A vineyard of Syrah grapes.
Perhaps no other grape uses two names as interchangeably as Syrah, called Shiraz in many countries. It is not uncommon for two wineries in the same district to use different terms, or in some cases the same winery will label one wine Syrah and another Shiraz. In general, the term Syrah is used in the United States and France, and Shiraz is used more in the rest of the world. Some winemakers choose to use the term Syrah to refer to smoother wines made from the Syrah grape, and Shiraz for wines that are a bit more crisp.
Syrah is a full-bodied and robust red wine.
In the past, Syrah was seen as a below average grape variety, with many vineyards in California and Australia pulling up thousands of acres of grapes. In Australia, many of these old vines date back to the early 19th century, when the variety was imported from the Rhône Valley in France. By the mid-1980s, Syrah’s value began to be recognized by a number of leading winemakers, and quality vines became a valuable commodity. Today, Syrah is grown all over the world, making it easily included in a list of the top ten most popular red varieties. While Australia and California present the largest producers and markets for Syrah, older vineyards in Spain, Portugal, Italy and France also produce respected wines from this grape, and several vineyards in Chile and South Africa have exciting and bold Syrah wines.
Some winemakers choose to use the term Syrah to refer to smoother wines made from the Syrah grape, and Shiraz for wines that are a bit more crisp.
Syrah creates a very dark wine with a very full and robust body. Syrah is one of the spiciest wines, especially when produced in more temperate environments like the Rhone Valley or Northern California. At their best, these Syrah types have the quintessential black pepper flavor favored by many consumers.
Syrahs from warmer environments (Australia and Africa, for example) tend to have less of this spice and are generally much richer in tannins than their softer cousins. At the same time, these Syrahs tend to be much sweeter than their colder climate cousins. Rarely, however, is Syrah a particularly fruity wine, which is why some drinkers find it less appealing than Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Syrah is much more marked by its various mineral flavors and a drier finish than most.