How to choose the right Syrah | Your red wine guide
The noble red grape of the Northern Rhône is famous worldwide. And for good reason: Syrah yields elegant and powerfully structured wines of remarkable longevity. It reaches an apogee in the village of Hermitage, while Côte-Rôtie is renowned for its exquisite perfume. But the grape is now planted all over southern France, in addition to Australia, New Zealand, California, Chile, and South Africa. Today, growers continue to experiment with Syrah, producing a diverse range of expressions and styles. It is increasingly important in Argentina, where Syrah thrives in the vineyards of Mendoza.
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What is Syrah wine like?
Syrah is a chameleon grape: a conduit for the terroir and climate. Celebrated for its peppery aroma and tannic grip in the Northern Rhône, Shiraz (as it’s known in the New World) tastes quite different in hotter areas. In South Australia’s Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, Shiraz makes dense, rich and voluptuous wines, much-appreciated for their ripe, dark fruit profile and dark chocolate and damson bouquet. Syrah could be classified as a medium- or full-bodied wine style, depending on where the fruit is grown.
In the cooler regions of France and the New World, black pepper, tapenade, liquorice, black cherry, plum and black fruit are typically detected on the palate. As the climate warms, pepperiness diminishes, and flavours of sweet berries take over, gradually evolving into complex, gamey characteristics with age. The greatest French Syrah wines, such as Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chappelle, will improve in bottle for many years, showing a mosaic of complex tertiary aromas: leather, tobacco, and mocha.
Syrah by wine region
Old World Syrah
France
Syrah responds enthusiastically to various conditions, taking warmth in its stride. As a result, the grape is widespread across the Languedoc-Rousillon, in addition to the southern Rhône Valley. Yet few would deny that Syrah finds its most significant expression in the northern half of the Côte du Rhône, planted on steep terraces that are difficult to farm. The vineyards cover a 64-mile stretch from Vienne to Valence, with the finest wines made from well-exposed granite soils overlooking the river.
The best growers produce structured, complex Syrah wines of an unrivalled intensity. In the southern Rhône, Syrah is often blended with the main grape of the Southern Rhone, Grenache, to fashion vibrant and fruity reds – Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the flag-bearer.
Italy
Italian Syrah is hardly a global favourite, yet several regions excel at producing fragrant and concentrated expressions of the Syrah grape. The mineral-rich soils of the Maremma Toscana have no problem ripening Syrah to velvety concentration, particularly in the balmy climate of central Italy.
The local alberese soils, a mixture of clay-limestone and stone fragments, yield full-bodied wines renowned for their garrigue and black olive scent. The volcanic slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily have also proven themselves worthy of the grape. With its various elevations and igneous soils, Etna has become a magnet for terroir-conscious wine producers.
Spain
The finest Spanish Syrah is undoubtedly made in Priorat, a collection of steep terraces in northeastern Spain. Syrah finds its unique soil, llicorella (a dark-brown slate), so appealing. Here, the grape yields powerful, mineral-laden wines with high concentrations. The best can rival Barossa Shiraz in potency.
New World Shiraz
Australia
The only vineyards outside of France to grow Syrah in large quantities are found Down Under. In 1831, James Busby took some cuttings from the Hill of Hermitage and planted Australia’s first Syrah vines. Incredibly, the original Barossa (1850s) and Hunter Valleys (1880) plantings are still in production, with many more vineyards planted in the interim. Australia’s most important red grape variety is a significant player on the export scene.
The voluptuous essences of Barossa Valley share little in common with the minerally taut reds being made in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Margaret River and Tasmania also produce some exciting wines – Hunter Valley remains a hotbed of alcoholic, tarry Shiraz. But there is no shortage of cool climate expressions available.
Argentina
The most exciting part of Argentina is the Uco Valley in Mendoza, renowned for its sophisticated, velvety Malbec. Yet most of the country’s leading Shiraz wines are also made here, on calcareous and stony soils in three subregions: Tupungato, Tunuyan, and San Carlos in the south. The elevation is critical here. The best Shiraz vineyard sites are inevitably found at higher altitudes, merging ripeness and freshness to spectacular effect.
