B2

Robert Noel - Fruit of the Vine

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

I've covered this topic before, but since I still receive a lot of questions regarding the difference between Syrah and Shiraz, this week I decided to give you some info on the wines made from this Syrah or Shiraz.

Peppery, spicy and powerful

Syrah or Shiraz grapes produce wines that are full bodied, dry, deep-coloured and quite tannic. It is a spicy, peppery wine with flavours of black currants, blackberries, notes of smokiness (almost like smoked or cured meats) and it usually presents high alcohol levels. Wines made from 100 per cent Shiraz or Syrah grapes are some of the most full-bodied and powerful wines available.

Confused? Don't be. These are both the same grape. Some parts of the world like to use the name Shiraz; others use Syrah. At the end of the day they produce wine with similar characteristics. In reality, they are the same grape, but there are some flavour profile differences between Syrah and Shiraz.

Wines labeled Syrah tend to be made in a more elegant style and are not as powerful as ones labeled Shiraz. Syrah wines have the flavour profile of northern Rhone wines (made from Syrah). These wines are aged in French oak barrels. Shiraz, on the other hand, tends to be more fruit-forward. Producers of Shiraz use American oak barrels.

Food Pairing

The choice is easy — if you want to enjoy food with this big, powerful, juicy red wine, the food of choice is red meat. Now that the summer is here, it is time to get the barbecue out. Syrah or Shiraz wines are great companions to lamb, beef, pork and game meats. Grilled or smoked, these cooking methods give flavours to the meat that will complement the wines.

Where does it come from?

Most New Brunswickers think of Australia when they think of Shiraz. This is certainly the workhorse grape for Australia and the country's best-known grape. But the famous grape's homeland, like other noble grapes, is France. The Syrah grape has been cultivated in the Rhone Valley (Southern France) since Roman times. The north Rhone appellations of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitages, Saint-Joseph and the famous Cote-Rotie produce some of the best Syrah wines in the world. These wines are expensive, but are worth trying. Even though they are made from Syrah, their flavour profile is so different from a new world Shiraz that you might not believe it's from the same grape. Syrah is also used in the southern Rhone appellations like Chateauneuf-du-pape.

Outside the Rhone region, Syrah/Shiraz is now an important ingredient of many wines and is now cultivated in many parts of the world. Obviously, Australia has mastered the production of quality wines from this grape, but many other wine regions like California, South Africa, Chile, Italy and Canada are now producing very good wines from this grape.

It is important to remember that Syrah wines will still be full bodied, but will present more finesse When a wine is labeled Shiraz, it will present a more robust style of wine. The best examples, and also the most expensive — like the famous Penfolds Grange or Hill of Grace — can age for decades.

A very popular grape

Many people from the wine industry are predicting that Syrah or Shiraz will be the next popular red grape. After the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, the easy going Merlot, many producers, wine writers and critics believe that the spicy and peppery grape will take over as the most popular red wine of choice in the next few years. Whether Syrah from France or Shiraz from Australia, the wines made from this grape are usually very reliable.

Have a great weekend.

Picks of the Week

• No. 9311043091636 — Hardys Oomoo Shiraz — Australia ($20.79)

• No. 7791540127137 — Las Moras Shiraz — Argentina ($10.29)

• No. 009385660007 — Arrowood Syrah — United States — California ($49.29)

• No. 7804320117294 — Marques de Casa Concha Syrah —Chile ($24.29)

Robert Noël is ANBL's official Sommelier, is certified by The Court of Master Sommelier and the International Sommelier Guild. He loves sharing his passion about food and wine.