SHIRAZ / SYRAH
Quick overview
Shiraz and Syrah is the same grape. The Australian's refer to the grape as Shiraz and the French, Syrah. They are defined by their dark, thick skins that produce wines that are usually full bodied, medium to high levels of tannins, medium acidity and often have black fruit, chocolate and spice flavours, as well as vanilla and coconut.
The finished wine will depend on where the grape has been grown and the way that it's produced. Grapes that are grown in a moderate climate for example may express herbaceous flavours and spice.
​
When aged the wines develop vegetal flavours such as wet leaves. Syrah is nearly always oaked adding vanilla and toast flavours.
On the grapevine...
Syrah and Grenache pair very well. Both grapes need a hot climate to ripen, which Syrah needs to ripen the tannins. Both grapes are full bodied.
When Grenache is added to Syrah the wine will increase in alcohol content as well as lower in tannin and acidity levels. The resulting wine will exhibit red fruit flavours and spice. lower levels of tannin and acidity and red fruit and spicy flavours.
Syrah added to Grenache will add dark colour berries, tannin and acidity. With ageing the spicy notes often turn into toffee or leather flavours.
​
Cote Rotie and Hermitage in Northern Rhone produce wines made from Syrah grapes that can be very expensive and extremely good. Their high prices are partly due to the fact that the majority of vineyard work has to be done by hand because the terraces are very steep and narrow so no machinery can be used and because of the ideal growing conditions - sunlight; good drainage. Crozes-Hermitage sites/ wines are less expensive than Hermitage wines as the sites are flatter and the wines produced are less intense and complex.
Rose is often made from Grenache grapes in Southern France and Spain.
More about the grape...
Shiraz and Syran grapes have thick skins so need stronger heat to ripen tannins. The grape is often blended with Grenache (also called Garnacha in Spain). Grenache has high sugar content; thin skins, red fruit and spicy flavours; low acidity; full body and has high levels of alcohol. Both grapes are full bodied.
​
Shiraz and Syrah grown in hot regions generally have more intense black fruit, sweet spices and chocolate flavours. Vanilla and conconut flavours can come through from oaking. In more moderate climates (Victoria in Australia for example or French Rhone wines) the wines can often display more peppery flavours and be less full bodied.
Random information...
A wine made with Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre (Mataro) in South Australia is called a GSM locally...They are full-bodied, with red fruit flavours with very soft tannins and can benefit from being served slightly chilled at around 13 degrees (rather than the 'normal' full bodied red wine serving temperature of 15 - 18 degrees).
​
Chateauneuf-du-Pape in Southern Rhone can have up to 13 permitted grape varieties, however some are 100% Grenache. Typical Chateauneuf-du_Pape is full-bodied, medium tannins, low acidity and red fruit, spicy and leather flavours.
Safe bet countries/ regions (this is a VERY general guide)
-
Southern Rhone - Cotes Du Rhone (Cotes Du Rhone Villages more expensive) and Chateauneuf-Du-Pape / Northern Rhone - Cote Rotie; Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage (Hermitage and Cote Rotie being the more expensive wines) - France
-
Barossa Valley and McLaren Valley (South Australia) Hunter Valley (New South Wales) - Australia
-
Hawkes Bay - New Zealand
-
Chile - South America