Today's article is the seventh installment of my Grape Varieties series, and in this issue I'm going to talk about a red grape variety. This breed originated in France, but it has become a national treasure in Australia, and it is Syrah.
Syrah's French name is "syrah", which is more like "syrah" according to the French pronunciation, and the transliteration name is also called "syrah", but it is still Syrah that is more widely used. In Australia, it was given another name, "shiraz", transliterated as "Shiraz". Australian wines that use this variety are almost always labelled as Shiraz instead of Shiraz, and countries outside of Australia are never labelled as Shiraz.
Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley region of France. The Rhône Valley appellation is also one of the most important red wine regions in France, and Syrah is one of the most important varieties in the Rhône Valley. In France, in addition to the Rhône valley appellation, Syrah is cultivated in a wide area in the south. Worldwide, the planting area and amount of Sheila are also very large. Spain, Italy, Australia, the United States, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, including China, all have Syrah grown.
Syrah, as a grape variety itself, bears some similarities with Cabernet Sauvignon in that it is a variety with small grains, thick skin, and a very dark color. But unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah requires more heat to reach perfect ripeness, so Syrah grows in warmer regions.
In general, if a red grape variety is dark in color and thick-skinned, it means that it will be darker in color and heavier in tannins after it is made. Syrah ticks both boxes, but Syrah's tannins are not as strong as Cabernet Sauvignon and are mostly in a medium state. The wine is more mellow and meaty. Because most of the growing areas are a little hotter, the acidity of Syrah is on the medium to high side.
If we want to grasp Syrah, there are several types of aromas that you should keep in mind: blackberry, black plum, mulberry, violet and spice.
The Syrah variety will vary greatly in style depending on the place of origin. But if we are generally speaking, it can be divided into two major categories, one is the elegant and restrained school dominated by Old World France;One is the unrestrained and rich school based on New World Australia. Therefore, to grasp the typical style of Syrah, you can drink both genres.
Syrah's must-drink production area is first and foremost its hometown, the Rhône Valley in France。The Rhône valley is divided into two regions, North and South. In North Roth, Syrah is the only official variety for red wines, while in South Rothra it is used as a supporting character and blended with varieties such as Grenache. So if you want to drink a very authentic single variety of Syrah, you must choose it in the northern part of the Rhône Valley. There are two regions that you must drink, and of course you can choose one of them. One of these two appellations is called Hermitage, and the other is called Roticus. These two appellations are the best of the Nord Rhône, where the climate is milder, so the Syrah wines here will be a little more acidic, a little more powerful and more spicy. The traditional style here will not be sweet.
After sailing from France to Australia, Syrah has become Australia's most important and even national treasure after continuous exploration and development. In Australia, Syrah is grown almost all over the country, so there are many production areas. However, these regions are more or less similar, so if you want to choose a must-drink region, it must be the Barossa Valley. The Barossa Valley is the most well-known region in Australia, and some of the big brands we are familiar with, such as Penfolds Winery, are in the Barossa, and it is because of Penfolds that Syrah has become the most famous variety in Australia. The Barossa Valley still retains a lot of old Syrah vines, which are very reflective of the characteristics of the Syrah variety.
The overall feeling of Australian Syrah red wine is fuller, fuller, and more fruity. The most important point is that the climate in Australia is hotter, so the grapes have a little more sugar accumulation, and the red wine will have a certain sweetness. This is one of the reasons why Australian wine is more acceptable. There are also many production areas in Australia that can produce high-quality Syrah, such as: McLaren Valley, Clare Valley, Fox Creek Valley, etc.
In addition to France and Australia, Syrah has many classic wine regions in other wine-producing countries around the world, such as Santa Barbara and Santa Lisa in California, Limali Valley and Kongcagua Valley in Chile, Mendoza in Argentina, Hawke's Bay in New Zealand, etc. To its credit,South Africa is also a very high-quality production area for Syrah, and since the 90s, the cultivation of Syrah in South Africa has increased dramatically, and high-quality production areas have been emerging. The black region stands out, where Syrah wines have flavours of ripe blackberries and blueberries, as well as earthy flavours and hints of pepper and meat. Because of the warm climate, in addition to the outstanding fruity aroma, there is also a certain sweetness, which can be said to take into account the characteristics of France and Australia.
In Catalonia (Spain), Tuscany (Italy), Ningxia (China), Xinjiang and other places, there are also many wineries that can produce characteristic Shiraz red wine.
That's all for the explanation of Syrah, if you still have personalized questions, or other wine questions, you can leave a message in the comment area to me. In the next article, I will talk about the last international variety, the low-key but very characteristic - Grenache.