Syrah and Shiraz are genetically the same grape, yet the wines they produce can be very different in style, depending on their origin. In a nutshell, the typical old-world syrah could be described as lighter and more subtle than the rich, intense and full-bodied shiraz wines of the new world. In some areas, the title on the bottle will be more of an indication of the style of the wine rather than where it is from.
Originally from France, Syrah is a dark-skinned grape that has been historically grown in many countries both for the production of varietal wines and in blended wines. It is known as Syrah throughout Europe, and also in North and South America. Its popularity has boomed in recent decades with Australia’s reinvention of its name – Shiraz in the 1980s so named to avoid the export issues caused by the name Syrah and also Hermitage being French protected designations of origin. In Australia, this particular grape has long been the most widely cultivated dark-skinned variety in the country since its arrival in the 1830s. The name Shiraz is also commonly used in South Africa and Canada.
In the mid 2000s, Syrah was estimated to be the world’s 7th most grown variety. It is known under several other synonyms but should not be confused with Petite Sirah, however, which refers to a common California field blend that makes robust, tannic, earthy wines. Syrah has a long documented history in the Rhône region of France, but its origin was finally confirmed in 1998 as being a product of ancient grape varieties Dureza from the Ardèche region and Mondeuse Blanche from the Savoy region. The researchers concluded that Syrah originated in the same place where it came to fame – Northern Rhône. However, before these conclusions there had much speculation on more far-fetched possibilities of its beginnings. Many of the legends have derived from the name Shiraz – there is an Iranian city called Shiraz, where the famous Shirazi wine was produced, and it has been claimed that the Syrah grape was brought to Rhône from Iran. The myth has two different storylines and most of the controversy centres on how and when the grapes were supposed to have travelled. In addition to the lack of evidence, a representative carrying the vines is unlikely to have journeyed as far East as Persia at a time when the crusades were focused on the Holy Land.
The name Shiraz has been made popular by Australia in the last three decades but the earliest Australian documents use the spelling “Scyras” for the grape, although the spelling of Shiraz was documented in British sources from the 1830s.
Syrah was first made famous by the wines from Hermitage Hill in Northern Rhône, from which there had been a centuries-old reputation for producing excellent wines. Yet its popularity decreased and by the early 19th century most Hermitage wine was exported as a blending component in Bordeaux wines. Syrah has been reincarnated as the principal 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 for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Côtes du Rhône – its fleshy fruit gives balance to the weaknesses of other varieties to produce a more “complete” wine.´ From the 1970s, Syrah has enjoyed a steady increase in popularity, and in the early 2000s, it shot into the top 10 of worldwide plantings for the first time.
Syrah was enthusiastically planted in California in the 1990s, in an attempt to displace the widely cultivated Cabernet Sauvignon, with little success, yet some winemakers in Washington State and also in South America, particularly Chile, have had good reviews. South African Shiraz, which is generally produced from younger vines, can taste rather earthy and hot, and some of the best have been labelled as Syrah. There are several outstanding Syrahs produced in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula, the sunnier spots in Switzerland’s Valais have their own triumphant offering.
Although a Syrah/Shiraz will age for decades, some styles may be enjoyed young for their lively red and blueberry characters. The concentrated flavours and high tannin content of the premium Syrah wines makes them best enjoyed after some considerable bottle aging, perhaps 15 years or longer in some exceptional cases. Typical flavours to expect whilst savouring a glass of Syrah would be blackberry, dark chocolate, mint, eucalyptus, smoked meat, black pepper, dependent on the climate and soils where the vines have been grown. A sample from a warmer climate may give hints of liquorice, cloves for example. Recently the Australians have produced a number of impressive full-bodied sparkling dry Shiraz that offer complex and occasionally earthy notes that are usually present in still wine.
