This episode moves Australia forward by examining New South Wales and Tasmania — two states where climate volatility, altitude, and water availability shape wine style more directly than scale or branding.
Rather than treating regions as lists to memorize, the episode stays anchored in WSET exam logic: how latitude, humidity, rainfall timing, and diurnal range influence ripening patterns, picking decisions, winemaking choices, and ultimately quality and price. Hunter Valley’s paradoxical conditions and age-worthy Semillon, the moderating role of altitude across inland New South Wales, and Tasmania’s cool-climate precision and premium positioning are all unpacked through explicit cause-and-effect reasoning.
Listen for the contrasts: coastal versus inland New South Wales, altitude as a corrective force, and Tasmania as a small but strategically important producer where site selection matters more than scale. This is not about covering ground — it’s about understanding why these wines taste the way they do, and how to explain that clearly in an exam setting.
Looking for all episodes in one place?
I’ve created an evergreen “Start Here” hub for this unit so you can access the full series without inbox overload.
You’ll find the complete list of episodes, organized in syllabus order, here:
https://thesommpour.substack.com/p/wset-diploma-d3-wines-of-the-world
