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- Help me with Syrah/Shiraz!!!!!!!!!!
I love it when the back of my jaw bone tingles with delight when I take the first sip of a Syrah or Shiraz. The thing is I am very uneducated as far as good choices. I was wondering if anyone with more experience and a better palate than mine suggest a few to me?! I love a pungent biting Syrah/Shriaz. The tangyer the better! Thanks!
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531 - Reply by mark, May 11.
It's unfortunate that we don't have a search function (yet -- it's coming!) but there was a great thread with some great suggestions for Syrah here:
http://www.snooth.com/talk/topic/syrah/
Hope that helps.
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9 - Reply by muddyrudder, May 11.
Thank you so much! I am an so new to this and that link really helped out. I have a few wines on my wish list now that I will be looking to taste!
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1208 - Reply by Philip, May 11.
OK, Mark beat me to it, but thats a great link. I love super fruity syrah's to bear that in mind before following my suggestions from that list. But, it sounds like you really like the young tight tannins? Go grab a 2005 or 2006 Syrah/Shiraz of any type - Australian or American if you like fruit or French (Cote du Rhone) if you like Earth and see where that gets you
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1208 - Reply by Philip, May 12.
Yeah, they are exactly the same thing. Syrah is the French word and Shiraz is the Australian word. Over here we use...both!
Generally, because its made in France, Syrah is earthier, spicier and more muted and Shiraz is more fruit forward. However they are still the same exact grape and thats just a winemaking style difference
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531 - Reply by mark, May 12.
It's a good question, Sung -- no reason to think you'll be ridiculed.
Actually, the difference in styles is important. The grape is definitely the same, but the few Australian winemakers I have met are adamant about the difference in styles.
For example, (and HondaJohn can jump in here to elaborate if necessary) Loxton makes a Syrah and a Shiraz -- they're not interchangeable as far as Loxton is concerned.
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9 - Reply by muddyrudder, May 12.
Does Loxton make both styles using grapes from both continents? Is that why Loxton claims they are NOT interchangeable?
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200 - Reply by HondaJohn, May 13.
Philip, Mark you are both right ... Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape. Genetically the are identical. That is based on their DNA. And yes, the difference is mostly style based with Shiraz being more fruit forward and easy drinking with Syrah being more elegant and earthy.
At Loxton, the distinction is mostly style (as described above). The grapes we use are all grown in the Sonoma. However, the grapes we use in our Shiraz are mostly Australian clones of the Syrah grape. Meaning the original rootstock and vine grafts came from Australia. Our Shiraz tends to be lighter in style with a lot fruit up front and a mellow finish. It is usually in oak for 10 to 11 months before we bottle it. Our Syrah wines are made predominately from French clones. Tends to be more complex and robust. Usually it will be in oak for 20 to 24 months. So while genetically the same, terroir and production methods, has a lot to say in how the end product will taste.
As a side note, the 'legend' around Shiraz is that people in the southern hemisphere (South Africa & Australia) believed that the vines that were planted locally came from a city called Shiraz in Persia (modern day Iran). Believing the grape to be native to the area they called it Shiraz. Since, tests have now shown they are the same is Syrah the question has become, where did it really originiate> Some believe it was brought to the town of Shiraz by the Crusaders. Others believe it was brought back to France by the Crusaders.
I hope this helps ...
