“What’s in a name?  That which we call a Syrah/Shiraz by any other name would smell as sweet”.

With apologies to William Shakespeare for destroying his much-revered quote from Romeo and Juliet, Syrah/Shiraz has caused some confusion over the past few years.  Numerous myths and legends have existed about its origin and the differences between the two.

First off, they are the same variety.  It was thought that the name came from the legend that the grape originated from the Iranian city of Shiraz and was brought to southern France by a returning crusader, Guy De Sterimberg or by the Greeks, depending on which story you are reading.  It is also thought to have acquired its name from a story that the Romans brought the grape to the Rhône Valley from Syracuse, in Italy, during their occupation.

However, DNA profiling performed by Professor Carole Meredith at the University of California at Davis and Jean-Michel Boursiquot at the wine research facility at Montpellier, France in 1998, determined that Syrah is indigenous to the Rhône valley of France.  It is a natural cross of Dureza from the northern Ardeche region, west of the Rhône valley and Mondeuse Blanche, native to the Savoie region, to the east of the Rhône.  How this love-match came to be is anyone’s guess but it is known that the grape was growing around the time of the Roman occupation in the 1st century AD.  From France, the vine found its way to Australia courtesy of James Busby who, after studying viticulture in France, took 437 vine cuttings with him to Australia in 1831.

In Australia, it is the most widely planted grape, typically representing 40% of the red grape crush and one-fifth of total grape production and there are distinctive styles of Shiraz that have emerged.  It can be made into a wide range, defined by the terroir of the region and the winemakers’ artistry, from the elegant, peppery cool climate styles (Heathcote in Victoria) to more intensely flavoured spicy styles of Coonawarra and Margaret River to powerful and minty (Clare Valley), sweet and chocolaty (McLaren Vale), muscular, and ripe-fruited (Barossa), and leathery and rich (Hunter Valley).  In an attempt to allow regional characters to be expressed, many winemakers are moving away from 100% new American oak, preferring the use of older barrels and/or French oak.  The result is an abundance of new styles with finesse and complexity.

Recognized as Shiraz mainly in Australia, some Shiraz’s are also produced in California.  A relative newcomer to California, vine cuttings were brought to California only in 1936 by Dr. Harold P. Olmo of the University of California, Davis.  However, it has only been in the last decade that the U.S. has gone ga-ga for Syrah/Shiraz.

Syrah, on the other hand, is known for the big, muscular wines of the northern Rhone and as one of the many varieties for the production of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  In the northern Rhone, they are not categorized as Syrah but are labelled as Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cote Rôtie.  Here the grape produces wines that are raspberry and blackcurrant-scented with hints of cherry, smoke, and roasted meat.  In the southern Rhone, it is used as blending material where it provides the necessary colour and fragrance.

To further confuse matters, there is a variety called Petite Sirah that is actually a cross-pollination with a French grape called Durif and a variety called Peloursin.  This grape was developed by a Dr. Durif around 1880, in his experimental vineyard at the University of Montpellier in southern France.

Whichever style you favour, there is no denying the fact this grape is becoming very popular.  If you have not tried either style yet, get down to your local bottle shop, pick up a few, and have a Syrah-Shiraz party.  That is what wine is for…enjoyment with family and friends.

An incredible wine at a terrific price, the 2006 Heathcote Estate Shiraz 2006 (was $52.00; Now: $40.00) sources fruit from vines grown in the Cambrian loam soils of Heathcote, Victoria. This is an opaque black crimson colour with aromas of violets, vanilla, spice and blackcurrants, followed by hints of truffles. The palate has great definition, depth and concentration of blackberry, plum, earth, spice and truffle flavours with a fine-grained tannin structure, excellent balance, followed by a long, intense aftertaste of blackberry, spice and licorice.

Soon to be released, the 2010 Church and State Coyote Bowl Syrah ($40) is sure to mirror the Gold Medal winning 2009 from last year’s British Columbia Wine Awards.  Again it’s laden with spectacular classic Northern Rhone aromas of smoked meat, saddle leather, rich blackberry, cassis, black plum, roasted tomato, tobacco leaf and licorice with hints of menthol, olive, chocolate and roasted coffee. The juicy palate is full of rich blackberry, smoky/grilled sausage, black pepper spice with dried herbs and a long concentrated finish. Soft acidity and very firm tannins mark this as a wine to cellar for 6 months and enjoy over the next 5-8 years.

The 2007 Viña San Pedro Syrah ($30) is a prime example of the Argentine wines.  The aroma and flavour is ripe with lots of blackberry, black cherry, plum and raspberry jam-like characteristics with licorice, vanilla and chocolate.  The texture on the palate is rich and smooth with buckets of ripe, juicy black fruit flavour followed by licorice, smoke, and vanilla.  This is excellent red that would look good on any table and is an excellent short-term wine for everyday enjoyment.

From Argentina, the 2009 Pascual Toso Syrah ($19) is a tasty little red. Loaded with savoury blackberry, cassis, black plum, and blueberry with hints of grilled sausage, roasted red peppers, licorice, chocolate pudding, vanilla, cedar and spicy pepper. The texture is chunky and full with ripe black fruit, pepper, tobacco leaf, cedar and smoke. Rich velvety finish with soft acidity and ultra-firm tannins, this wine could do with some cellaring but it is perfect with any type of grilled red meats.