’s favourite light red
than fuller-bodied wines and much lower wine. Australian Pinot Noir offers an array
in tannins, making them easier to drink for of characteristics depending on where
many people. As a result, they are easy to it’s grown and how it’s made. The best
pair with food. Common varieties include examples are cool-climate wines that are
Pinot Noir and Gamay. light-bodied yet intensely aromatic with
multi-layered characters and long length.
Characteristics: These elegant wines
are often slightly translucent in colour,
with a delicate mouthfeel and aromas of
red berries, flowers and sometimes the
savouriness of spice.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 FULL-BODIED RED WINE

AUST R A L I A N
SHIRAZ
REGIONS

GROWN IN
ALL REGIONS
with the Barossa
AU S T RA LI A’S M OS T Valley and Hunter
Valley the most
FA M OU S WI NE EX P OR T well-known

SHIRAZ
WARM Rich, ripe fruit
CLIMATES flavours,
WORLD’S spicy styles
OLDEST
SHIRAZ VINES C L I M AT E
STILL IN
AUSTRALIAN

PRODUCTION
COOLER Fresh, mid-weight,
CLIMATES elegant styles

FULL-BODIED RED WINE Australian examples

Boasting rich flavours, high tannin and high Shiraz: Shiraz is firmly established as
alcohol content, these wines are bold, dark Australia’s iconic grape and its most famous
and rich. They get their deep colour and wine export. It has the world’s oldest Shiraz
much of their flavour from the skin of the vines still in production, with vineyards
grapes. Popular varieties include Shiraz, dating back to 1843, and displays innovative
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. modern-day winemaking techniques. Shiraz
is grown in virtually every wine region, one of
Characteristics: Full-bodied red wines
the most famous being the Barossa Valley,
appear in deep reds and purples, and have
and a wide range of quality exists – from
a heavier, rounder and sometimes velvety
affordable everyday drinking to some
mouthfeel. Flavour characteristics tend to
of the world’s greatest expressions
centre on black fruits along with savoury
of the grape.
aromas like leather and tobacco.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 FULL-BODIED RED WINE

CABERNET
SAU V I G N O N
IRD
L IA’S T H
AUS T RA ANTED
L
MOS T P IET Y REGIONS
PE VAR
GRA
THICK GROWN ACROSS
SKINNED, AUSTRALIA
ROBUST, FIRM in moderate
TANNIN climates, notably
STRUCTURE
in Coonawarra,
Margaret River

CABERNET
CHARACTERISTICS and Yarra Valley

SAUVIGNON
AUSTRALIAN
- Blackcurrant
- Capsicum OFTEN BLENDED
- Mint with Merlot,
GREAT Shiraz, Cabernet
AGEING Franc and Petit
POTENTIAL Verdot

Cabernet Sauvignon: This is Australia’s third

most planted grape variety (after Shiraz
and Chardonnay), and while it’s often
blended with Merlot or in multi-varietal
blends, single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
can create well-structured, complex wines.
Grown across Australia – most successfully
in a moderate climate – styles range from
soft, approachable and elegant to powerful,
plush and tannic.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 LATE HARVEST AND SWEET WINE

AUST R A L I A N
B O T RY T I S
S E M I L LO N REGIONS

BOTRYTIS BREEDS BEST

IN HUMID CONDITIONS
TED SUCH AS THE RIVERINA AND
ST CELEBRA HUNTER VALLEY REGIONS
LIA’S MO E
AUSTRA WINE STYL
SWEE T

SEMI LLON
AUSTRALIAN
- Stone fruit flavours,

BOTRYTIS
most often apricot
- Citrus
- Honey
Pale yellow
to deep golden
in colour

LATE HARVEST AND SWEET WINE Australian example

While there are numerous styles and Botrytis Semillon: This elegant wine is
production methods, sweet wines are Australia’s most celebrated sweet wine style,
characterised by high levels of sugar, along with Botrytis Riesling. Botrytis breeds
achieved in part by leaving grapes to ripen best in humid conditions, including New
longer. Another style involves allowing the South Wales’ Riverina and Hunter Valley
growth of a fungus called ‘Botrytis cinerea’, regions, and a number of these wines such
or ‘noble rot’, which sucks the water out of as De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon
the grapes and concentrates their nectar. are highly sought after globally.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 F O RT I F I E D
WINE
REGIONS

