Syrah/Shiraz Flashcards
Most common locations
France (Syrah)
Australia (Shiraz)
Syrah/Shiraz wine/grape profile
Black grape. Thick skin.
Med/high tannins/acidity
Mod/warm climate
Flavours - black fruits, herbal notes, black pepper aroma.
Over time, tertiary - dried fruit, leather, meat.
Oak maturation common. To soften tannins, add spice/oak flavour.
Bottle ageing good - due to intense flavours/high tannins.
Warmer climate - more cooked black fruit flavour, fuller body & tannins.
Syrah - France key locations
Northern Rhone -
Syrah is the signature style wine here. The ONLY black grape in the AOC
River valley is v narrow, best vineyards on steep sloped. Often hand-picked.
Cote Rotie AOC -
Far north of Northern Rhone. Northern limit of Syrah ripening with success.
Steep stony slopes - complex & peppery.
Co-fermenting with Viognier found here - adds floral aroma.
Hermitage AOC -
South of Northern Rhone. One large steep, south facing slope makes the appellation.
Surrounding it is Crozes-Hermitage AOC. Larger, flatter area.
Less intense & complex than the above. Lower prices due to higher yields
Languedoc-Roussillon -
Warm so Syrah can grow well. Blended often with Minervois AOC, or single variety under label Pays d’OC IGP.
Second biggest global location
Australia = Shiraz
Most widely planted grape here.
Warm inland vineyards, to produce inexpensive high-volume brands labelled
‘ South Eastern Australia’
Australia vineyards
Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines.
Low yield but very concentrated fruit flavour.
= Full bodied, high tannins, cooked black fruit flavour, black pepper and oak
Hunter Valley - Northern region in NSW.
Hot summers, but high cloud cover and sea breeze in summer - slows down ripening in summer.
= Medium body, tannins & fresh black fruit flavours. Tertiary complex earth & meat in bottle.
Aus shiraz often blended with..
Cab Sauvignon & Grenache.
Why Shiraz is popular today
Broad appeal for fresh fruit aroma styles whilst meeting demand for full bodied reds with cooked fruit flavour on palate.
Recognised for its intense peppery characters, aid well with highly-flavoured food
