What is the difference between Syrah and Shiraz? Many people are confused by these two terms. The issue is clouded by myths, legends, and misinformation. In reality, the only real difference between these terms is the countries they come from. Both terms refer to a particular species of dark-skinned grape grown all over the world, used to produce full-bodied red wines. It is called Shiraz in Australia, where it is considered the finest red wine grape and is the most widely cultivated red wine grape in the country. In most of the rest of the world, it is known as Syrah.
The Syrah Grape’s History and Global Journey
DNA profiling in 1999 showed that the Syrah grape is a hybrid of two very obscure species from southeastern France: the Dureza and Monduese Blanche. Dureza is a very dark-skinned species from the Ardèche region of France that has almost disappeared from vineyards. Preservation of rare and obscure varieties like this is a specialty of Montpellier. Monduese Blanche is a white grape cultivated in the Savoy region, and small amounts of it can still be found today. The hybridization most likely occurred shortly before 77 AD, when the grape was described by Pliny the Elder in his book Naturalis Historia. He wrote about a wine made from a grape species from Vienne (now Cote-Rotie) that had been unknown just 50 years earlier.
In Australia, this popular grape was known as Hermitage, but since the name was also a French Protected Designation of Origin, it caused issues with their export marketing. So, in the late 1980s, they adopted the name used in South Africa and Canada: Shiraz.
This is where some of the confusion begins. There is a city in Iran called Shiraz that produces a popular wine called Shirazi, but it does not use Syrah grapes. The similarity in names has sparked many wild legends about the grape being brought to the Rhône region of France from the Middle East by Roman legionnaires, traveling hermits, and even a returning crusader, Gaspard de Sterimberg. While there is no documentation or physical evidence to support any of these legends, they make for some great stories to tell while sharing a bottle.
To add further confusion, there is another grape species called Petit Syrah, which is distinctly different and exclusive to California. Wines made from this grape are completely different from Syrah. With all this complexity, it’s no wonder so many wine lovers ask, “What is the difference between Syrah and Shiraz?” But somehow, we manage to find the wine we want—and it gives us a great excuse for wine tastings!
The Syrah grape eventually made its way to the New World, starting in 1878, when the first plants were cultivated in California. US growers realized that California’s weather and soil conditions were very similar to those of famous wine regions in France. Unfortunately, by the 1890s, the entire crop had been devastated by the phylloxera root louse. In 1959, the Christian Brothers of Napa Valley planted 40 acres of Syrah grapes as an experiment. The plants flourished, and in 1974, Joseph Phelps produced the first 100% bottling of Syrah wine in California. Though it was slow to catch on, California Syrah gained popularity in the 1980s when US wine lovers began searching for an alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, California Syrah has become the fastest-growing domestic varietal wine, and the trend continues today.
In France, Syrah is traditionally used as a blending agent in classic wines such as Hermitage, Cornas, Cote-Rotie, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Côtes-du-Rhône. In the US, Australia, and other countries, it is often bottled as varietal red table wine.
Wines made from Syrah are full-bodied and powerful in flavor. There’s nothing subtle about this wine. Like a good Marine, it shows up and takes charge, with no nonsense or fanfare. Like most grapes, Syrah produces a wine with a wide range of flavors and characteristics, depending on where it is grown, weather and soil conditions, and how it is handled after harvest. Compared to other reds, it is dark purple and “inky.” The bouquet can range from floral, berry-like, chocolate, espresso, and even black pepper. The most common aromas are blackberry or black pepper. With a little aging, these primary notes mellow, and secondary notes from the winemaking process, such as aging in oak barrels or using various yeast techniques, appear. Tertiary notes emerge with earthy, musky overtones like leather and truffles.
Syrah wines have a big flavor, making them a good alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. They exhibit plum, blackberry, smoke, truffles, and spicy characteristics that pair well with most hearty foods. My rule of thumb is that big wines demand big food, and vice versa. 100% Syrah wines are excellent with roast beef, roast pork, elk, moose, deer, goat, grilled steaks, pasta with marinara, baked ziti, cannelloni, ravioli, enchiladas, chili, meatloaf, rellenos, tamales, jambalaya, gumbo, étouffée, barbecue, and more. As a cooking ingredient, Syrah wines are outstanding with full-flavored foods, serving as a marinade, baste, or sauce base. Syrah can also make wonderful piquant salad dressings, and it is my wine of choice for making gourmet mustards and steak sauces.
To reach their full potential, 100% Syrah wines require some aging. As they mature, the tannins mellow, and the wine takes on a silky mouthfeel. Many wineries market blends of Syrah, producing a fruitier, lighter wine that can be enjoyed much younger while retaining many of the characteristics of true Syrah. Most winemakers recommend aging a full Syrah wine for 4-10 years.
Next time you are feeling adventurous, be bold and give Syrah wines a try. And while you’re savoring the heady bouquet and the full-bodied flavor explosion that excites every taste bud in your mouth, feel free to feel a bit superior to the masses. After all, you’ve become one of the Enlightened—you know the answer to the question, “What is the difference between Syrah and Shiraz?”