Fortified wine RUTHERGLEN

is still wine that MUSCAT:
has been fortified Rutherglen is a
with a distilled benchmark region,
renowned for its

FORTIFIED WINE
grape spirit
incredible muscats

RICH, LUSCIOUS
AUSTRALIAN

AND MOLASSES-LIKE,
WITH STICKY
SWEETNESS AND GREAT
ALCOHOL BETWEEN 15.5% COMPLEXITY
LEVELS AND 20%

FORTIFIED WINE While Portugal is known for its Port and

Fortified wines were the backbone of the Madeira and Spain for its Sherry, Australia
early 20th century Australian wine industry. produces some of the world’s finest
Fortified wines are often rich, luscious Muscat, Topaque, Vintage and Tawny
and molasses-like, with sticky sweetness fortified wines.
and great complexity. Alcohol levels vary Like Champagne, fortified wines are
between 15.5% and 20%. protected by the Eurpoean Unions’
The standard winemaking process is Protected Designation of Origin guidelines.
followed up until fermentation, when the In Australia, we now use names such as:
grape spirit is added to the base wine. Port → Vintage, Ruby and Tawny fortified.
The length of time a wine ferments before
being fortified determines whether it will be Sherry → Apera.
sweet or dry, because once the alcohol is Tokay → Topaque.
added the yeast stops converting sugar to
alcohol, leaving residual sugar. For a sweeter Australian example
fortified, spirits are usually added within the Rutherglen Muscat: Rutherglen is a
first day and a half of fermentation. For a benchmark region, renowned for its
dry fortified, the full fermentation process incredible Muscats. A rich, complex and
is left to run its course. intense fortified wine, local winemakers
take their Muscat very seriously and use a
tiered system to classify the wine.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 SUGGESTED
The foundational Rutherglen Muscat DISCUSSION POINTS
displays fresh raisin aromas and great
length of flavour on the palate, while – Were any of these styles or varieties
Classic Rutherglen Muscat is produced by new to you today? What did you
blending selected parcels of wine, often think of them?
matured in various sizes of oak cask to – Were there any styles or varieties
impart the distinctive dry ‘rancio’ characters you particularly liked or disliked?
produced from maturation in seasoned – Did any of the Australian varieties
wood. Grand Rutherglen Muscat displays challenge your previous ideas about
complexity that imparts additional layers that style?
of texture and flavour, and Rare Rutherglen
Muscat is rare by both name and nature
– fully developed and displaying the
extraordinary qualities that result from
the blending of only the very richest and
most complete wines in the cellar.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

VA R I E TA L S
V ERSUS B LENDS

VARIETALS VERSUS BLENDS

Varietal wines are made from a single grape
variety, whereas blended wines are created
by combining two or more. Blends are based
on the idea that the whole is more than the
sum of its parts, with each grape bringing
different qualities to the final blend. Blending
is used to enhance a wine’s aroma or
improve its flavour, and it can help balance
a wine’s acidity, tannin or alcohol level.
Blending also adds complexity to the wine’s
flavour and texture.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

VARIETAL - Made from a single grape
variety

WINES
- Able to tell a story of the grape,
region, climate and soil, and
winemaker
- Many wines sold as single
varietals contain a percentage
of other grapes – in Australia
up to 15% (15% in France, 25%
in US)

If a wine is labelled as a blend, the D I D YO U K N O W

varieties on the label will be listed in order LABELLING LAWS
of percentage composition. Reds are more
Rules apply to all variety claims
common as blends, but white blends
stipulating the minimum amount
shouldn’t be discounted.
of a single grape that a wine must
Varietal wines, on the other hand, are able contain for that wine to be labelled
to tell a clear story of the grape, the region, as a single variety. An 85% rule
the climate and soil, and the winemaker. applies in Australia, which means at
That said, many wines sold as single least 85% of the wine must be from
varietals contain a percentage of other the grape in question.
grapes; in Australia, single varietals can
This percentage varies from
have up to 15% other grapes.
country to country – for example,
Many of the world’s most famous wines it’s 75% in the US and 85% in the EU.
employ the best winemakers to blend
wines made from different grapes, vintages
and regions. This is where the expression
of terroir takes a backseat and the
winemaker’s art comes to the fore, creating
a unique style and signature of a particular
wine. Winemakers have blended for
centuries and Australia’s best-known wine,
Penfolds Grange, is a multi-regional blend.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN BLENDS
SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON GRENACHE SHIRAZ MATARO

