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- Syrah/Shiraz
What is the difference I should be looking for between these two wines? Also, am I correct when I say that Shiraz is pronounced with a "rah" on the end?
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35 - Reply by Stephen, Apr 22.
Geographic is the only difference I'm aware of. New world wines tend to refer to the grape as Shiraz, while old world, France in particular, refer to it as Syrah. With the increase in popularity of New World wines, though, I think some French wines, particularly from Languedoc, are switching, or incorporating Shiraz. As far as pronunciation, it would depend on where the speaker is from, though all end with the z sound.
Philip, Syrah and Languedoc are showing up as miss-spelled...anti-French bias?
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- Reply by Gantt and SK, Apr 22.
Sorry to sound dumb here, but if I recently got a Syrah from California is that just an attempt to keep the old world influence?
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1149 - Reply by dmcker, Apr 22.
My impression is that California, Oregon and Washington mostly use 'Syrah'. 'Shiraz', from an American sensibility, seems more an Australian affectation, though there will be those contrarian American winemakers who for some reason (quirkiness? ;-) ) choose to use Shiraz. I don't know, but wonder, about South Africa and South America...
Australia went whole-hog with Shiraz long before Syrah became popular in the American marketplace. California winemakers were probably focusing more on the French model in both how they made their wine and in marketing cachet, so chose the French, rather than the Australian spelling. The Pacific Northwest followed the California lead. Or such is my guess, anyway.
Petit Syrah, btw, is another grape entirely.
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- Reply by Gantt and SK, Apr 22.
Wow, thanks for the input from both of you. That is all good to know.
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5 - Reply by lamarr, Apr 22.
"Petit Syrah, btw, is another grape entirely."
Which brings up another debate entirely:
Petit Syrah v. Petite Syrah v. Petit Sirah v. Petite Sirah v. Durif
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3027 - Reply by Philip, Apr 22.
"Philip, Syrah and Languedoc are showing up as miss-spelled...anti-French bias?"
What do you mean mis-spelled? I couldnt find the error
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27 - Reply by barri0s1872, Apr 23.
actually, lamarr, i don't think there is any difference except for spelling since syrah and shiraz are the same grape.
durif is the, i'm guessing, unpopular name for petite syrah.
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10 - Reply by timbw, Apr 23.
NZ wine makers refer to the varietal as Syrah as we are creating wines that are much more like Rhone stylistically, and because of the added benefit of differentiating ourselves from our good friends in Australia.
A good explination taken from Wikipedia below......
"Syrah"-labelled wines are sometimes thought to be more similar to classic Northern Rhône reds; presumably more elegant, tannic, smoke-flavoured and restrained with respect to their fruit component. "Shiraz"-labelled wines, on the other hand, would then be more similar to archetypical Australian or other New World examples; presumably made from riper berries, more fruit-driven, higher in alcohol, less obviously tannic, peppery rather than smokey, usually more easily approached when young, and possibly slightly sweetish in impression."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrah
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01 - Reply by hilde, Apr 25.
looking for retailers of Bushman's Gully Shiraz...can anyone help??
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83 - Reply by MarioRobles, Apr 26.
ok ok ok.. I live in Australia and the story goes like this... Syrah is the French name for THE SAME GRAPE... Shiraz is the "Aussie name" for Syrah... the rest of the New World (of wine) has addopted the name Shiraz follwoing Australia but also the name Syrah following the French... it is the same grape with different names BUT the difference intended (outside Australia and France) in using Shiraz or Syrah is the style they are trying to show... if the wine if more 'in your face', rich, full bodied.. it is usually named Shiraz (since that is the Australian Style) and when called Syrah, they follow the lower alcohol, restrained power/fruit, more balance than fruit focus, etc (more in the French Style)
In Australia, you find (not many though) some Syrah which is made with the French style in mind... De Bortoli produces one "Australian Syrah" the other 2,500 Australian producers make Shiraz... :-)
Chile is a good example, they are producing Shiraz as well as Syrah... and the Australian and French styles are in their minds when 'choosing' the name... and since I am involved in some importing of Chilean Wine to Australia and have some communication with Chilean Producers, this is what they try to do... in saying that, not all producers are aware of this and choose the name (Shiraz/Syrah) depending on where the wind is going!
Summary:
Syrah and Shiraz is the same but the difference being in the 'wine-making style' intended rather than the grape variety...
