Shiraz (Australia)
Shiraz is one of the darkest full-bodied wines in the world.
Australian Shiraz and French Syrah is the same grape.
Australian Shiraz is considered a warm climate Syrah.
Typical Flavors
 Black Cherry |
 Blackberry |
 Olive |
 Plum |
 Jam |
 Pepper |
 Clove |
 Licorice |
Oak Added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Tobacco |
Dark Berries, Blackberry, Black Olive, Plum, and Jam are typical warm climate Syrah flavors.
With hints of Spices, Clove, Black Pepper, Eucalyptus, and Licorice.
Cool Climate vs Warm Climate
Cool Cimate
Cool climate Syrah has light fruit flavors:
Raspberry. Blueberry. Black Cherry. Green Olive. Spices. White Pepper. Mint. Minerals.
Regions: France. Italy. Germany. USA (Sonoma Coast).
Warm Cimate
Warm climate Syrah has darker flavors:
Darker Berries, Plum, and Jam. Black Pepper rather than White Pepper. Black Olive rather than Green Olive. Licorice rather than Mint.
Regions: Australia. USA (California). South Africa.
Profile
Worm climate Syrah are full bodied:
| BODY | Full | ||
| TANNINS | High | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - High | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Mushroom |
 Hamburger |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
 Beef |
The massive taste of a full bodied Shiraz pairs best with bold food.
Shiraz loves Roasted Lamb and BBQ.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
BBQ. Grilled. Roasts.
Roasted Potatoes and Onions.
Grilled Mushrooms (Portobello).
Grilled Veggetables.
Rich Casseroles. Beef Stew.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit. Game.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Hamburger. Cheese Burger. Bacon Burger.
Red Meat Dishes. Spareribs. Veal Chops.
Strip Steak. T-Bone. Kobe. Entrecôte.
Cheese:
Aged Cheese. Goat.
Cheddar. Gouda. Pecorino.
Blue Cheese. Camembert.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for medium to full bodied red wines.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the fruit bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About Syrah / Shiraz
Legends claim that the Syrah grape originated in Shiraz, capital of the Persian Empire (modern-day Iran) or in Syracuse, Sicily. But there is no evidence.
The historical home of Syrah is the Rhône region of France.
The most famous Appellations are located in the Northern Rhône (Rotie, Hemitage, Cornas), where steep hillsides sometimes reach a gradient of 70°.
Introduced in Australia in 1831 by Scotsman James Busby, it is the most planted red grape variety there, and it is spelled different: Shiraz.
The best ones develop sweet, rich fruits, as well as aromas characterized by smoke, spices, leather and soil as they mature.
Shiraz in Australia
Austalian Syrah, or Shiraz as it is called "down under", can appear as anything from juicy, berry-tasting, soft wines, to powerful, tough and tannin-rich editions. Common to all of them is a lot of taste.
The best ones develop sweet, rich fruits, as well as aromas characterized by smoke, spices, leather and soil as they mature.
Australia is known for producing jammy, heavy Shiraz, but lately we have seen a cool climate evolution, with producers moving towards lighter, more elegant and food friendly wines.
Thus, Syrah is a wine with a lot of taste, but good editions also have nice balance and elegant tones built into all its flavor power.
Cool climate Shiraz is now the new trend in Australia.