REGIONS

BAROSSA VALLEY
DRY, AND MCLAREN VALE
CRISP AND
REFRESHING

SHIRAZ ADDS RICHNE SS

AND WEIGH T IN THE MOUT H
SAUVIGNON B LAN C
contributes tropical
fruits and sharper
acidity AUSTRALIAN

GRENACHE
SAUVIGNON GRENACHE provides
SEMILLON BRINGS
BLANC SHIRAZ MATARO aromatic
spiciness and
LEMONY NOTES SEMILLON MATARO (MOURVÈDRE)
gives perfume delicacy
and anise
Grassy, characters and
herbal aromas grainy tannins

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN BLENDS Grenache Shiraz Mataro

Australian blends showcase the innovation The emergence of Grenache blends in
and craftsmanship of the Australian wine Australia has led to a renaissance in red
community and are tasting better than ever. blends, with winemakers experimenting
The freedom to blend at a winemaker’s with classic and alternative varieties.
whim is producing modern Australian wine Grenache Shiraz Mataro (Mourvèdre),
styles that are pleasing palates around or GSM, is a classic red blend from
the world. Châteauneuf-du-Pape in France and has
become a particularly important style
Sauvignon Blanc Semillon in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and
Originating in Bordeaux, this zesty blend McLaren Vale, where some of the country’s
helped put Western Australia’s Margaret oldest and best Grenache grapes
River region on the map, and along with are grown.
Chardonnay it’s the region’s signature
white wine style. The two varieties compete
and complement each other, with Semillon
contributing flavour and roundness to
the more austere, sharper Sauvignon
Blanc notes.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN BLENDS
CABERNET SHIRAZ CABERNET MERLOT

EXCELLENT
STRUCTURE
LE
R F U L S TY
WITH GOOD
WE
BOLD, PO
AGEING
POTENTIAL
- Blueberry
- Black fruits
F L AV O U R S - Mint
- Olive
DEEP
TANNINS LONG FINISH
AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN
LONG FINISH
CHARACTERISTICS CABERNET CABERNET
SHIRAZ MERLOT
- Cassis
WELL BALANCED A RO M AS - Mocha
- Sweet spice

Cabernet Shiraz Penfolds’ 1962 Bin 60A Cabernet Shiraz is

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the tougher widely regarded as one of the best red wines
grapes to grow and make successful as ever made in Australia.
a varietal wine. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Merlot
Malbec or Petit Verdot help flesh it out and This is a classic blend, famous for being
ensure that a quality wine can be made in the combination of varietals originating
almost all years. In Australia, vignerons in from Bordeaux. Margaret River, in particular,
the 1950s didn’t always have these varieties produces some excellent Cabernet Merlot
to turn to. But one thing Australia has blends.
had and always will have is access to
The Cabernet Sauvignon provides a fine
exceptional Shiraz.
structure – tannins and acidity – while the
Cabernet Shiraz has great ageing potential, Merlot fills it with fruit flavours like plums
and stylistically these two varieties blend and cherries. And while the Merlot has little
well. Cabernet captures structure and structure but is full of fruity flavours, the
texture, which is overlaid by the suppleness Cabernet possesses a robust structure and
and generosity of Shiraz. Cabernet also offers blackcurrant nuances.
retains freshness and has its ‘hole in the
middle’ palate structure, which is filled
texturally by the sweet fruit of Shiraz.
This uniquely Australian blend has become
one of the world’s great wines, in large
part thanks to winemaker Max Schubert
who created the iconic Penfolds Grange.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

