Syrah vs Shiraz
What's the Difference?
Syrah and Shiraz are two different names for the same red grape and the wines that are made from it. “Syrah” is what it’s called in the Rhône Valley, located in France, where it is the main red wine grape of the northern region and a blending grape in the southern part. “Shiraz” is what winemakers in Australia have typically called it.
There is evidence that the Fars province in Iran, the capital being named Shiraz, made the earliest version of this wine. Historically it's been believed that cuttings from Persia made their way to France’s Rhône region but DNA testing has proved that Syrah/Shiraz is indigenous to France.
Australia has some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world that date back to the early 1800s. We are lucky to produce a bunch of different styles based on where it's grown.
Over time, the use of Shiraz or Syrah has taken on more meaning and producers might choose one name or the other to indicate the style of their wine. A winemaker might bottle a “Shiraz” to indicate they have made a rich, lush, riper, more fruit-forward wine in the Australian spirit. Or they might instead call their wine “Syrah” to indicate a more old-world style of wine.
For Father’s Day we pay homage to two cult Australian producers, Yabby Lake in the Mornington Peninsula and the certified biodynamic Yangarra in the McLaren Vale.
Tom Carson is known as a pinot noir maestro, but this 2018 Syrah from Yabby Lake is an absolute cracker! A perfumed and spicy Syrah, medium-bodied with silky but structured tannins, bright red and black fruit characters. Winemaker Peter Fraser from Yangarra makes Shiraz with focus and precision. The newly released 2018 is generous but refreshing with dark fruit aromas, along with blueberries, dark chocolate and some floral notes. A full-bodied palate with plenty of savoury tannins and spice going on. Just need some lamb cutlets and roast vegetables with this!
Is your dad a full bodied wine lover? Gift him this Father’s Day with either of our gift sets that contain Vintage REDa or Stemless RED+. These glasses have been designed for fuller bodied red wine. These designs allow for maximum aeration and a perfect balance between tannin, oak, aroma and palate.
Each set is accompanied by a handmade decanter and will allow the wine to aerate enhancing the primary fruit characters and elevating the wine experience from good to great. It can also remove sediment from older bottles that have been cellared. Decanters are also useful for white wines to correct temperature if they are too cold.
FATHER'S DAY GIFT SETS + FREE SHIPPING*
