Insert activity title here: Calibri 30pt

Subheading title here: Calibri 18ptPresented by John Citizen 24th August 2010

The Great Australian Blend

Charlie Melton

21st September, 2010

Landmark Australia Tutorial

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Total Hectares of Plantings in Australia

65New South Wales

110Victoria

111Western Australia

1718South Australia

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Fortified Wines in Australia

99%1%2008

97%3%1998

92%8%1988

79%21%1978

56%44%1968

33%67%1958

UnfortifiedFortifiedYear

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Grenache and Mataro Winemaking tonnes

< 1%9 9551%25 347 1 818 431 2005

1%8 2383%23 842 856 074 1998

2%7 7286%29 427 460 148 1988

3%14 34211%46 990 430 069 1978

N/AN/AN/A32 000 N/A1969

N/AN/A17%21 200 127 050 1956

Mataro % Mataro Grenache % Grenache Total tonnes Year

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• What is the inspiration behind blending these wines?

• May have come from the Bordeaux practice of strengthening the lighter Bordeaux years with a dash of Hermitage? Vice Versa.

• The “Australian Blend”.

• Some records show this blend was first around in the early 1800’s, but it was mainly a post WWII phenomenon that saw this blend rife across the landscape of the Australian wine industry.

• 1962 Bin 60A, a classic example.

• Considered the greatest Australian Red ever to be made. To this day it is still the benchmark wine, for this style, that winemakers aspire to.

Cabernet Shiraz, Shiraz Cabernet

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• Only a few early practitioners perhaps?

Bin 2 from the early 1960’s might be at the forefront of our minds but it was A.P.Burkes from Wendouree that has been blending the two varieties since 1895.

Shiraz Mataro