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Syrah
Syrah
Syrah or Shiraz grapes have a characteristically deep purple color that is reflected in their wine.
Also called: Shiraz, Hermitage, Antourenein Noir, Balsamina, Candive, Entournerein, Hignin Noir, Marsanne Noir, Schiras, Sirac, Syra, Syrac, Serine, Sereine
Origin: Rhône, France
Notable regions: Rhône, Australia, United States

Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of grape used in wine. The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful red wines, which enjoy great popularity in the marketplace, relatively often under the synonym Shiraz. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Syrah is used both for varietal wines and in blended wines, where it can be both the major and minor component. Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. 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. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The name Shiraz became popular for this grape variety in Australia, where it has long been established as the most grown dark-skinned variety. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 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. Hermitage is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France south of The name Shiraz for this grape variety is also commonly used in South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island DNA profiling in 1999 found Syrah to be the offspring of two obscure grape varieties from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Dureza is a dark-skinned Grape variety from the Ardèche region in France. Mondeuse Blanche is a variety of white Grape almost exclusively found in and around the Savoy (Savoie wine region in France.

As of 2004, Syrah was estimated to be the world's 7th most grown variety at 142,600 hectares (352,000 acres), after having enjoyed a strong growth in plantings for several years. [1]

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. [2]

Syrah should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, another grape variety which is a hybrid of Syrah with Peloursin dating from 1880. Durif is a variety of Red wine Grape primarily grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Peloursin is Wine Grape best known for its crossing with Syrah to make the red wine grape Durif.

Contents

History

Origin

Syrah leaf.
Syrah leaf.

Syrah has a long documented history in the Rhône region of Southeastern France, but before 1998 it was not 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). Carole P Meredith is an American Grape Geneticist who was a Professor at the Department of Viticulture and Enology of University The University of California Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, or just UCD, is a public coeducational university located in the city of Davis, The École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier is a French grande école created in 1848 Dureza is a dark-skinned Grape variety from the Ardèche region in France. Mondeuse Blanche is a variety of white Grape almost exclusively found in and around the Savoy (Savoie wine region in France. [3][4][5][6][7] 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. Ardèche ( Occitan and Arpitan: Ardecha) is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. 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. For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Both varieties are somewhat obscure today, have never achieved anything near Syrah's fame or popularity, and there is 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. [5][7]

The DNA typing leaves no room for doubt in this matter, and the numerous other hypotheses of the grape's origin which have been forwarded during the years all completely lack support in form of documentary evidence or ampelographic investigations, be it by methods of classical botany or DNA. Ampelography ( Αμπελος, "vine" + γραφος 'writing' is the field of Botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life Instead, they seem to have been based primarily or solely on the name or synonyms of the variety. Because of varying orthography for grape names, especially for old varieties, this is in general very thin evidence. The orthography of a language specifies the correct way of using a specific Writing system to write the language Despite this, origins such as Syracuse or the Iranian city of Shiraz have been proposed. Syracuse, as a place name may refer to In Italy Syracuse Sicily the Province of Syracuse In the United States Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. [7]

The parentage information does however not reveal how old the grape variety is, i. e. , when the pollination of a Mondeuse Blanche vine by Dureza took place, leading to the original Syrah seed plant. In the year AD 77, Pliny the Elder wrote in his Naturalis Historia about the wines of Vienne (which today would be called Côte-Rôtie), where the Allobroges made famous and prized wine from a dark-skinned grape variety that had not existed some 50 years earlier, in Virgil's age. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Naturalis Historia ( Latin for "Natural History" is an Encyclopedia written Circa AD 77 by Pliny the Elder. This article is about the French department Do not confuse with the Austrian capital Vienna. Côte-Rôtie is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France. The Allobroges were a warlike Celtic tribe in Gaul located between the Rhône River and the Lake of Geneva in what later became Savoy Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or [8] 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[5] and Pliny's observation that the vines of Allobrogica was resistant to cold is not entirely consistent with Syrah. [8]

The name Shiraz and associated legends

It seems that many of the legends of Syrah's origins come from one of its many synonyms - Shiraz. [9] Since there also is a city in Persia/Iran called Shiraz, where the famous Shirazi wine was produced[10], 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. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. Shirazi wine was the Wine produced around the city of Shiraz in Persia.

