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Geographic Indications

This is Australia’s answer to the need for an APPELLATION system. It was established in 1993–1994 to fulfill aspects of trade agreements with the European Community and the United States, whereby the place of a wine’s origin could be determined. Australia’s Geographic Indications are not as restrictive as the French APPELLATION D’ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE system, which has requirements not only for geographic definition but also for items like permissible grape VARIETIES, YIELDS, and the wine’s ALCOHOL level. The Australian Geographic Indications structure is closer to that of the United States AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREA system, which centers only on defining a geographic area. Like the system used in the United States, the Australian system does not guarantee the quality of the wines. The Australian system follows European labeling requirements regarding label use of geographic location—85 percent of the wine must come from that area. If grapes are sourced from multiple locations identification must be from most important to least important. According to the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC), which administers this system: “A Geographic Indication can be a zone, region, or subregion, terms that are defined in the AWBC Act. A zone is an area of land, without any particular qualifying attributes. A region must be a single tract of land, comprising at least five independently owned wine grape vineyards of at least five hectares [about 12.35 acres] each and usually produce five hundred tons of wine grapes in a year. A region is required to be discrete from adjoining regions and have measurable homogeneity in grape growing attributes over its area. A subregion must also be a single tract of land, comprising at least five independently owned wine grape vineyards of at least five hectares each and usually produce five hundred tons of wine grapes in a year. However, a subregion is required to be discrete within the region and have substantial homogeneity in grape growing attributes over the area.” Australian states are zones, so a label that says “South Australia” indicates that the wine may come from several locations but all from within the state of SOUTH AUSTRALIA. There are some zones and regions that straddle two states but are one contiguous area. The Big Rivers Zone with the MURRAY DARLING and SWAN HILL regions is an example— the zone and the regions lie in both NEW SOUTH WALES and VICTORIA. MARGARET RIVER is a region that lies in the South West Australia Zone of WESTERN AUSTRALIA—in a single zone and single state. Because Australian winemakers blend a lot of wine from various growing areas, the gigantic SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA zone was approved. It incorporates all producing areas in New South Wales, Tasmania, and Victoria, as well as parts of Queensland and South Australia. It essen-G tially covers 95 percent of Australia’s vineyards. It allows wine blended from grapes grown in the various indicated regions to use this name on their label.
Related Links: Appellation d'Origine Contrô, variety, American Viticultural Area (AVA), alcohol, yield
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc.
1995 based on THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION,
by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

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