Australian Wines from Yarra Valley - Case Study Example

Yarra Valley Wines Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Background information of Yarra Valley 3 Yarra Valley Climate 4 Yarra Valley geography 5 Yarra valley soils 5 Challenges affecting the productivity of vineyards 6 Future concerns of the Yarra Valley 6 Yarra Valley wineries 7 Chandon winery 7 Giant Steps Winery 9 Yering Station 10 Conclusion 12 Bibliography 13 Introduction Wine is a globally coveted alcoholic drink. The demand for the wine is integrated each and every year and thus producers are pressured to work extra hard to meet the ever increasing demand. Australia is ranked among the best wine producers in the world. In addition, Australian wines are found in globally renowned restaurants (Robinson, 2006). Owing to this fact, the country encourages and committed to ensure that Australia’s wines maintain its international reputation. The country produces a full range flavored wine styles including full-bodied reds and deeps, fruity whites to sparkling, dessert and fortified styles. The country exports more than 770 million litres in the international market. This has resulted to high inflow of the foreign exchange, which accounts for more than $5.6 billion per year on the Australian economy. The country has more than 60 wine regions which are located in various parts of the country including Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (Robinson, 2006).. The types of wines produced in these regions are dependent on the topography and climatic conditions. The well known wine varieties form these regions and Australia at large include: Meriot, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, and Chardonnay. This paper is purposed to discuss wine varieties and styles produced in Yarra Valley; the first ever established wine region in Australia. Background information of Yarra Valley The Victoria’s oldest wine region; Yarra Valley to date has over 3,600 hectares under vine and crushes approximately 19,000 tones of grapes annually. The valley is only 50km from Melbourne, Australia; it is well known for its fine wine with serene and beautiful surrounds. The area has more than 100 wineries (yarra-valley-wine-region.com.au, 2007). The Yarra Valley vineyards dates back to 1838; Yering station which was a family-owned business was established in this year. The area Yarra Valley vineyard was established in the 1850s by Charles La Trobe a Swiss immigrant and the Governor of Victoria together with his Swiss borne wife. Hubert de Castella followed suit and dominating the industry winning prizes for his fortified wines in Australia and Europe in the 1880s. The 1860s and 1870s saw the rapid spread wine estates in this valley (Vinodiversuty, 2009). However, due to increased demand for fortified wine and the great depression of 20th century led to termination of wine production in Yarra valley. Replanting of the vines was initiated in the late 1960s and by early 1990s a vast area of the Valley had rediscovered back its wine potentials. Yarra valley produces a wide variety of sparkling wines including Pinot Noir, silky Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay (yarra-valley-wine-region.com.au, 2007).. Yarra Valley Climate Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s coolest regions; its elevation or the altitude varies from 50m-400m. The contrasting elevations of the Valley where vineyards have been planted rather established; ranging from the base of the Valley to more elevated vineyards in on the mountains have provided an ideal platform. This, together with various available geographical features has made it possible for the valley to produce a wide variety of rich wine types and styles that vary by season (Vinodiversuty, 2009).. At Yarra Valley, rainfall is dominantly experienced in winter/spring while the summer is relatively cool, dry and humid. The vine growing season which is approximately seven months experiences rainfall of about 750-950 mm and hence no irrigation is needed (Vinodiversuty, 2009).. Maritime influence is limited in this valley hence it is no maritime effects on vineyards. Consequently, the area does not experience cool evening breeze effects and fogs that extend into the mid morning as it is experienced in other regions; like Napa Valley in California. During the months of October and November, the Valley experience Frost and hail that negatively impact the grape vines which are actively springing forth after their winter dormancy (Vinodiversuty, 2009). Yarra Valley geography The Valley is legally defined within a geographical indication thus protecting the use of Yarra Valley name. The area comprises of or it is bounded by Kinglake in the north, Gem brook in the south, Wantima towards the west and Mount Gregory to the East. The valley hosts a myriad of geographical features including floodplains near Yering, Yarra Glen and Coldstream (Wine Australia, 2009). Yarra valley soils There are two basic types of soils in Yarra Valley. The northern side of the valley is characterized with grey to grey-brown soils on the surface which ranges from loamy sand to clay loam which is consistent with red-brown clay sub-soils that are frequently impregnated with rocks. These soils are mostly acidic, low in fertility but are generally well drained (Johnson, 1989). The other major type of soil found in the valley is the immensely deep and fertile red volcanic soil found at Seville, Hoddles Creek and in the southern regions of the Valley. This soil is highly recommended for vineyard cultivation as it produces high quality grapes. In other sections of the valley there is a combination of the rich red volcanic soils and clay loam soils impregnated with stones or gravel (Johnson, 1989). These soils play significant roles in the grapes grown and the ultimate style of wines produced in Yarra Valley. The local climate, the vagary of every season and viticultural practices are also essential and significant contributors to any producer’s wine. Challenges affecting the productivity of vineyards The recent years have beset