C O M P L E M E N TA R Y
READING
THE ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA’S RED BLENDS
Blending grapes to make an (arguably) better wine has been happening since humans
first started making wine. Regions like Bordeaux and the Southern Rhône have built global
fine-wine reputations on blends, and Australia is no different. Things really got going
when Australia’s first great winemaker, Maurice O’Shea, convinced his widowed mother
to purchase Charles King’s property in the Pokolbin area of the Hunter Valley in
New South Wales.
Maurice O’Shea made thrilling table wines at a time when the vast majority of wine
produced and consumed in Australia was fortified. He was an innovator, using varietal
labelling for his wines alongside the first names of friends, grapegrowers and relatives
while others were using vat numbers and letters. From a simple shack on the side of a hill,
he defined just how great fine Australian wine could be.
Over the course of 35 years he gained the respect and admiration of wine lovers across
Australia. Maurice was a master blender and a creative genius. Varieties like Shiraz and
Pinot Noir were blended to make wines that were much greater than the sum of their
parts. Wines were sourced from wine regions across Australia to make seamless blends
that thrilled wine drinkers. While he may have trained overseas, Maurice embraced the
freedom that making wine in Australia gave him. He laid the groundwork for generations
of innovative Australian winemakers to come.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

WINE REGIONS
AUSTRALIA’S WELL-KNOWN

1 Adelaide Hills, SA
NORTHERN
TERRITORY
2 Barossa Valley, SA
QUEENSLAND 3 Canberra District, ACT
4 Clare Valley, SA
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
5 Coonawarra, SA
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA
6 Heathcote, VIC
7 Hunter Valley, NSW
NEW SOUTH WALES 8 Margaret River, WA
4 7
8 2 9 McLaren Vale, SA
91 3
10 Mornington Peninsula, VIC
5 6
VICTORIA
12 11 Tasmania
10
12 Yarra Valley, VIC
0 500

Kilometres 11 TASMANIA

AN OVERVIEW OF AUSTRALIA’S
WINE REGIONS
The Australian wine community today is
founded on the explorers of the past who
identified the optimal vineyard sites. From
the iconic to the lesser known, Australia’s 65
wine regions boast distinct characteristics
that are expressed in wines produced by
makers attuned to their land.
The wine regions of Australia are largely
concentrated in the south east and south
west of Australia where temperatures don’t
climb too high.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

WINE REGIONS OF AUSTRALIA

A D VA N C E D
NOTES
MULTI-REGIONAL BLENDING
Multi-regional blends take the best from multiple regions to create balanced and consistent
wines. The concept has long been part of Australia’s revolutionary winemaking history.
It takes advantage of regional strengths and allows the winemaker to develop the style,
lessen the effect of vintage variation and replicate the wine year after year.
Strict regulations in some regions prevent European winemakers from using this method –
and varying opinions exist about its merits. In Australia, it’s an example of a bold, risk-
taking approach paying off. Some of the country’s most successful wine producers are
multi-regional brands producing globally coveted and premium wines. The most famous
of these is the Penfolds Bin 60A, a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa
Valley Shiraz.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

W I N E S E RV I N G
T E M P E R AT U R E
SPARKLING LIGHT-BODIED
WINE: RED WINE:
I C E CO L D CO O L

5°C 6°C 7°C 8°C 9°C 10°C 11°C 12°C 13°C 14°C 15°C 16°C 17°C 18°C 19°C 20°C 21°C

WHITE WINE
AND ROSÉ:
F RI D G E CO L D

HOW TO SERVE AND ENJOY

Temperature
Sparkling wine: Ice cold (5–10°C, 41–50°F)
White wine and rosé: Fridge cold (7–14°C, 45–57°F)
Light-bodied red wine: Cool (12–17°C, 54–63°F)
Full-bodied red wine: Slightly cool (17–21°C, 63–70°F)

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

SELECTING
T H E R I G H T G L A S S

WHITE
SPARKLIN G
WIN E WINE ROSé LIGHT–BODIED
RED WINE
FULL-BODIED
RED WINE
FORTIFIED
WINE

FUN FACT
CENOSILLICAPHOBIA
IS THE FEAR OF AN
EMPTY GLASS.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 FO O D PA I RI N G
AND WINE
- A complementary pairing
creates balance through
similar flavour profiles, with
neither the wine nor the food
overpowering the other.
- A contrasting pairing creates
balance by combining
opposing qualities that still
have a common element to
link them.