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. Phocis ( Greek, Modern: Φωκίδα foˈkiða Ancient / Katharevousa: Φωκίς foˈkis is an ancient district and a modern prefecture Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ 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. [8]

In another version, the person who brought the variety to Rhône is even named, being the crusader Gaspard de Stérimberg, who is supposed to have built the chapel at Hermitage. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents [8] Even before the advent of DNA typing of grapes, there were several problems with this legend. First, no ampelographic investigations of the grapes from Shiraz seem to have been made. Second, it is documented that Shirazi wine was white, ruling out the use of dark-skinned grapes such as Syrah, and no known descriptions of this wine's taste and character indicate any similarity whatsoever with red wines from the Rhône. Third, it is highly doubtful if any crusader would have journeyed as far east as Persia, since the crusades were focused on the Holy Land. The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש

The legend connecting Syrah with Shiraz in Iran may however be of French origin, since it is supposed to have been included in a 1826 book called Œnologie Française, although that book used the name Scyras for the grape variety. [11]

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[2]) that the name Shiraz is in fact a so-called "strinization" of Syrah's name via Scyras. Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW (born in Cumbria on April 22 1950) is a British Wine Critic, journalist Strine was a term coined in 1964 and subsequently used to describe a joke or made-up "language" purportedly spoken by Australians. However, while the names Shiraz and Hermitage gradually seem to have replaced Scyras in Australia from the mid-19th century, the spelling Shiraz has also been documented in British sources back to at least the 1830s. [11] So, while the name or spelling Shiraz may be an effect of the English language on a French name, there is no evidence that it actually originated in Australia, although it was definitely the Australian usage and the Australian wines that made the use of this name popular. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

Other legends

Another legend of the grape variety's origin, based on the name Syrah, is that it was brought from Syracuse by the legions of Roman Emperor Probus sometime after AD 280. Syracuse, as a place name may refer to In Italy Syracuse Sicily the Province of Syracuse In the United States Marcus Aurelius Probus (c August 19, 232 &ndashSeptember/October 282 was a Roman Emperor (276&ndash282 This legend also lacks documentary evidence and is inconsistent with ampelographic findings. [8]

Rise to fame

The wines that made Syrah famous were those from Hermitage, the hill above the town Tain-l'Hermitage in northern Rhône where there is an hermitage (chapel) on the top, and where de Stérimberg is supposed to have settled as an hermit after his crusades. Tain-l'Hermitage is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France. Although today's meaning is usually a place where a Hermit lives in seclusion from the world hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship for Christians, which may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a College, a A hermit (from the Greek ἔρημος erēmos, signifying " Desert " "uninhabited" hence "desert-dweller" adjective "eremitic" Hermitage wines have for centuries had a reputation for being powerful and excellent. While Hermitage was quite famous in the 18th and 19th centuries, and attracted interest from foreign oenophiles such as Bordeaux enthusiast Thomas Jefferson, it lost ground and foreign attention in the first half of the 20th century. Oenophilia (ˌɛnoʊˈfɪliə roughly eh-no-fill-ee-uh) originally from Greek, is the love ( philia) of Wine ( Oinos A Bordeaux wine is any Wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence [12]

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. Claret is a name used in English, primarily in Britain, for red Wine from the Bordeaux region of France. Adulterants are Chemical substances which should not be contained within other substances (eg 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. [13][14]

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. James Busby ( 7 February 1801 - 15 July 1871) was involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. [15] 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. The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, extending from approximately to north of Sydney, Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country [16] 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. Hermitage is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France south of Cornas is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France south of Lyon Côte-Rôtie is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France. In the Southern Rhône it is 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. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a town and commune in the Vaucluse département in Provence, in southern France. Gigondas is a commune of the Vaucluse département in southern France. Côtes du Rhône (Rhone Hills is a Wine -growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for the Rhône wine region of France Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine 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. Syrah 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. ´

From the 1970s and even more from the 1990s, Syrah has enjoyed increased popularity, and plantings of the variety has expanded significantly in both old and new locations. [7] In the early 2000s, it broke into the top 10 of varieties planted worldwide for the first time. [1]

Syrah wines

A glass of California Syrah.
A glass of California Syrah.

