Shiraz or Syrah - A great development in South Africa

Shiraz and Syrah is the same grape variety, just named differently in different countries and is experiencing a great development in South Africa. In recent years there has been a trend in South Africa to use the more elegant "Syrah", also to show the fantastic development of South African Shiraz wines. Approximately 10% of the total wine-growing area in South Africa is under Shiraz.

The flavour spectrum of South African Shiraz is full, powerful and fleshy and ranges from black pepper to leather, olives or fynbos to tobacco or chocolate. Shiraz goes perfectly with dark meat or exotic spices that bring out its dark fruit notes.

Find out more about Shiraz / Syrah

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The Syrah/Shiraz is perfect for wine lovers who love a strong and full-bodied red wine. It is elegant, flavoursome and shines with rich tannins. If the grapes grow in cooler regions, the tannins can also appear sinewy. The structure of the red wine becomes more complex if it is allowed to mature in the bottle.

Fruit★★★★★

Body★★★★★

Tannin★★★★

Acidity★★★★

Alcohol★★★★

Flavours

This red wine delights with notes of wood, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, forest floor and leather. Its flavour spectrum also varies depending on the growing climate. In its rather cool homeland of France, notes of black pepper, violet, plum and leather take centre stage. In Australia's heat, chocolate flavours dominate Shiraz, as well as notes of dark cherries and plums. The wines from there are richer, softer, with a creamy texture and higher alcohol content.

Dominant notes:

- Blueberry
- plum
- Milk chocolate
- tobacco
- green pepper

Possible notes:

- Herbs/flowers: black pepper, green peppercorns, sage, lavender, eucalyptus, star anise, liquorice
- Red fruit: red plum, sweet cherry
- Dark fruit: boysenberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, plum sauce, blueberry, acai berry, blackberry, wild blackberry, blackberry jam, black olive
- Dried fruit: Fruit cake, Dried cranberry
- Earth/Other: Graphite, tar, bacon, cured meat, leather, tobacco leaf
- Secondary notes: Black cardamom, cream
- Stored in oak: smoke, cigar box, sassafras, camphor, tobacco, espresso, milk chocolate, vanilla pod, allspice, clove

Harmonises with

With Syrah, the ageing of the wine determines which dishes it harmonises with. If it has a medium alcohol content and is fruity, sweet and flavoursome, it is a good partner for hearty pasta dishes with meat or tomato sauce or risotto with herbs and mushrooms.

A rather heavy, single-varietal Syrah or a full-bodied cuvée harmonises with roast beef, lamb and pork as well as with Asian and Indian dishes. A really rich Syrah goes well with red meat with a strong sauce and well-seasoned sausage.

If you are looking for the right wine for dessert, Syrah is a good choice if the dessert is not too sweet and is instead chocolatey.

General information

When is a red wine a Syrah or a Shiraz? If it is called "Syrah", the red wine has been processed in the classic French style; if it says "Shiraz" on the wine label, the style of the red wine is strong and the wine was vinified using the Australian method. In general, Shiraz is synonymous with overseas wines. Whether Shiraz or Syrah, the red wine cannot be compared with any other and is experiencing a great development in South Africa. Its colour is violet-red when young, tending towards dark brown-red when aged. In general, the red wine is spicy, sweet, intensely berry and ready to drink early. The wine with its soft and round tannins has good ageing potential.

The origin of the red grape variety is unclear. While some see its origins in France, for others the name of the wine itself points to its origins in the Persian city of Shiraz. According to one myth, the vine was brought to the Rhône from the Middle East by a crusader in the 13th century. There it has always been called Syrah. The Persian name "Shiraz" was given to the vine by James Busby, who first cultivated it in Australia in 1833. Almost 200-year-old Shiraz vines grow in Australia's Barossa Valley. The oldest vines in the world have become the trademark of the local wine industry.

The Syrah grape belongs to the noble grape varieties, the "Cépages nobles" and is a natural cross between the old white Mondeuse Blanche and the red Dureza grape. A predecessor is the Pinot Noir vine.

The noble vine is now cultivated all over the world, especially in the New World of Wine. Whether South Africa, Australia, Argentina, the United States or Chile - the area under vines for Shiraz is growing rapidly, including in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Over 185,600 hectares are planted with it worldwide. The vigorous vine favours hot and rather dry regions with medium-heavy but moist granite or slate soils.

Syrah/Shiraz wines stand for excellent enjoyment and are produced both as single-varietal wines and in cuvées. If the red wines are blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre (Monastrell, Mataro), the resulting, world-famous cuvée is called GSM. The cuvées from the southern Rhône region, such as the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, are also well-known. The red wine is almost always blended in Spain and single-varietal wines come mainly from South Africa, Australia, the Rhône Valley, New Zealand, South America and California.