Effect of climatic change on Aussie wines and wineries

Some of the few burning questions related to climatic change and Australian wine industry -

• How will Australian wines and wineries be affected by climatic change? 
• How is viticulture going to be affected by climatic change?
• How are wineries planning to mitigate climatic change?

Additional solutions for the wineries is to use genetically modified grapes that can withstand high temperatures. Another way is implement canopy management effectively to provide shade or by trellis management so that the vines can remain cool at all times. However, vines should not receive excessive of shade, as it might not good for the produce.

Quick Statistics - Australian wine industry

Australian wine Industry 

Australia is the 6th largest wine producer and 11th highest per capita consumption of wine. Know about the statistics of Australian wine industry such as no of wineries, wine-regions,  grape variety most widely grown in Australia, total wine grape crush by region and wine exports.

Here is a quick summary of the Australian wine industry - 

1.Total wine production in Australia is 1.37 billion liters

2. Shiraz is most widely grown grape variety in area totaling ~40,000 ha

3. South Australia has the highest grape crush among all the wine regions of Australia

4. Australian wine has the highest exports to China accounting  to 33% of all the total exports

(Figures from Wine Australia of year- 2017)

Pairing wine with vegetarian dishes

Learn About Pairing Wines with Vegetarian Dishes

The very first thumb rule that people learn while pairing food with wine is 'Pair a red wine with red meat and a white wine with white meat'. This rule definitely works when the talk is about non-vegan dishes, but what concept is followed when cooked dishes are purely vegan? Which wine tastes best with tofu, roasted veggies or a spicy vegetarian stir-fry? We scrolled through various websites of wine and food experts and have jotted down some basic recommendations for different vegetarian cuisines. This guide will help you in pairing wine with vegetarian dishes perfectly.

White or Red?

It can be any! The wine world has thrown away the old-school wine pairing concepts through the innovative vegan recipes. Tofu and beans can go well with sparkling wines as well, and that includes a Rose too. Rose wines made from Pinot Noir and Shiraz do not overpower the fresh flavours of veggies, so they are an easy choice for many vegan dishes.

Go Local

Try pairing a wine with the food grown in the particular region from where the wine is. This helps in creating a perfect balance between regional flavours and taste.

Pairing Likewise

Pair elegant food with an elegant wine and a daily food like pasta with an everyday-drinking or sober wine.

Sweet for Heat

Pair spicy and hot Indian and Thai dishes with sweet dessert wines. The ripe fruit and residual sugars in sweet whites help tame the heat and bring out the other flavours in spicy dishes.

Trust your Taste Buds

Don’t overthink, just trust your taste buds. If you liked a particular wine when paired with a dish prepared by you, you should mention it. Who knows, you explored something new that can be cherished!

There’s an entire field dedicated to food & wine pairings. An entire range of books is devoted to wine pairing and food selections, so it is almost difficult to mention each and every little bit of the whole world of food matches with wine here. Just follow these simple tips mentioned above and let us know about your favourite pairing in the comment box below.

Know about decanting

Decanting lets the wine breathe and helps in opening the flavours and aromas present in the wine. It helps to separate the sediments present in red wine.White wine do not require decanting as sediments are absent in it.

Decanting times can vary depending on the wine. The decanting time for reds such as Zinfandel and Pinot Noir is 30 minutes and for Shiraz, Tempranillo and Sangiovese is 2-3 hours.

Healthy drinking habits for wine lovers

Drinking wine is good but one should also follow good drinking habits. Below are few drinking habits all winelovers should follow -

• Never drink on empty stomach - It is better to avoid drinking on empty stomach. The reason for it is that on an empty stomach blood alcohol concentration is high. And once alcohol hits the brain, control over bodily movements is reduced. However, if you have eaten something before drinking it can slow down this process. It is  also better to check the suitable wine food pairing to enhance the experience of wine drinking.

• Free days from drinking - Drinking should be done in moderation. Also, there should be days that are free from alcohol as it lets the body recover

• Eat healthy the next morning - It is recommended to avoid taking carbs and sugar in breakfast the very next morning. Better to take high protein food and healthy fats - food that is high in nutrition

It is important to cultivate good drinking habits to enjoy wine drinking experience to the fullest.

Know about New South Wales wine region of Australia

Know about New South Wales

NSW is the second largest wine producing state in Australia. It has a varying microclimate.

In 1831, James Busby brought the vines from Europe and planted them in Botanical Garden from where it spread to NSW, South Australia and Victoria

Important regions of New South Wales are - 

• Hunter Valley - Hunter Valley's Semillon wines are popular.
• Orange - Known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay Wines
• Mudgee - Known for its Cabernet Sauvignon wines
• Riverina - Known for its Botrytis Semillon wines.