Everything about Shiraz Grape totally explained
Shiraz, or
Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of
grape used in
wine. Syrah/Shiraz, which is grown in many countries is primarily used to produce powerful
red wines, which enjoy great popularity in the marketplace. Syrah/Shiraz is used both for
varietal wines and in blended wines, where it can be both the major and minor component. It is called Syrah in its country of origin,
France, as well as in the rest of
Europe,
Argentina,
Chile, and most of the
United States. The name Shiraz became popular for this grape variety in
Australia, where it has long been established as the most grown dark-skinned variety. In Australia it 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 problem on some export markets and was dropped. The name Shiraz for this grape variety is also commonly used in
South Africa,
Canada, and
New Zealand. DNA profiling in 1999 found Syrah to be the offspring of two obscure grape varieties from southeastern France,
Dureza and
Mondeuse Blanche.
The grape is also known under many other synonyms that are used in various parts of the world including
Antourenein Noir, Balsamina, Candive, Entournerein, Hignin Noir, Marsanne Noir, Schiras, Sirac, Syra, Syrac, Serine, and
Sereine.
Syrah/Shiraz shouldn't be confused with
Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, another grape variety which is a
hybrid of Syrah with
Peloursin dating from 1880.
History
Origin
Syrah has a long documented history in the Rhône region of Southeastern France, but before 1998 it wasn't known with certainty if it had originated in that region or was brought there. In that year, a study conducted by
Carole Meredith's research group in the
Department of Viticulture and Enology at
University of California, Davis used
DNA typing and extensive grape reference material from
the viticultural research station in Montpellier, France to conclude that Syrah was the offspring of the grape varieties
Dureza (father) and
Mondeuse Blanche (mother). Dureza is a dark-skinned grape variety from the
Ardèche region in France that have all but disappeared from the vineyards, and the preservation of such varieties is a speciality of Montpellier. Mondeuse Blanche is a white grape variety cultivated in the
Savoy region, and still found in very small amounts in that region's vineyards today. Both varieties are somewhat obscure today, have never achieved anything near Syrah's fame or popularity, and there's no record of them ever having been cultivated any long distance from their present home. Thus, both Syrah's parents come from a limited area in southeastern France, very close to northern Rhône, where Syrah came to fame. Based on these findings, the researchers have concluded that Syrah originated in the same place where it came to fame - northern Rhône. Pliny called the vines of this wine
Allobrogica, and it has been speculated that it could be today's Syrah. However, the description of the wine would also fit for example Dureza Since there also is a city in
Persia/
Iran called
Shiraz, where the famous
Shirazi wine was produced, some legends have claimed that the Syrah grape originated in Shiraz, and was brought to Rhône, which would make Syrah a local French synonym and Shiraz the proper name of the variety.
There are at least two significantly different versions of the myth, giving different accounts of how the variety is supposed to have been brought from Shiraz to Rhône and differing up to 1,800 years in dating this event. In one version, the
Phocaeans should have brought Syrah/Shiraz to their colony around
Marseilles (then known as
Massilia), which was founded around 600 BC. The grape should then later have made its way to northern Rhône, which was never colonized by the Phocaeans. No documentary evidence exists to back up this legend, and it also requires that the variety later has vanished from the Marseilles region without leaving any trace.
Since the name Shiraz has been used primarily in Australia in modern time, while the earliest Australian documents use the spelling "Scyras", it has been speculated (among others by
Jancis Robinson
In the 18th and the first half of the 19th centuries, most Hermitage wine that left France did so as a blending component in Bordeaux wines. In an era when "
clarets" were less powerful than today, and before appellation rules, red wines from warmer regions would be used for improvement (or
adulteration, depending on the point of view) of Bordeaux wines. While Spanish and Algerian wines are also known to have been used for this purpose, top Bordeaux châteaux would use Hermitage to improve their wines, especially in weaker vintages.
Arrival in Australia
In 1831, the Scotsman
James Busby, often called "the Father of Australian viticulture", made a trip back to Europe to collect cuttings from vines (primarily from France and
Spain) for introduction to Australia. One of the varieties collected by him was Syrah, although Busby used the two spellings "Scyras" and "Ciras". The cuttings were planted in the
Sydney Botanical Gardens, and in
Hunter Valley, and in 1839 brought from Sydney to
South Australia. By the 1860s, Syrah was established as an important variety in Australia.
Modern history
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's 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. 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. 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.
