Syrah / Shiraz

Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape; they just go by different names. The French use Syrah in their Rhône reds, while Australian Shiraz has become extremely popular.

Grown worldwide, these wines are loved for their abundance of spice and fruit flavors. Syrah, a grape native to France, was initially misidentified in Australia, where they gave it the name Shiraz. Research proved that they are the exact same grape, but by then the Australians had already become famous for their Shiraz, and the name stuck. These wines are dry, medium- to full-bodied, with medium acidity and high tannin. They have notes of blackberry, black raspberry, loganberry, pepper, cinnamon, plums, violets, leather and salami. Serve at room temperature (59–64 degrees) with aged or hard cheese, barbecue, duck, sausage or venison.