Shiraz/Syrah Wine

You don’t need to be much of a wine buff to know that Shiraz and Syrah are one and the same grape, the only difference being the habitual usage by European and South American growers (Syrah) and mainly Australian and South African growers (Shiraz).

Syrah has been grown successfully wherever it has been attempted, such is the versatility of this grape. It produces a dark red wine and experts can instantly tell whether it’s a New World or an Old World by its signatures, but with a little practice, you too can get used to the differences. Old World Syrah tends to be fresher and full-bodied, with smoky tones and hints of blueberry, blackberry, olives and herbs. When it’s from the New World, Shiraz is driven more by its fruity characteristics, with the same berries at the fore but also undertones of savoury spice, black pepper and violet.

Syrah’s homeland is the Rhone Valley, where it produces both single varietal wines in the Northern Rhone, and makes up part of a blend with the likes of Grenache and Mourvedre in the South. These Rhone blends have been copied the world over with many great examples in Australia, California and South Africa. Shiraz has been adopted as the benchmark Australian red – big, bold and punchy – yet many styles retain a freshness and elegance that bear the hallmark of their Rhone ancestry.