PAIRING FOOD AND WINE

The aim of food and wine pairing is to create
a good balance between a dish and the
characteristics of a wine. Also consider the
progression of a meal: usually from lighter
dishes and wines through to heavier courses
and more lush wine styles. In many ways it’s
a science, but it also comes down to your
personal preferences.
Complement or contrast
A complementary pairing creates balance
through similar flavour profiles, with
neither the wine nor the food overpowering
the other.
A contrasting pairing creates balance by
combining opposing qualities that still have
a common element to link them.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

CLASSIC FOOD
AND WIN E PAI RI NGS

SUGGESTED
CLASSIC PAIRINGS DISCUSSION POINTS
While the pairings above are tried- What are some food and wine
and-tested classics, wine is all about pairings you have either enjoyed or
experimentation. So try new combinations not enjoyed?
for yourself and see what works well
What have you learned today that
with your palate.
will change the way you match
wine with food?

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

W I N E
FA U LT S
A N D H OW TO I D E N T I F Y T H E M

WINE FAULTS AND HOW

TO IDENTIFY THEM

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

 When wine has been exposed to oxygen.
How you can tell:
- Loss of primary, fruity aromas
- Dull colour
- Lacking vibrant character on palate

OX I D
- Flat flavours

-AT I O N O X ID A T IO N

OXIDATION
What it is: When wine encounters oxygen
it begins to break down, and too much
exposure to oxygen will spoil it. It’s the same
reaction that occurs when you leave a cut
avocado or apple out. This can happen
during the winemaking process or in the
bottle, when too much oxygen seeps in.
How you can tell: Oxidised wine loses its
fruity aromas and is flat on the palate,
potentially with notes of stewed apple or
bitter fruit. It also appears flatter in colour,
with red wines turning a brown-brick colour
and white wines turning golden.
What to do about it: Once a wine is
oxidised, there’s no going back.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

C O R K TA I N T
When wine has come
into contact with
2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA)
through the cork or oak barrels
How you can tell:
- Smells like wet cardboard,
musty newspapers,
mushrooms, mouldy basement
- Other flavours and aromas
hidden in background

CORK TAINT OTHER FAULTS

What it is: When we say a wine is ‘corked’, Oxidation and cork taint are the most
it means the wine has come into common wine faults you’ll find. Some other
contact with a chemical known as faults you may encounter:
2,4,6-trichloroanisole, or TCA for short. TCA Brettanomyces (Brett): This is a type of yeast
usually comes from the cork in a bottle but often found in wineries that can grow in
can also be found in a winery environment, wine and produce bad-smelling compounds
for example in wooden crates or packing called volatile phenols. Brett is present in
material. Exposure to TCA is harmless at low many wines; it generally only becomes a
levels, but it can ruin a wine. problem at high concentrations. You can
How you can tell: The wine will smell dank, recognise Brett from its mousy, barnyard or
like wet cardboard, musty newspapers, rotten-meat aromas.
mushrooms or a mouldy basement. These Lightstrike/cooked wine: A wine is ruined
characteristics will also dominate its flavour, when it’s exposed to too much heat. Warm
with all other flavours and aromas hidden in temperatures dull a wine’s flavour, and
the background. You can’t notice cork taint extreme heat will give the wine a stewed,
by looking at the colour. jammy, roasted-sugar aroma.
What to do about it: As with oxidised wines, Volatile acid (VA): This is what gives vinegar
unfortunately if a wine is corked there’s little its acidic flavour and it exists naturally in
you can do about it. Your best bet is to try wine. It’s not a problem in smaller quantities
another bottle. and some winemakers use it to develop
more complex flavour profiles. But if the

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

bacteria that produces VA gets out of D E M O N S T R AT I O N
control, the wine will smell of nail polish DEMONSTRATING OXIDATION
remover.
While oxidised wine is usually a bad
Second fermentation: Allowing a second thing, some wines are intentionally
fermentation to occur in the bottle is how oxidised as a winemaking technique.
sparkling wine is traditionally made, but it’s Sherry, for example, owes its nutty,
not a desirable outcome in most still wines. stewed fruit flavours to oxidation.
You’ll recognise this from the tiny bubbles
You can demonstrate the various
in a wine that should not be fizzy, and
effects of oxygen on wine by
sometimes a flavour that’s slightly off.
comparing a glass of oxidised wine
with the same wine, unoxidized, and
a bottle of Sherry.

Introduction to wine / Educator guide

T H A N K YO U