Syrah or Shiraz – how different are they?

That is a question I hear often when I talk to novice wine drinkers. Well, the short answer is yes and no. While the grape variety is the same, there is a significant difference of the winemaking style hence the two different name, Syrah and Shiraz. Let’s break is down and get familiar with the grape variety itself and see the similarities and the differences.

Syrah

It is a dark-skinned red grape, known for producing very full-bodied wine with strong fruit flavours and black pepper spiciness. Syrah can be quite floral in its youth, developing white and black pepper aromas and herbaceous notes as it ages. Some examples show tanned leather and smoky scents, while the fruit in the wine tends towards dark flavours of blackcurrant and liquorice.

There is a legend which says the grape is originated in Persia from Shiraz. DNA profiling has shown that Syrah is a cross between two minor Rhône varieties. Dureza (a black-skinned grape) and Mondeuse Blanche (a white grape), both native to the Rhone Valley. This proves Syrah’s origins in the Rhône.

While Syrah is grown in numerous regions, it is primarily found in the temperate to warm viticultural areas.

 As of 2016, approximately 35% of the world’s Syrah was found in France, followed by Australia with 20%. That brings us closer to understand the differences between Syrah and Shiraz.

France

As mentioned earlier, it is its origin, most specifically in the Rhone. On the Northern Rhône, Syrah is the king, making mostly varietal wines. On the Southern part we can see it as one of the most important blending grapes with Grenache and a dozen of other varieties.

In the Rhone, the climate is more moderate that results in a Syrah which has more red fruit, floral and dried herb flavours. It has higher acidity, a bit harsher tannin structure and a moderate 13-14,5% alcohol (I know it seems high – it is – but considering the other style, we are still in the moderate side of the scale). The winemakers chose to use larger oak barrels just to soften down those big tannins, keeping the original fruit character. This is the style where we call it Syrah.

Australia

In the early 1830’s, cuttings of Syrah were taken to Australia by the so-called father of Australian viticulture, James Busby. It flourished and was quickly adopted by New South Wales and from there to the whole country, eventually becoming Australia’s most planted variety. Finally it found its spiritual home in South Australia, more precisely in the Barossa Valley where it became World-famous thanks to Penfolds and its Grange, the most expensive Australian wine even today.

Here, we are talking of a much warmer climate that results in a wine riper in fruit character with black fruits and sweeter spice notes. Riper tannin structure, a more moderate but still refreshing acidity and a higher alcohol (sometimes even more than 16%ABV!). Winemakers here chose to use smaller and newer French oak barriques giving the wine more vanilla and spicy flavour profile. This is the style what we call now Shiraz.

Other countries

Of course, Syrah or Shiraz is an international variety that we can find all over the World, sometimes labelled as Syrah and sometimes Shiraz. Why is that? Because the winemaker (most of the cases) would like to help the consumer which character and flavour profile you can expect from that particular wine. When they label it as Syrah, you most likely will find the French wine making style produced from them and if it is labelled Shiraz, expect the Australian style.

Why I say most of the cases? Nowadays we never know if the label really shows the character of the wine or it is just a great marketing to call it a Shiraz because it’s cool and trendy. As I mentioned, 95% of the cases you can trust in the system so it is actually helpful to distinguish the styles with those names. Otherwise, you can always do some background check before purchasing the wine.

Conclusion

Yes, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape variety, produced in a two different style. Both styles can be an excellent choice depending on your preferences, the occasion of why are you buying them and your budget. You can even cellar the bests (like that one from Chateau de Beaucastel and Nine Popes) for a couple of years to see the evolution in their flavour profile if you can wait that long. If not, have a glass now and celebrate International Syrah/Shiraz day on the 16^th of February!

Sources:

Decanter