Syrah / Shiraz
Dark fruit, pepper and generous expression.
Depending on climate, Syrah may be taut and peppery or rich and sun-soaked. In Australia it is often called Shiraz.
Other useful names
Shiraz
What to notice
Look for pepper and dark fruit, then compare a cooler expression with a riper one: climate and ripeness change the balance.
Explore styles and places
Style descriptions are guides, not rules: vintage, vineyard, blending and maturation change the result.
Barossa Valley — Blackberry, spice and a broad texture are classic markers of local Shiraz.
Stellenbosch — Altitude and Atlantic proximity bring variety and freshness to the styles.
Provence — Grenache and Syrah feature in blends whose colour alone does not predict flavour or sweetness.
Rhône Valley — Syrah leads in the north; Grenache often plays a major role farther south.
Alentejo — Aragonez is a Portuguese name for Tempranillo; proportions vary by wine.
Languedoc — Languedoc is both a broad wine region and a regional PDO: the two scopes are not interchangeable.
Roussillon — The key distinction is between dry wine and vin doux naturel, whose fermentation is stopped by adding alcohol.
