The Wine Blokes

Shiraz, or Syrah, is a variety of grape used in wine. It is called Syrah in France, Argentina, Chile and most of the United States.

In Australia it used to be called Hermitage up to the late 1980s.

Syrah - shiraz - is the product of two lesser known French varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.

Shiraz also has one of the highest wine serving temperatures at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius).

Naming

Winemakers sometimes choose one name over the other to signify a stylistic difference in the wine they have made. “Syrah” labelled wines are sometimes thought to be more similar to Old World examples (presumably more elegant or restrained) such as Northern Rhône reds. “Shiraz” labelled wines are more similar to New World examples (presumably riper and fruitier), but even this rule of thumb is unevenly applied.

Origin

Syrah Leaf

The name Shiraz comes from Shiraz in Iran, where the process of wine making is thought to have originated 7000 years ago.

It is believed that the Syrah/Shiraz was brought into southern France by a returning crusader, Guy De’Sterimberg. He became a hermit and developed a vineyard on a steep hill where he lived in the Rhône River Valley. It became known as the Hermitage. In 1998, a study conducted at the University of California, Davis concluded that the grape variety in its modern cultivated form originated in the vicinity of the Northern Rhône valley of France, as the result of a cross of the “Dureza” and “Mondeuse Blanche” grape varieties; and in 2001, using DNA analysis, this was proven to be the case.

Syrah continues to be the main grape of the Northern Rhône and is associated with classic wines such as Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie. In the Southern Rhône it is used as a blending grape in such wines as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Côtes du Rhône. Although its best incarnations will age for decades, less-extracted styles may be enjoyed young for their lively red and blueberry characters and smooth tannin structure. Shiraz has been widely used as a blending grape in the red wines of many countries due to its fleshy fruit mid-palate, balancing the weaknesses of other varieties and resulting in a “complete” wine.

Durif

Durif, or Petite Sirah, is a descendant of the Shiraz grape. It was created by Dr. Francois Durif. Durif is a cross breed between the lesser known Peloursin and Syrah. Regions such as Rutherglen have achieved international regard for their Durif. This varietal is similar to Shiraz, but even more full bodied and tannic because of the smaller, thicker skinned grapes used.

Wine

A glass of California Syrah.

Shiraz is widely used to make a dry red table wine.

It is often vinified on its own, but is also frequently blended with other grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier. It is grown in many wine producing regions around the world, with concentrations in Australia, The Rhone Valley in France, and the US. It is often used as a blending grape in Spain and Italy as well.

Recently, Australian Shiraz producers have started to add up to 4% Viognier to their Shiraz to add apricot tones to the wine’s nose and palette. With such a small percentage added, the producer is not obliged to declare the blend on the label. In the past 5 years however, it’s becoming increasingly fashionable to label the wine Shiraz Viognier as Viognier gains consumer acceptance in the market place. The practise of blending Viognier with Syrah has actually been common for years in the Northern Rhône Valley region of Cote-Rotie.

Many premium Shiraz-based wines are at their best after some considerable time aged in a cellar (10-15 years). There is also a small amount of rosé wine produced from the Syrah grape. Before the popularity of Australian Shiraz wine it was very often used to make port. A number of Australian winemakers also make a full-bodied sparkling dry shiraz, that contains the complexity and sometimes earthy notes that are normally found in still wine.

Shiraz Taste

Wines made from Shiraz are often quite powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen.

Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called “typical” though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these “primary” notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory “tertiary” notes such as leather and truffle. “Secondary” flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, including winemakers’ practices (such as oak barrel and yeast regimes), and terroir (the impact made by the soil, weather, and aspect where the grapes are grown).

Australian Shiraz

The Shiraz grape was introduced into Australia in 1832 by James Busby, an immigrant who brought vine clippings from Europe with him. Today it is Australia’s most popular red grape, but has not always been in such favor; in the 1970s, white wine was so popular that growers were ripping out unprofitable Shiraz and Grenache vineyards, even those with very old vines.

Many factors led to the reemergence of Shiraz. The success of brands like Lindemans and Jacob’s Creek in the UK, as well as Rosemount in the US and UK, were responsible for a dramatic expansion of plantings during the 1980s and 1990s; a similar trajectory occurred in California.

South Australian regions tend to be the most highly regarded for Shiraz in Australia. Regions such as the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley have consistently produced some of the country’s best Shiraz for several decades. Due to the climate, these regions tend to produce very full bodied, high alcohol wines (between 13.5 and 16%).

Notable Victorian regions include Heathcote, roughly 1.5 hours north of Melbourne. Cooler climate regions such as Western Australia’s Margaret River produce Shiraz with marginally less alcohol content and often in a more traditional French style.

The most famous example of the Shiraz grape in Australian viticulture and indeed one of the finest wines in the world is the Penfolds “Grange”. This wine was created by winemaker Max Schubert in 1951, and has proved in vertical tastings to age exceptionally well. The Penfolds Grange is predominantly Shiraz, but often includes a small quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon. There was also a rare one off Bin 9 Grange Cabernet Sauvignon created in 1953. It is usually a multi-regional blend of the finest Shiraz in South Australia, with the Barossa Valley playing an important role. It is always matured exclusively in new American Oak. Other great Australian Shiraz wines include, the Henschke “Hill of Grace” and the Penfolds “RWT”.

French Syrah

Syrah, as it is known in France, is grown throughout the Rhône valley. The wines that are made from it vary greatly, even over small changes in the vines locations. The differences in the soil quality as well as the changes in the slope of the terrain tend to produce different styles of wine. Ranging from the mineral and tannic nature of Hermitage, to fruity and perfumed in the case of Côte-Rôtie.

Syrah is also a key component to many blends. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was sometimes added to certain Bordeaux to improve the wine.It may be used to add structure and color to Grenache in southern Rhône blends, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Syrah is also the only red grape used in the wines of the northern Rhône.

American Syrah

In the United States, wine produced from the grape is normally called by its French name, Syrah. However, in cases where winemakers choose to follow a New World style, similar to Penfolds Grange, they may choose to label their wines as Shiraz. Under American wine laws, either name may appear on the label. Syrah first appeared as a wine grape in California in the 1970s, where it was planted by a group of viticulturists who called themselves “Rhône rangers.”Although most plantings of the grape are in California, there are increasing amounts of it being grown in Washington state.

California Syrahs, much like those in France, vary a great deal based on the climate and terroir that they inhabit. In exceptionally warm regions, such as parts of Napa, the wine is often blended with other Rhône varieties. Other appellations, primarily mountainous ones, tend to produce varietal-based wines that can stand on their own. Syrah was introduced into Washington state in 1985 by the Woodinville, Washington Columbia Winery. Expanding at a significant rate, it is used to produce single varietial wines as well as being blended with grapes such as Grenache, Cinsault, and Viognier.