Syrah

The Rhone Valley’s Cote Rotie and Hermitage, the world’s finest examples of Syrah, are deeply colored, powerful, flavored with dark berry fruit, earth, smoke, bacon, lilacs, white and pink peppercorns, and herbs de Provence and have a long ageing potential. They are medium-bodied and dry, as are less expensive appellations Cornas, St. Joseph, and Crozes-Hermitage. They sometimes take on a rubbery, burnt tire or creosote character.

Australian Shiraz, especially from the excellent growing regions of McLaren Vale or Barossa, is inky in color, with very forward raspberry, boysenberry, lilac, lavender, menthol, and sweet vanillan (from oak aging) notes. There is nothing shy or understated about these wines. They are outgoing, warm, friendly, and instantly likeable. Despite relatively high alcohol, generous oak usage, and sweet, ripe fruit, the top Australian versions are balanced. Much to the dismay of the wine world at large, Australia turns out boatloads of smooth, clean, warm, round and spicy Shiraz at under $10 the bottle, many from Southeastern Australian. The wild success of this wine style at this price has shaken the foundation of the industry. Some high end producers in the Rhone Valley now refer to their grape as Shiraz in an effort to catch the attention of the buyers.

In South Africa where it is by far the highest quality red, New Zealand and the Americas, producers who label their wine “Shiraz” are imitating the jazzy Australian style, which was traditionally aged in American oak, while those who use “Syrah” are after the more subtle French style with less obvious sweet oak influence. In these new world areas where the wines are varietally (rather than geographically) labeled, the more expensive the Syrah is, the more heavily oaked it is.

In North America, Washington (Columbia Valley) and California (Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara are all producing this popular varietal an a wide variety of styles. In the warmer regions the grape quickly loses finesse and perfume. In the Columbia Valley where they are often aged in American oak the wines have a peculiar blueberry/mocha/roasted coffee bean flavor and are quite rich and dense.

Oregon, Idaho, and New York also produce this varietal. In the Argentine provinces of Mendoza and San Juan, Syrah is highly regarded for its deep color, expressive varietal character and fine tannins. It is often blended with Malbec. In Italy, Syrah is grown in Tuscany, where it finds its way into many Super Tuscan and even Chianti wines.

Penfold’s Grange South Australia

Trevor Jones Dry Grown Shiraz Barossa, South Australia

Wirra Wirra Vineyard Series Chook Block Shiraz McLaren Vale (Australia)

Kevin Arnold Shiraz Michael Ian Stellenbosch (South Africa)

Matariki Syrah Hawkes Bay (New Zealand)

Novy Family Winery Garys’ Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands California (USA)

Columbia Winery Syrah Red Willow Yakima Valley Washington(USA)