Shiraz/ Syrah

Syrah or Shiraz are the same grape; the Australian name, Shiraz, is generally better known than the French name, Syrah, and yet France grows the most Syrah or Shiraz in the world. 

Shiraz is a versatile grape and this is reflected in the different styles of wine produced from it across many wine regions; think of the smooth classics of the Northern Rhône - Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, the typically full-bodied spicy Barossa Valley Shiraz, an increasing number of fine examples from South Africa which generally sit somewhere between the above two styles.

And Syrah blends well with other varieties; it is often paired in Australia and the USA with the more austere and tannic grape, Cabernet Sauvignon, with Grenache and Mourvèdre in the classic Côtes du Rhône blends of the Southern Rhône and increasingly with a splash of Viognier which adds perfume and silkiness and produces a really elegant, feminine style of wine. Find you style.

For more information on Shiraz or Syrah, read my blog post