The best thing about Syrah is that almost everyone loves it. Whether it comes from South Australia's Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale(and goes by Shiraz), Napa Valley, California, or Southern France, where it's part of a "GSM" (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) blend, it's a fun and easy to enjoy red grape. It brings spice, acidity, tannins, and earthy flavors to the party. It's a worldwide grape with wine appellations as disparate as South Africa and Chile having a go at making wine with the grape variety.
What are the tasting notes of Syrah wine?
Syrah is a red wine grape with a split personality. Like Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio, Syrah and Shiraz are just two names for the same grape. What's in a name? For Syrah, it can tell you a lot. A Rhône Valley Syrah is powerful and rich. Australian Shiraz is fruit-forward and punchy, just like the original varietal wine from Penfolds. Cool climate Syrah from Sonoma is yet another thing—all acidity with smokey, earthy flavors. The name a winemaker chooses to use when working with the Syrah grape will out their aspirations.
What are the tasting notes of Syrah wine?
Syrah is originally from the Northern Rhône Valley, with the most famous examples coming from the Côte-Rôtie, or "Roasted Slope," and Hermitage. It's a beautiful blending grape, and winemakers of the Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend the wine with Grenache. But today, great Syrah is grown all over the world, and many of the best New World examples still follow the Old World style. Most Syrah wines will feature notes of blueberry, blackberry, smoke, black pepper, licorice, and sometimes savory, earthy components like herbs, leather, chocolate, and tobacco. Cooler climates like Washington state will feature violets and other floral components
Want to learn more about Syrah wine?
Want to learn more about Syrah? Check out Firstleaf’s Ultimate Guide to Syrah.