California
Although California’s North Coast region is primarily associated with Cabernet Sauvignon, a smattering of excellent Shiraz wines are being made in both Sonoma and Napa Valley. Yet the state’s most famous Shiraz emanates from the Central Coast, Santa Barbara county, produced by the cult winery Sine Qua Non. The Shiraz wine is both outstanding and very expensive. However, a better value source can be found in Paso Robles, situated northwest of Los Angeles and cooled by marine air from the Pacific. The best wines are structured, aromatically expressive, and fruit-forward.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s undisputed source of delectable Shiraz is Hawke’s Bay. In the 20th century, a great deal of Cabernet Sauvignon was planted on the region’s gravel soils; however, even in the warmth of Gimblett Gravels, Cabernet can struggle to ripen. As a result, many Shiraz vines have been grafted onto Cabernet vines.
Viticulture and winemaking
Vine age is crucial when deciding how best to manage this variety. Young plants can deliver inflated yields, producing unrefined, innocuous wine. As a result, rigorous canopy management will be required for younger vines. However, older vines are a very different matter: centenarian plantings in the Barossa Valley, for example, produce small yields of highly concentrated fruit. They are also very robust and able to cope with prolonged periods of heat and drought. Syrah is also very resistant to fungal disease. All wine producers agree that bush vine Syrah is a precious viticultural resource.
However, there is no such consensus on winemaking. For example, some growers prefer crushing whole bunches with their stems, as they welcome the structure that ripe stalks can bring. Yet Jaboulet in the Rhône Valley has traditionally preferred to use a mix of crushed fruit and whole bunches in the fermentation vat. There are also the usual choices – and arguments – about the subsequent maturation of the wine. Traditionalists vehemently oppose the use of new oak, arguing that it subsumes terroir character. Yet Guigal’s single-vineyard bottlings, aged in new oak barrels, are magnificently balanced wines. Nevertheless, maturation in one- to two-year-old casks is favoured by many producers as a sensible compromise.
The incorporation of white varieties into the blend is another divisive issue. In Europe and the New World, certain winemakers elect to include a small percentage of Viognier; Hermitage in the northern Rhône permits a maximum of 15% Marsanne and Roussanne. White grapes can ‘lift’ Syrah, enhancing the bouquet and fruit on the mid-palate. Yet it inevitably lightens the colour and structure.
When to choose a bottle of Shiraz?
The world of fine wine would be a lot poorer without Syrah. It closely tails Cabernet Sauvignon as the industry’s foremost red grape variety, producing structured, aromatic, and complex wines of irresistible charm. It is also a grape that caters to a wide variety of palates: certain oenophiles are drawn to the spicy pepperiness of Crozes-Hermitage, while others are seduced by the concentration of hot climate Shiraz.
This grape lends itself to various contexts, from birthdays to weekend drinking. If you seek prestige and luxurious drinking, delve into the wines of Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and South Australia. Henschke’s Hill of Grace and Penfolds Grange are the two undisputed ‘First Growths’ of Australian red wine. But there is also a wealth of choice at the lower end of the price spectrum, particularly in the Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and St-Joseph. Australia’s Heathcote region is another safe bet—Ditto New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Syrah and Petite Sirah
In the 19th century, Syrah was accidentally crossed with a variety called Peloursin to create Petite Shirah – also known as Durif. The latter generally produces inferior wine.
What food does Syrah pair with?
Ripe, lush Shiraz from Barossa is ideal with barbecues: it matches the smokiness and is rarely fazed by marinades. Powerful expressions also work exceptionally well with braised beef and ox cheek – beef stroganoff with Hermitage never fails to impress. Serve your best bottles, such as Hermitage La Chappelle, with venison; well-hung game; bone marrow on toast, and hard English cheeses.
Is Syrah high in tannins?
Syrah is a tannic grape, although much will depend on where it is grown and the winemaking. If you want the authority of savoury tannin, head to the Northern Rhône. Softer expressions (due to the ripeness of the tannins) can be found in warmer climates.
What to read next
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How to choose the best Cabernet Sauvignon
A guide to Chateauneuf-du-Pape
An insider’s guide to wine from Barossa Valley