Syrah / Shiraz

Syrah is the same grape as Shiraz. One name, two very different wines. The distinction is geographical and stylistic, not botanical.

In France's Rhone Valley, particularly in the Northern Rhone appellations of Hermitage and Cote-Rotie, Syrah makes wines of intense black pepper, smoked meat, dark olive and violets. The fruit is dark but the wine is not about sweetness. It is structured, sometimes austere when young and capable of ageing for decades.

In Australia's Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, the same grape becomes Shiraz: richer, fuller-bodied, with ripe blackberry, dark chocolate and a warming quality that comes from the hot climate. The tannins are softer and more generous. These wines are often drinkable much younger. Some of the world's most expensive wines are Australian Shiraz.

The difference comes down to climate. Cool climate Syrah retains more of the grape's natural acidity and produces savoury, spicy, leaner styles. Warm climate Shiraz lets the grape ripen fully, softening the tannins and amplifying the fruit concentration.

The white grape Viognier is sometimes co-fermented with Syrah in the Northern Rhone, particularly in Cote-Rotie. Even 1 to 5% of Viognier adds a floral, apricot note and helps stabilise the colour.

If you want to understand how terroir shapes flavour, Syrah versus Shiraz is the clearest example there is.