1. Shiraz - The Big Bold Grape
Syrah or Shiraz is a thick skinned, red grape variety that originated in Northern Rhone Valley,
France and is today grown in Italy, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, South
Africa and the United States. It is estimated to be the 7th
most grown variety in the world with
Australia being the biggest producer, second only to France. The name Shiraz came about in
Australia and is also commonly used in South Africa and other New World Wine Regions. It is
referred to as Syrah in the Old World Regions and the United States.
Syrah, as it is known in France, is grown throughout the Rhône valley. 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 (where it was traditionally blended with Viognier). The wines that are made from it
vary greatly, even over small changes in the vines locations.
In the 18th and the first half of the 19th
centuries, before the 1855 appellation
rules were established, top Bordeaux
châteaux would use Syrah to improve
their wines, especially in weaker
vintages, a practice that is totally illegal
today. And this is how it started to
become popular. Today, Syrah wines
are most commonly blended with
Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet
Sauvignon and with small amounts of
Viognier too. Syrah adds body, depth
and spice character to a wine when
blended. The most famous Syrah wines
coming from France are Guigal's single
vineyard cuvées, La Landonne, La
Mouline and La Turque, but these are
prohibitively expensive. 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, where
Grenache usually makes up the bulk of
the blend.

2. The Syrah grape or Shiraz, as it is known in
Australia, was introduced there 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
favour; in the 1970s, white wine was so popular
that growers were ripping out unprofitable Shiraz
and Grenache vineyards, even those with very old
vines. In the Barossa Valley, the world's oldest
continually producing commercial vineyard is
believed to be the Shiraz vines that were originally
planted in 1847. In Australia, it tastes quite
different making dense, potent wines in warm
places like Barossa and in cool places like Victoria
it produces wines with a hint of black pepper. One
of the most iconic Australian Shiraz is the
Henschke Hill of Grace whose vines were brought
in by early European settlers and has been single
vineyard bottling their wines since 1958.
Wines made from Shiraz are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. They are characterised
with high tannins, high acidity, blackberry, dark chocolate flavours. It shows mint, eucalyptus,
smoked meat, black pepper, liquorice and clove characteristics in wines from warm and hot
climate regions. Due to their concentrated flavours and high tannin content, many premium
Shiraz wines are at their best after some considerable bottle aging. In exceptional cases, this may
be 15 years or longer. With age the wine develops aromas of leather, wet leaves and earth.
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. Today, growers all over
the world are experimenting with this easy-to-love grape, whose wines however ripe always have
a savoury kick at the end. It pairs well with red meats, game, foods with big bold robust flavours
like roasted or barbecued meats, spicy Indian curries, tikkas and biryanis.
Shiraz Trivia
In Australia, besides being called Shiraz, the grape was also commonly called Hermitage up to
the late 1980s, but since that name is also a French Protected Designation of Origin, this naming
practice caused a problem in some export markets and was dropped.
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.
Shiraz is also used in small amounts in many other non-shiraz wines. Rose wine, Port wine,
sparking red wine and fortified wine are all examples of wines that can be blended using small
amounts of Shiraz grapes.

3. The grape also goes by a few other synonyms such as Balsamina, Candive, Hignin Noir,
Marsanne Noir, Sirac, Syra, and Sereine, although these names are not widely used.
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