Yarra Valley winemakers with many problems. For instance, in 2009, the Victoria bushfires killed 173 people, consuming 5% of the Yarra Valley Vineyards destroying homes and businesses including three wineries. Bushfires pose a great challenge to vineyard owners, business owners, citizens and the government at large. Secondly, Yarra Valley has been traditionally free of the phylloxera until 2006 (Clerke, 2004). This aphid in 2006 caused vineyard owners to destroy their vines and quarantine the area to avoid the spread of phylloxera. Future concerns of the Yarra Valley Yarra valley has done and is still performing excellently in the wine industry. However, despite all the benefits that the wine industry has brought to Yarra valley, the valley still face bushfire challenges and phylloxera aphid that is capable of destroying the entire wine production industry in the region (Clerke, 2004). With regard to this, it is essential that vineyard owners, wine organizations in the region and the Australian government at large to come with strategies that will manage and control the mentioned hazards in the region. This will ultimately ensure continued and abundant production of wine from the region that will eventually add up the total wine produced in the country (Clerke, 2004). Yarra Valley wineries Yarra Valley has more than 100 wineries due to its cool climatic condition, highly fertile soils and abundant rainfall. Wineries found in this valley include: Allinda winery, Balgownie Estate, Yering Station, Domaine Chandon, Giant Steps, Leaveton Estate, Train Trak Vineyard, Timo Mayer, Lovegrove Winery, Bianchet Winery and many more. This paper will only focus on Domaine Chandon, Giant Steps, and Yering Station Chandon winery The winery was established by the France’s Moet & Chandon in 1980s. The winery is situated in the once dairy farm ‘Green Point’ which has a perfect combination of cool climate and good soils for grape production. This has been the site for Domaine Chandon since 1986. In addition to the Yarra Valley, the winery established a 150 km vineyard north in the Strahbogie Ranges (Hilliday, 2007). The Chandon winery works with more than 50 grape producers from the cool climate regions from Victoria, Tasmania and beyond. The geographical diversity of the grape sourcing has enhanced production complexity and structure; these are key characteristics that have made Chandon vastly recognized in Australia as a benchmark producer of sparkling wines (Tom, 2009). . Chandon winery sources its fruits from Green Point Vineyard at Domaine Chandon which is situated on the slopes of upper Yarra which is approximately 500m above sea level. The vineyard at Strathbogie Ranges which have spectacular cool climate, 700m above the sea level, with fertile granitic clay loam soils produces a variety of vibrant grapes with intense flavor. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon are the main categories of vines produced. These varieties are ideal in adding complexity to both sparkling and still wines (Hilliday, 2007).. All Chandon sparkling wines are brewed using centuries old methode traditionnelle developed in the Champagne regions of France. For instance, after extracting the juice form the grapes, the juice is filtered after which it undergoes two separate fermentation process. The second fermentation process takes place in individual bottles where fine bubbles of sparkling wine are produced. Sparkling wines are exclusively made from chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grape varieties that are brewed using the methode traditionnelle. During the early 1990s Chandon team of winemakers started producing still wines in small quantities specifically for Cellar Door. This was made possible by sourcing grapes from exceptional Victorian Vineyards which supplied fruit for Chandon’s sparkling wines. For the last two decades, the winemaking team at Chandon has refined the still wine range by selecting vineyard sites that suit and are ideal for every wine style and by perfecting the wine making procedures (Hilliday, 2007).. This has culminated into production of wines that display elegance with unique Victorian origin. The launch of still wines in August 2008 under the Domaine Chandon label resulted into a wide-spread acclamation form different stakeholder including consumers and professionals. The trend has persisted since then and any still wine brand produced by Chandon is always rated excellently by Australia’s wine critics. Giant Steps Winery Giant Steps is in the Yarra valley, Victoria, sources fruits from different vineyards at varying elevations and degrees of coolness specifically from Tarraford, Millers Vineyard, and sexton Vineyard. Grapes for Giant steps are grown on a 115 acre of rocky gravel over clay just 50 km from Melbourne on the north facing the slopes of Warramate ranges. The Vineyard extends and covers two ridges that are elevated from 400 to 1100 feet above Yarra Valley floor (MacNeil, 2001). All vineyard work is done by hand with a singular objective of producing fruits of high quality. State of the art kinds of wines are made in this vineyard. Giant Steps are committed to exploring single vineyard wines particularly within the Yarra valley, drawing from various locations within the cool-climate region. For instance, the Sexton Vineyard in the Warramate; Ranges Giant Steps breads the vineyards with all necessities making its micro-flora to talk for themselves, rather than manipulating them (MacNeil, 2001). Giant Steps are committed to wine production in that each step and procedure is closely monitored to make sure that the final product is successfully achieved with great satisfaction. The winery is passionate single vineyard producer that is supported by entrepreneurial producer ‘Innocent Bystander’.Owing to this, they hand tender, hand pick, and hand process their grapes and wines while intimately involved throughout the whole process. In the same line, they use a non-interventionist approach by avoiding the addition of cultured yeast, using minimal sulphur, and strictly following oxidative