Syrah or Shiraz on labels
The Syrah-dominated
appellations (AOCs) of northern Rhône have, like most other French appellations and regions, no tradition of
varietal labelling of their wines. Indeed, such practices are generally disallowed under AOC rules, and only the AOC name (such as Cote-Rotie, Crozes-Hermitage or Hermitage) appears on the label. Varietal labelling of Syrah/Shiraz wines is therefore a practice which has emerged in the New World, and primarily in Australia.
As a general rule, most Australian wines are labelled Shiraz, and most European wines (from such regions where varietal labelling is practiced) are labelled Syrah. In other countries, practices vary and winemakers (or wine marketers) sometimes choose either Syrah or Shiraz to signify a stylistic difference in the wine they've made. "Syrah"-labelled wines are sometimes thought to be more similar to classic Northern Rhône reds; presumably more elegant, tannic, smoke-flavoured and restrained with respect to their fruit component. "Shiraz"-labelled wines, on the other hand, would then be more similar to archetypical Australian or other New World examples; presumably made from riper berries, more fruit-driven, higher in alcohol, less obviously tannic, peppery rather than smokey, usually more easilyn approached already when young, and possibly slightly sweetish in impression. It must however be realized that this rule of thumb is unevenly applied.
Wine
Shiraz is widely used to make a dry red table
wine. It is often vinified on its own, but is also frequently blended with other grape varieties, such as
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot,
Grenache,
Mourvèdre and
Viognier. It is grown in many
wine producing regions around the world, with concentrations in Australia, The Rhone Valley in France, and the US. It is often used as a blending grape in Spain and Italy as well. It is also planted in Portugal, which favor making
varietal Syrah wine, and not only blending with other types.
Recently, Australian Shiraz producers have started to add up to 4%
Viognier to their Shiraz to add apricot tones to the wine's nose and palette. With such a small percentage added, the producer wasn't obliged to declare the blend on the label. In the past 5 years however, it's becoming increasingly fashionable to label the wine Shiraz Viognier as Viognier gains consumer acceptance in the market place. The practise of blending
Viognier with Syrah has actually been common for years in the Northern Rhône Valley region of Cote-Rotie.
Many premium Shiraz-based wines are at their best after some considerable time aged in a cellar (10-15 years). There is also a small amount of
rosé wine produced from the Syrah grape. Before the popularity of Australian Shiraz wine it was very often used to make
port. A number of Australian winemakers also make a full-bodied sparkling dry shiraz, that contains the complexity and sometimes earthy notes that are normally found in still wine.
Shiraz has one of the highest recommended
wine serving temperatures at 65 °F (18 °C).
Shiraz Taste
Wines made from Shiraz are often quite powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it's grown, as well as other
viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary" notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary" notes such as leather and truffle. "Secondary" flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, including winemakers' practices (such as
oak barrel and
yeast regimes), and land
terroir qualities.
Syrah/Shiraz in different countries
Syrah/Shiraz is a variety that during the last few deceades has been imported for cultivation in several countries. It is primarily grown in warmer regions.
France
Syrah, as it's known in France, is grown throughout the Rhône valley. The wines that are made from it vary greatly, even over small changes in the vines locations. 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. Syrah is also the only red grape used in the wines of the northern Rhône.
Syrah plantings have increased significantly in recent decades in southern Rhône and southern France in general, primarily
Languedoc-Roussillon. Under American wine laws, either name may appear on the label. Syrah first appeared as a wine grape in California in the 1970s, where it was planted by a group of viticulturists who called themselves "Rhône rangers." Although most plantings of the grape are in California, there are increasing amounts of it being grown in Washington state.
California Syrahs, much like those in France, vary a great deal based on the climate and
terroir that they inhabit. In exceptionally warm regions, such as parts of Napa, the wine is often blended with other Rhône varieties. Other appellations, primarily mountainous ones, tend to produce varietal-based wines that can stand on their own. Syrah was introduced into Washington state in 1985 by the
Woodinville, Washington Columbia Winery. Expanding at a significant rate, it's used to produce single varietial wines as well as being blended with grapes such as
Grenache,
Cinsault, and
Viognier.
Durif
Durif, or Petite Sirah, is a descendant of Syrah and
Peloursin. It was propagated by and named after Dr. Francois Durif. Durif is a cross breed between the lesser known Peloursin and Syrah. Regions such as
Rutherglen have achieved international regard for their Durif. This varietal is similar to Shiraz, but even more full bodied and tannic because of the smaller, thicker skinned grapes used.
To confuse matters, in northern Rhône, different clones of genuine Syrah are referred to as
Petite Syrah (small Syrah) or
Gros Syrah (large Syrah) depending on the size of their berries, with
Petite Syrah being considered the superior version, giving wines higher in phenolics.
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