Shiraz is widely used to make a dry red table wine, which can be both varietal or blended. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Four main uses can be distinguished:

Smaller amounts of Syrah are also used for production some other wine styles, such as rosé wine, fortified wine in Port wine style, and sparkling red wine. A rosé (From French rosé ‘pinkish’ Wine has some of the color typical of a red wine but only enough to turn it pink Fortified wine is Wine to which alcohol (usually Brandy) has been added Port wine (also known as Vinho do Porto, Oporto, Porto, and often simply Port) is a Portuguese, Fortified [17] While Australian sparkling Shiraz traditionally have had some sweetness, 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. [18]

Due to their concentrated flavours and high tannin content, many premium Syrah wines are at their best after some considerable time aged in a cellar, 10-15 years or more. Tannins are Astringent, bitter plant Polyphenols that either bind and Precipitate or shrink Proteins The astringency from the tannins is what

Shiraz has one of the highest recommended wine serving temperatures at 65 °F (18 °C). Wine tasting (often in wine circles simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of Wine. [19][20]

Taste and flavours

Wines made from Syrah 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 is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of 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. The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics

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. Appellation d’origine contrôlée ( AOC) which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. 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 have 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 easily approached when young, and possibly slightly sweetish in impression. It must however be realized that this rule of thumb is unevenly applied. [21]

Syrah in different countries

Syrah is a variety that during the last few decades has been imported for cultivation in several countries. It is primarily grown in warmer regions. Worldwide plantations of Syrah have increased considerably in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and both Syrah-labelled and Shiraz-labelled wines are on the increase. [7]

It is grown in many wine producing regions around the world, with concentrations in Australia, The Rhone Valley in France, and the US. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted 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. Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety.

France

Syrah, as it is 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. [21]

Syrah is also a key component to many blends. It may be used to add structure and color to Grenache in southern Rhône blends, including Côtes-du-Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Côtes du Rhône (Rhone Hills is a Wine -growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for the Rhône wine region of France [22] Syrah is also the only red grape used in the wines of the northern Rhône. [23]

In 1968, there existed only 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) of Syrah vineyards in France, primarily in the traditional appellations of northern Rhône, which at that time had not received much attention in the wine world for several decades, and the vineyards of which were not planted to full capacity. After the wines of northern Rhône were "rediscovered" by wine writers in the 1970s, plantings expanded considerably. This trend received an extra boost in the 1980s and 1990s, when influential wine writer Robert M. Parker, Jr. started to award very high scores, up to the "perfect" score of 100 points, to wines of some Rhône producers. TalkRobert M Parker Jr claims this is a licensed copy of http//www The popularity of Australian Shiraz on the export market may also have played a role. 1988, total French plantings stood at 27,000 hectares (67,000 acres), and the 1999 viticultural survey found 50,700 hectares (125,000 acres) of Syrah vineyards. France thus has the world's largest plantations of Syrah. [7]

While previously unused parts of the northern Rhône vineyards have been planted with Syrah as part of the expansion, the major part of the new French Syrah plantations are located in southern Rhône (which covers a much larger vineyard area than the northern part) and Languedoc-Roussillon. Languedoc-Roussillon ( Occitan: Lengadòc-Rosselhon; Catalan: Llenguadoc-Rosselló) is one of the 26 regions of France. [7] While southern Rhône produces relatively few wines where Syrah is in the majority, the proportion of Syrah in the blended wines of this region has been on the rise. Languedoc-Roussillon uses Syrah to produce both Southern Rhône-like blends with Grenache, Australian-style blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, and varietal Syrah.

Australia

The Syrah grape was introduced into Australia in 1832 by James Busby, an immigrant who brought vine clippings from Europe with him, and it is almost invariably called Shiraz. James Busby ( 7 February 1801 - 15 July 1871) was involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand [6] Today it is Australia's most popular red grape, but has not always been in such favor; in the 1970s, white wine was so popular that growers were ripping out unprofitable Shiraz and Grenache vineyards, even those with very old vines. Old vine ( French: vieilles vignes, German: alte Reben) is a term commonly used on Wine labels to indicate that a wine is the Many factors, including the success of brands like Lindemans (part of Foster's Group) and Jacob's Creek in the UK, as well as Rosemount in the US and UK, were responsible for a dramatic expansion of plantings during the 1980s and 1990s; a similar trajectory occurred in California. Foster's Group is a beer group with interests in Brewing, Wine-making and Soft drinks. Jacob's Creek is an Australian Wine brand that is exported to over 60 countries Rosemount is an Australian Winery based in Hunter Valley and South Australia. However, the biggest factor in this expansion during the 1990s was a federal government tax subsidy to those planting new vineyards.