practices from their gravity flow winery (MacNeil, 2001). Giant Step wines are marketed under specific vineyard name from which they originated; differences between sites are highlighted within the region. The wines are also distinguished by their micro-climate, clone variety and cultural practices, while at the same time demonstrating common similarities between the vineyards of the region (Tom, 2009). The Giant Steps believe that approach to wine is team focused involving the owner, vigneron, winemaker and the marketer. With regard to this, Giant Steps don’t offer any individual regional hero, but instead our team and our vineyards. Giant Steps has a fixed production of 12,000 cases each year, however the vineyard is currently producing 20, 000 cases which is expected to increase to 30,000. The company posses the biggest thermostat building in Australia that comprise of concrete shell suspended in the air with an extra concrete shell around it. This has made it commercially feasible to control and maintain temperatures at required scales (MacNeil, 2001). For instance, the room temperatures are kept at 40C, which is convenient for barrel fermentation, or chilling grapes down prior to maceration. In addition the physical structure of the winery is designed for extracting Pinot Noir from grapes to bottle without using a pump. Wines produced at Giant Steps winery include: Giant Steps Harrys Monster 2008, Giant Steps Sexton Marlot 2008, Giant Steps Sexton Pinot Noir 2008, Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay 2009, Innocent Bystander Chardonnay 2010, Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato 2010, 375ml, Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris 2010, Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir 2010, and Innocent Bystander Syrah 2009 (MacNeil, 2001). Yering Station This is a premium winery in Yarra valley one hour drive from Melbourne. It was the first winery in Victoria State, established in 1838, and at the moment it is one of the exciting family owned companies in the wine industry. The Vineyard was established by Ryrie brothers in 1838 by converting 43,000 acres of grazing land stretching from Woori Yallock Creek to Olinda Creek bordering the Yarra River to the North. The company is globally known especially after it won the highly coveted international wine and spirit competition winemaker of the year award in 2004. As aforementioned, the company marked the beginning of winemaking in Victoria being the first ever planted vineyard in Australia (Hilliday & Hugh, 2010). The Yering Station winery shares a property with Yering Chateau boutique hotel. The Winary still possesses its original charm. The 1859 building is regarded as the home of cellar door, a wine and produce store. The casual Matt’s bar is convenient where a person can relax while sipping wine and dinning from delicacies which are readily available on the menu. Yering Station winery covets vineyards on which they grow vines that are used for the final wine production. For instance, the winery has approximately 272 acres of vineyards across five sites in Yarra valley (Hilliday & Hugh, 2010). These vineyards include, Yering Station along Yarra View Road, Laura Barnes; at Spring hill, at Yarra Edge, and nearby Muirs. The winery currently grows cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and malbec. Yering Station believes that excellent wines start in the vineyards. The main objective of the winery is to produce wines that express extreme excellent quality from different varieties of vines and the soils from which they are grown. Yering Station is a state of the art winery which is highly flexible. Yering Station produces a variety of classy wines including: Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Marsanne, Roussane and viognier are also produced by Yering Station. Conclusion Wine production in Australia is a significant economic activity that is of great impact on the overall Australian economy. The Australian Government should invest intensely in the wine industry to make sure that quality wine is produced, unemployment rates are alleviated, and the country’s economy is enhanced. Currently the government efforts in maintenance of vineyards has seen production of quality wine both local and international markets. There are increased foreign income both through international wine trade and wine tourism in the country. Yarra Valley is one of the most coveted valleys in Australia that are determined to produce sophisticated and excellent wine. The region’s climate, soils and abundant rainfall are conducive for increased wine production. Owing to the wide varieties of wines produced by Yarra Valley wineries, and its strategic location to Melbourne city, both local and international tourists visit the region. However, despite the benefits drawn this region, bushfires and phylloxera aphids are major hurdles that must be overcome to ensure improved harvests. Bibliography Clarke, Oz. 2004.Oz Clarke's Australian Wine Companion: an Essential Guide for All Lovers of Australian Wine Orlando, Florida: Harcourt. Halliday, J. and Hugh J., 2010. The Australian Wine Encyclopedia Oxford: Oxford University Press. P. 69 Halliday, J.2007. Wine Atlas of Australia. Berkeley: University of California. Johnson, H, 1989. Vintage: the Story of Wine. New York: Simon and Schuster. MacNeil, K.2001. The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publisher. Robinson, J.2006. The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. VinoDiversity. 2009. Wines of the Yarra valley. Retrieved on 25/10/2011, from: http://www.vinodiversity.com/wines-of-the-yarra-valley.html yarra-valley-wine-region.com.au ,2007. Yarra Valley History. Retrieved on 25/10/2011, from http://www.yarra-valley-wine-region.com.au/melbourne-yarra-valley-history.html Wine Australia 2009. Yarra Valley Wine Region. Retrieved on 25/10/2011, from: http://www.wineaustralia.com/australia/Default.aspx?tabid=4519 Tom S.2009. Oak in Champagne Retrieved on 25/10/2011, from: http://www.wine-pages.com/guests/tom/oak-in-champagne.htm Read More