H U N T E R V A L L E Y AUSTRALIAN WINE DISCOVERED
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.
A U S T R A L I A NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES hunter valmey VICTORIA 0 500 Kilometres TASMANIA
M i t c Newell Hwy h e l l H w y Huntes Oxley Hwy Valmez NEWCASTLE N S W SYDNEY WOLLONGONG
HUNTER VALLEY: THE BIRTHPLACE OF AUSTRALIAN One of Australia’s oldest wine regions, the Hunter Valley remains a star of the Australian wine WINE community. - Warm, humid climate - Producing world-class Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz - Home to some of the world’s oldest vine stock - Popular tourist destination
TODAY WE’LL - The history of the Hunter Valley - Geography, climate and soil - Viticulture and winemaking - Old vines COVER… - Prominent varieties - Hunter Valley by numbers
1830s THE HISTORY OF HUNTER VALLEY: Among the early pioneers is Scottish immigrant James AN AUSTRALIAN Busby, who helps establish the Hunter Valley after introducing WINE PIONEER vine cuttings from Europe. MID 1820s 1800s Early European settlers Dr Henry Lindeman moves to begin planting vines. Australia and quickly earns a reputation for exceptional wines. He becomes president of the local vineyard association and helps establish key varieties including Semillon, Verdelho and Shiraz.
LATE LATE 1900s 1800s TODAY Penfolds establishes a 600-acre The Hunter Valley gains a Hunter Valley is one of the site at Wybong Park, beginning reputation locally and globally most visited wine regions a new chapter in viticulture in the as a prominent wine region. in Australia. It continues Upper Hunter area. The Hunter Early pioneers pave the way, to impress with world-class Valley’s wine industry flourishes including the Tyrrell, Tulloch, Semillon, Chardonnay and the region becomes Wilkinson and Drayton families. and Shiraz. known for superb Semillon. Y EARL 1900s Tyrrell’s HVD vineyard is planted, today one of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards in the world. Pokolbin begins to make its mark as a reputable wine-producing area. Maurice O’Shea and his family purchase the historic Mount Pleasant property.
A WARM-CLIMATE REGION OF NATURAL WONDERS Hunter Valley is classified geographically as a zone encompassing: - Hunter region - Broke Fordwich subregion - Pokolbin subregion - Upper Hunter Valley subregion
HIGH LAT ITUDE >1000M >3280FT MEDIUM 32° -HIGH 750–999M 2460–3279FT 54'S LOW -MEDIUM 500–749M 1640–2459FT ALT ITUDE LOW H U N T E R VA L L E Y 0–499M 50-220M / 165–720FT 0–1639FT
CLIMATE G R O W I N G S E A S O N HUNTER R A I N F A L L VALLE Y SUBTROPICAL HUNTER WITH MARITIME INFLUENCES VALLEY MEDIUM 500MM (19.7IN)
MEAN JANUARY HVNTes TEMPERATURE >1900 VAlmez Very High 2, I 70 HPT 1600 >23 °C –1899 High WBRM HUNTER 1300 –1599 VALLEY Medium 22.3 ° C 1000 –1299 (72.1°F) Low HEAT MPDesATE DEGREE 19 °C –20.9 °C DAYS COPL 17 °C –18.9 °C
S O I L - Varied across the region - Shiraz typically does best on friable red duplex and loam soils - Semillon typically does best on sandy alluvial flats
VITICULTURE AND WINEMAKING IN THE HUNTER VALLEY: SUCCESS AGAINST THE ODDS
- A history of skilled grapegrowers adapting to climate and market changes - Quality over quantity - Signature varieties: Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz - Subtropical climate, heavy rains and summer storms present a challenge CHALLENGES AND REWARDS F O R G R A P E G R O W E R S
HARVEST - Early January to mid-February - Earlier than most other Australian regions
- Long winemaking tradition - New breed of innovative winemakers - Minimal intervention, preservative-free Semillon, alternative varietals, Shiraz and Pinot Noir blends WINEMAKING: AN EMPHASIS ON PREMIUM
A GROWING HISTORY: O L D V I N E S - Vineyards dating back to the 1860s - The oldest Chardonnay vines in the world - The largest acreage of old vines, mainly Shiraz growing on its own roots
TASTE OF HUNTER Top varieties - Semillon VALLEY - Chardonnay - Shiraz
HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON C H A R ACT E RI ST I C S YOUTHFUL, COLOUR UNOAKED STYLE Semillon (Youthful) Light Medium Full BODY TYPICAL FRUIT FLAVOURS SEMILLON Dry Medium dry Sweet - Lemon SWEETNESS - Green apple FLAVOURS - Quince Low Medium High OAK TYPICAL HUNTER VALLEY ACIDIT Y SECONDARY FLAVOURS - Herbs 8% 10% – 11.5% 17% ALCOHOL - Grassiness
HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON C H A R ACT E RI ST I C S BOTTLE - AGED, UNOAKED STYLE COLOUR Semillon (Bottle-aged) TYPICAL FRUIT FLAVOURS Light Medium Full - Lemon BODY - Apple - Quince Dry Medium dry Sweet SEMILLON - Fig SWEETNESS FLAVOURS Low Medium High HUNTER VALLEY TYPICAL OAK SECONDARY ACIDIT Y FLAVOURS - Toast 8% 10% – 12% 17% - Straw ALCOHOL - Honey - Honeysuckle - Vanilla
HUNTER VALLEY CHARDONNAY C H A R ACT E RI ST I C S TYPICAL FRUIT FLAVOURS FLAVOURS COLOUR Chardonnay - Lemon - Nectarine - Apple - Melon Light Medium Full - Ripe peach - Mango BODY CIAREONOAY - Citrus - Pineapple Dry Medium dry Sweet - Toast - Cinnamon SWEETNESS - Vanilla - Coconut - Butter - Nougat Low Medium High HUNTER VALLEY - Toffee - Toasted OAK almond - Honey ACIDIT Y - Spice - Crème brulée 8% 12.5% – 14.5% 17% ALCOHOL TYPICAL FLAVOURS WITH OAK MATURATION
HUNTER VALLEY SHIRAZ C H A R ACT E RI ST I C S - Pepper - Blackberry Light Medium Full BODY - Spice FLAVOURS - Plum Dry Medium dry Sweet - Dark cherry SWEETNESS - Chocolate - Coffee Low Medium High SHIRAZ OAK H U N T E R VA L L EY TANNIN ACIDIT Y COLOUR 8% 13.5% – 15.5% 17% ALCOHOL Shiraz
Other notable varieties: - Verdelho - Pinot Noir - Tempranillo - Cabernet Sauvignon BEST OF T H E R E S T
- Pinot Gris/Grigio - Viognier - Fiano - Gewürztraminer - Cabernet Franc - Barbera - Sangiovese EMERGING VARIETIES
UNITED FINLAND KINGDOM 3% E X P O RT I2% DESTINATIONS CHINA C R U S H 54% Approx. 3 , 660 TONOES PER YEAR TAIWAN OF AUSTRBLIAN = 1 % LESS PROVINCE TOTAL GRAPE UNITED THAN 4% CRVSH STATES I5% H U N T E R VA L L E Y B Y N U M B E R S 29 % VA R I E T I E S Shiraz W I N E T Y P E 16 % Semillon VARIETIES 31 % Chardonnay 53 % 47 % 14 % TOP 5 Verdelho 2 % WHJTE RED Tempranillo
ICONS AND A historic wine region INNOVATION that’s only getting better with age
T H A N K Y O U
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