Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Regionality in Australian Shiraz: Sensory profiles of wines from six regions and their associations with chemical, geographical and climatic elements

Regionality in Australian Shiraz: Sensory profiles of wines from six regions and their associations with chemical, geographical and climatic elements

Abstract

Aim: Regional characters relating to Shiraz in Australia are not well documented. This study aimed to characterize the sensory, chemical and climate profiles of wines from various Australian Shiraz producing regions. 

Methods and Results: Sets of wines (22 to 28) from six prominent Australian Shiraz producing regions were assessed by groups of regional winemakers using a rapid sensory method called Pivot© Profile (PP) to obtain biplots of their sensory characteristics. Three or four samples from each region were selected using Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) analysis of the PP data resulting in a subset of twenty-two wines, which were then assessed using sensory descriptive analysis. A comprehensive chemical profile was also undertaken, including monoterpenes, norisoprenoids, low molecular weight sulphur compounds, oak volatiles, esters, and non-volatile compounds. Seventeen season-specific climate indices were also complied for each sample. Multivariate analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Partial Least-Squares Regression) showed that wines with stalky/cooked vegetal sensory attributes had higher cinnamate esters and dimethylsulfide, relating to a later budbreak and harvest day; wines with higher monoterpenes were associated with floral aroma; higher solar radiation was linked to higher tannin and colour density values, norisoprenoid and phenylethyl acetate concentrations and an association with dark fruit/dried fruit and tannin/colour attributes. 

Conclusions:

Distinctive sensory and chemical fingerprints exist for the specific regions studied, and the climatic profiles were strongly associated with key compounds influencing sensory differences. 

Significance and Impact of Study: Relating multiple site- and season-specific climate measures to chemical composition and characteristic sensory attributes of regional Australian Shiraz wines can help grape growers, winemakers and wine marketers better understand and promote the effect of place on their wines. 

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: March 17, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Authors

Wes Pearson1,2*, Leigh Schmidtke1, I. Leigh Francis2, Sijing Li1, Andrew Hall1,3, B. Thomas Carr1,4, John Blackman1

1National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, School of Agricultural and Wine Science, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
2The Australian Wine Research Institute, PO Box 197, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia
3Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia
4Carr Consulting, 1215 Washington Ave., Wilmette, Illinois, USA

Contact the author

Keywords

Wine regionality, Australian Shiraz, wine sensory profile, wine chemical profile, wine climate profile

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

New crossbreed winegrape genotypes cultivated under rainfed conditions in a semi-arid Mediterranean region

Traditional drought tolerant varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Monastrell, and Syrah [1], have been used as parents in the grapevine breeding program initiated by the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA) in 1997 [2]. This work presents the results of evaluating three new genotypes obtained from crosses between ‘Monastrell’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (MC16 and MC80) and between ‘Monastrell’ and ‘Syrah’ (MS104), comparing their performance under conditions of water scarcity and high temperatures with that of their respective parental varieties. For this purpose, the six genotypes were cultivated under controlled irrigation conditions (60% ETc) and rainfed conditions.

Read More

Cross analytical and sensory differentiation of monovarietal white wines from four autochthonous grape varieties: focus on macromolecules

White wines contain macromolecules such as proteins, phenolic compounds and polysaccharides. On a sensory
level, these compounds contribute to the ‘mouthfeel’ that differentiates the white wines worldwide [1].

Read More

ViniGWAS – improving the selection of climate-resilient grapevine varieties

Climate change and its consequences are becoming an increasing challenge for viticulture. The breeding of new grapevine varieties that are better adapted to the changing conditions offers a possible solution.

Read More

Influence of different environments on grape phenolic and aromatic composition of threeclone of ‘nebbiolo’ (Vitis Vinifera L.)

The interaction between cultivar and growing environment is the base of wine quality and typicality. In recent time the behaviour of different clones within the same cultivar became another fundamental factor influencing the enological result. In order to clarify cultivar/clone/environment relations, a trial was carried out in 2008 studying the performances of three clones of ‘Nebbiolo’, grown in different environments: south-east Piedmont (hilly and characterized by a loamy and alkaline soil) and north-east Piedmont (a plain area characterized by a sandy and acidic soil).

Read More

Comparison of aroma-related compounds of carbonic maceration and traditional young red winemaking in case of Merlot by means of targeted metabolomic approach

Winemaking decisions and techniques are known to affect the final aromatic composition of red wines. Winemakers put a constant effort into the improved controlling of vinification procedures to achieve better quality. Anyway an increased customer’s demand for uniqueness is often forcing them to adjust and offer new and new interesting products. To support the producers, an improved knowledge on aromatic potential as affected by classical and alternative strategies is needed.

Read More