RECOGNISING regional expression is one of the holy grails in the enjoyments of wine and an aspiration for wine producing countries. Being able to open a bottle and clearly smell and taste the keynotes of a particular region adds value and is a cognitive enhancement that separates wine from other beverages. The French market this as terroir. A term cloaked in mystery. It encompasses the soil, subsoil, and the microclimate that the vine grows in. Many commentators add the impact of the viticulturalist and winemaker into the definition, especially where customs and practices have been developed over centuries.
In Australia we don’t have traditional practises engrained in our regions. Innovation, technical advances and trends, some reverting to retro practices, are our winemaking traits. Our industry typically has roving winemakers that have careers spent in numerous regions and countries, as well as turning their hand to making wines out of various grape varieties. The same winemaker making a shiraz as well as a riesling would be extremely rare in Europe, but commonplace in the Clare Valley for example. Granted there are some ‘stay at home’ winemakers as well.
But can regionalism shine through in Australian wines? Well, it is easier to see regionality in grape varieties that are made in a simpler way; without the complication of oak, for example, or manipulating the site by irrigating the vines or the addition of acid in the winery. Riesling, semillon and sauvignon blanc would qualify to express their region easier than, say cabernet sauvignon or shiraz.
But it is with shiraz that there have been attempts at examining regional expressions. In a joint study by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), Charles Sturt University, and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) six different shiraz regions were analysed. The results were summarised in a recent article (winter 2021) of Wine and Viticulture Journal. The aim of the study is to define regional variability and uniqueness of premium Australian shiraz. The project used a sensory assessment known as Pivot© Profile a ‘rapid sensory method’ to look at wines from the Barossa Valley, Canberra District, Hunter Valley, Heathcote, Yarra Valley and McLaren Vale. Wines were selected from the 2015 and 2016 vintage. It confirmed some regional characteristics and then analysed the wines for the chemicals behind them.
Canberra District was reported to rate ‘highly’ for floral notes, this was due to the monoterpene compounds such as citronellol and trans-geraniol. These are found in citronella oil, so a glass at night might help keep mosquitoes at bay! Linalool was also found which gives floral and lavender aromas. Yarra Valley shiraz samples had noticeable compounds such as ethyl cinnamate and ethyl dihydrocinnamate. Both of these display balsamic and cinnamon spice. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was also found which can produce stalky and cooked cabbage notes, which I’m sure would not be a welcomed attribute for the region’s shiraz. It is no surprise that both McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley wines displayed more fruit aromas. They both had higher concentrations of beta-damascenone (red fruits and roses).
Climate and vintage conditions were investigated which explained some of the sensory findings such as the floral aspect in Canberra was related to the region having cooler night temperatures. Whilst warmer in climate that most other regions, the wetter vintages in the Hunter Valley resulted in earlier harvest, so the wines displayed lighter red fruit aromas.
Using my own empirical research (tasting a lot of wine over 30 years) the scientific study consolidates my understanding of Australian regional shiraz. Other regions have signatures as well. I find Margaret River shiraz has some cool maritime influences and displays stemmy red fruits under a medium bodied structure. The cooler climate Yarra Valley resulted in more rotundone, a compound that gives the key black pepper and herbal aromas found in cooler grown shiraz. Mornington Peninsula has definitely got gentler red fruits as well as floral with underlying black and white pepper producing a pinot drinkers shiraz.
Staying in Victoria, the Grampians display ground black pepper, whilst Bendigo has a rich full bodied jammy plum flavour. Traditionally these regions have also had some suggestion of eucalyptus. The Central Victorian Heathcote region is a bit different as it spans over 70km north to south and has two distinct styles. The north being warmer akin to the riper black fruit Barossa style, whilst in the south, around the township of Heathcote, the wines have a spicy black olive note, whilst still remaining robust, full bodied, and deeply coloured. In the ultra-cool Macedon Ranges and Sunbury regions you find white pepper and is as close to the Rhône Valley in style as you can get in Australia. Wines have good acidity and are medium bodied. Geelong sits in-between the cooler and warmer styles.
In South Australia, Clare valley has ripe blackberry, black cherry but in the cooler Eden Valley shiraz displays plum, black cherry and olives. On the palate the wine is elegant well balanced and tending towards medium bodied.
The role that soil plays in terroir/regional expression is not as clearly understood as the impact of climate. The Barossa Grounds project did demonstrate some impact of the soil type and you can read my article Grounds for Growth in November/December 2018 Winestate for more details. Elsewhere, Hunter Valley shiraz seems to grow better on red clay/loam soils close to the Brokenback ranges and leaves the flatter sandier alluvial soils to semillon. Traditionally the Hunter Valley gives an earthy, medium bodied wine with sweet cooking spice and lighter red and blue fruits. Leathery and the traditional ‘sweaty saddle’ was once the calling card of the Hunter, that was put down to the high rate of brettanomyces infection found in barrels but is now mostly a footnote in history. We have not touched on the impact of vine age. With such a wealth of old vines across three states it might have to have a separate article.