In the 2005-2006 growing season, total Shiraz plantations in Australia stood at 41,115 hectares (101,600 acres), of which 39,087 hectares (96,590 acres) were old enough to be productive. These vines yielded a total of 422,430 tonnes of Shiraz grapes for wine production. Shiraz is thus the most planted variety in Australia. [24] Australia thus has the world's second largest plantations of Syrah/Shiraz, after France. [7]

South Australian regions tend to be the most highly regarded for Shiraz in Australia. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Regions such as the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley have consistently produced some of the country's best Shiraz for several decades. The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. McLaren Vale is a Wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. For the town in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines see Clare Valley Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These regions tend to produce very full bodied, high alcohol wines (between 13. 5 and 16%). The Barossa Valley lays claim to having the oldest known (pre-phylloxera) Shiraz vineyard. This article is about the grape phylloxera For the Genus, see Phylloxera (genus. Situated at Langmeil Winery on the North Para River, the "Freedom vineyard" is said to trace its planting to 1843 by a Silesian immigrant to Australia by the name of Christian Auricht. The North Para River rises from the Barossa Ranges near Eden Valley and flows southwest through the Barossa Valley, passing through the Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people

Notable Victorian regions include Heathcote, roughly 1. 5 hours north of Melbourne. Cooler climate regions such as Western Australia's Margaret River produce Shiraz with marginally less alcohol content and often in a more traditional French style. Margaret River is a town and river in the South West of Western Australia, located south of Perth, the state capital

The most famous example of the Shiraz grape in Australian viticulture and indeed one of the finest wines in the world is the Penfolds "Grange". Penfolds Grange (until the 1989 vintage labelled Penfolds Grange Hermitage) is an Australian Wine, made predominantly from the Shiraz (Syrah This wine was created by winemaker Max Schubert in 1951, and has proved in vertical tastings to age exceptionally well. Max Schubert AM (9 February 1915 - 6 March 1994 was a pioneering Australian Winemaker who is best known as the creator of Grange Hermitage. The Penfolds Grange is predominantly Shiraz, but often includes a small quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon. There was also a rare one off Bin 9 Grange Cabernet Sauvignon created in 1953. It is usually a multi-regional blend of the finest Shiraz in South Australia, with the Barossa Valley playing an important role. It is always matured exclusively in new American Oak. Other great Australian Shiraz wines include, the Henschke "Hill of Grace" and the Penfolds "RWT".

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. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley 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. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley [25]

Shiraz is also the "S" in "GSM" (Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre), which is common Australian designation for a Châteneuf-du-Pape-like blend.

South Africa

South African plantations have expanded significantly, from 1% of the vineyard area in 1995 to 7. 7% in 2003, which meant 8,100 hectares (20,000 acres). In South Africa, the variety is predominately known as Shiraz, but the designation Syrah is used for "Rhône-style" wines. [9]

United States

In the United States, wine produced from the grape is normally called by its French name, Syrah. However, in cases where winemakers choose to follow a New World style, similar to Penfolds Grange, they may choose to label their wines as Shiraz. Penfolds Grange (until the 1989 vintage labelled Penfolds Grange Hermitage) is an Australian Wine, made predominantly from the Shiraz (Syrah [26] 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. "[27] 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. Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics 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. [28] Syrah was introduced into Washington state in 1985 by the Woodinville, Washington Columbia Winery. Woodinville is a city located in King County Washington. As of the 2000 census the city had a total population of 9194 Columbia Winery is a Washington state winery located in Yakima Valley Washington. Expanding at a significant rate, it is used to produce single varietial wines as well as being blended with grapes such as Grenache, Cinsault, and Viognier. Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Cinsaut or Cinsault (pronounced "san-so" is a red Wine Grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley [29]

