Australian Land Use - Grape help please?

Question

I need some help with Society and Environment homework. Anyone know the factors that influence where grapes are grown in Australia, and how growing grapes and making wine Impacts the environment? All answers would be appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world in area (about 18% smaller than the U.S.) and is the 7th largest wine producing country in the world.  It produced just under 8% of the worlds wine production in 2001.  There are over 1,100 wineries in Australia and wine is produced in many regions that are widely spread across the southern half of the country.  Each of these regions has different climate and soils and should be considered to be as distinctly different as Bordeaux and Burgundy in France or California and Washington in the United States.



Australia aggressively expanded its wine grape planting and production in the late 1990's and early 2000's.  Australia had approximately 366,000 acres under vine by the end of 2001. While white grapes dominated (57%) of the acreage as late as the 1996-97 growing season, the percentage of red grape varieties as a percentage of recent plantings is overwhelming.  

Australia is one of the most innovative wine regions in the world.  There is a freedom from bureaucracy and regulation that is unheard of in most older wine producing countries.  Most of the vineyards are in the cooler southern part of the country and most particularly along the southeast coast. The most successful grape variety is the Shiraz (known as Syrah, in many parts of the world).  Shiraz accounts for over 37% of the red grape acreage.  Depending on the growing region and the winemaking style, Australian Shiraz can range from light and fruity to big, bold and very long lived.  The other noble grape varieties of the world are also grown (including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling).  



While winemaking started in Australia in the early 1800's the quality of the wines was poor until stainless steel tanks and temperature controlled fermentation came into use in the late 1950's.  When modern techniques were introduced, the quality of the wines began to improve almost immediately.



Like many new world wine producers, Australian wineries generally designate the grape variety of a wine on the label.  The laws require that wines with varietal labeling must contain at least 85% of that variety.  Australia has been the primary producing country to market wines with the names of two grape varieties on the label (i.e. - S�millon/Chardonnay).  In two grape blends, the variety that represents the greatest portion of the blend is named first.  



Australia is in the southern hemisphere and it's growing season is the reverse of the United States and the European countries.  Harvest begins in March and continues into April.



Australia ranks as the 12th largest wine consuming nation by volume and the 21st largest by per capita.  As of 2001, Australians consumed 20.5 liters per capita. This continues a trend of increased per capita consumption in Australia.



source and lots more info here:

http://www.cellarnotes.net/australia.htm...

The Hunter Valley was the first area in Australia where grapes were planted for wine production. The first vines were planted there in 1827, and today there are more than 120 vineyards in the area, and over half of them are boutique wineries. What makes Moorebank different to the others is its passionate focus on growing grapes using organic principles.

It is a small vineyard of 6 hectares, which produces only 2,000 cases of wine per vintage. Its varieties are Semillon, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Merlot. Ian Burgess and Debra Moore have been involved in the wine industry all their lives and they are both dedicated to producing premium quality grapes with a minimum use of synthetic chemicals. Traditionally wine production is carried out with a high use of chemicals to bring the fruit to maturity in the best condition, and Ian feels that this is not a sustainable practice. Their philosophy follows principles that restrict the use of popular chemicals. They try to use biological controls wherever possible, and use sustainable viticulture practices to produce the quality of grapes that they require to make their specialist product. Their wine caters to those people who suffer allergies, reactions to sulphur, tannins and histamines and who can’t drink mainstream wines.

source and more info here:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/...