Unit 16 of 26 · Online wine course

Australian Wine Course

Shiraz, the Barossa and cool Australia. 6 lessons · about 46 min

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The 6 lessons

  1. Australia at a glance: sunshine, Shiraz and the south

    Why Australia is famous for bold, ripe Shiraz, why its vines hug the southern edges, away from the outback, and how a quarantine saved some of the world's oldest vines.

    You will be able to:

    • describe Australia's bold, ripe style and its signature grape
    • explain where Australia's vineyards are and what cools them
    • explain why some of the world's oldest vines grow here
    about 7 min

  2. The grapes of Australia: Shiraz and beyond

    Shiraz is Australia's signature grape, rich in warm places and peppery in cool ones, and each other grape has a home, from Coonawarra Cabernet to Hunter Valley Sémillon.

    You will be able to:

    • describe how warm and cool Shiraz taste
    • match Australia's key red grapes to their homes
    • explain why Hunter Valley Sémillon changes so much with age
    about 8 min

  3. Warm South Australia: Barossa and McLaren Vale

    South Australia makes about half of Australia's wine, and its warm Barossa and McLaren Vale regions are famous for ripe, full-bodied Shiraz and Grenache.

    You will be able to:

    • explain why the Barossa ripens rich Shiraz and Grenache
    • explain what Old Vine means on a Barossa label
    • tell Barossa, Eden Valley and McLaren Vale apart
    about 8 min

  4. Cool Australia: Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Margaret River

    Cooler, milder regions ripen grapes slowly, so Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Margaret River make fresher, finer wines, from Pinot Noir and sparkling wine to Cabernet.

    You will be able to:

    • explain why cool regions make fresher, finer wine
    • place Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Margaret River on a map
    • match each cool region to its star wines
    about 8 min

  5. Reading an Australian label: the 85 per cent rule

    How to read an Australian label: the 85 per cent rule for grape, year and place, GIs from zone to subregion, grape order, bin numbers and the back label.

    You will be able to:

    • explain what the 85 per cent rule covers
    • place a GI on the zone and region ladder
    • read an Australian front and back label
    about 8 min

  6. Choosing Australian wine: sunshine, Shiraz and more

    A practical guide to Australian wine: which region for which style, how the place on a label guides price, French classics' Australian cousins and easy food matches.

    You will be able to:

    • choose an Australian wine to suit the taste you want
    • match Australian regions to their speciality wines
    • use the price ladder and food matches when buying
    about 7 min

Related reading on Winelingo: Wine of Australia