Argentina

Syrah plantations in Argentina increased from less than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) in 1990 to 9,500 hectares (23,000 acres) in 2002. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. [7] Syrah has occasionally been used as a blending component with Argentina's signature dark-skinned grape Malbec to provide an "Argentinian take" on the Australian Cabernet-Shiraz blend. Malbec is a variety of Grape used in making Red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust Tannins Long known as one of the

Chile

Around 2005, there were 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of Syrah in Chile. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the [7]

Durif

Durif, or Petite Sirah, is a descendant of Syrah and Peloursin. Durif is a variety of Red wine Grape primarily grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel. Peloursin is Wine Grape best known for its crossing with Syrah to make the red wine grape Durif. 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. Rutherglen is a small town in north-eastern Victoria Australia, near the Murray River border with New South Wales. 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. [7]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Entry on "Vine varieties" in J. Robinson (ed) The Oxford Companion to Wine Third Edition, p. 746, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  2. ^ a b Jancis Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wine pg 90 Octopus Publishing 1986 ISBN 978-1-85732-999-5
  3. ^ Bowers, J.E., Siret, R., Meredith, C.P., This, P. and Boursiquot, J.-.M. 2000. "A single pair of parents proposed for a group of grapevine varieties in Northeast France", Acta Hort. (ISHS) 528:129-132 (Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Grapevine Genetics and Breeding)
  4. ^ Vouillamoz, J.F. and Grando, M.S. 2006. "Genealogy of wine grape cultivars: 'Pinot' is related to 'Syrah'", Heredity 97:102–110 Quote: "Our data strongly confirmed the 'Syrah' parentage ('Dureza' x 'Mondeuse Blanche') established by Bowers et al"
  5. ^ a b c Carole Meredith: Origins of Syrah, p. 3-4 in: The Syrah Producers' Club 19 April 2004 - Syrah Worldwide Roma
  6. ^ a b Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pg 247. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Entry on "Syrah" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 676-677, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  8. ^ a b c d e Entry on "Rhône" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 572-573, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  9. ^ a b Entry on "Shiraz" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 627, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  10. ^ Entry on "Persia" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 512-513, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  11. ^ a b Winelovers Discussion Group: Timeline of the name "Shiraz" in Australia
  12. ^ Entry on "Hermitage" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 344, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  13. ^ Entry on "Adulteraion and fraud" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 4-5, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  14. ^ Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pg 247. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  
  15. ^ Entry on "Busby, James" in J. Robinson (ed), "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, p. 116, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  16. ^ James Halliday: Syrah in Australia since 1800, p. 10-14 in: The Syrah Producers' Club 19 April 2004 - Syrah Worldwide Roma
  17. ^ Karen MacNeil (2001). The Wine Bible. Workman Publishing Company, pg 786. ISBN 1-56305-434-5.  
  18. ^ W. Blake Gray. "RED FIZZ Australian-style red bubbly is a grown-up pleasure", San Francisco Chronicle, 2005-26-05. Retrieved on 2006-10-14. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces  
  19. ^ The perfect temperature for wine - Wine - MSNBC.com
  20. ^ Shiraz / Syrah Wine Information
  21. ^ a b Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pg 250. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  
  22. ^ Jancis Robinson (2003). Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. Abbeville Press, pg 152. ISBN 0-7892-0883-0.  
  23. ^ (2005) in Jancis Robinson: Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford University Press. , pg 572. ISBN 978-0-19-860990-2.  
  24. ^ Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation: Areas of vines and grape production by variety - 2005-06, accessed on March 17, 2008
  25. ^ Jancis Robinson (2005-15-10). Viognier - it's everywhere nowadays.
  26. ^ Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pg 250. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  
  27. ^ Jancis Robinson (2003). Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. Abbeville Press, pg 152. ISBN 0-7892-0883-0.  
  28. ^ Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pgs 252-253. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  
  29. ^ Oz Clark&Margaret Rand (2001). Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes. Hardcourt,inc, pg 253. ISBN 0-15-100714-4.  

External links

Dictionary

syrah

-noun

  1. A dark-skinned variety of grape, used to produce powerful red wines.
  2. A wine produced from this variety of grape.

Syrah

-noun

  1. A variety of black grape used to make wine
  2. A wine made from these grapes
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