Syrah or Shiraz
SYRAH OR SHIRAZ?
Syrah and Shiraz refer to the same grape. Syrah is how the variety was originally referred to while Shiraz is how it became known in Australia, with the term then being adopted elsewhere for wines that share Australian Shiraz’s typically known warm climate style.
Syrah, mostly referring to Old World (often French) expressions, has historically tended to be lighter in body and alcohol, leaner and with finer tannins. Shiraz, on the other hand, has for many years referred to New World, intense wines, which are generally richer, with riper aromas and fuller in both body and alcohol. While the distinct styles first emerged as a natural consequence of the different growing conditions and microclimates (i.e. the grapes in Australia reaching higher potential alcohol and more richness and power than their European counterparts), producing a wine in either style is also greatly influenced by winemaking decisions.
More recently, the styles have been blurred with many Australian (and other New World) producers choosing to use the term Syrah, perhaps to denote style, perhaps for marketing, but either way, the use of Syrah has become more common.
WHERE did SHIRAZ COME FROM?
The origins of Shiraz have often been discussed with the romantics favouring the city of Shiraz in ancient Persia (now Iran). However, DNA profiling established that the variety’s parents are in fact Mondeuse blanche and Dureza, believed to have originated in France. Some studies also show that, with great probability, Pinot Noir is a great-grandparent of Syrah, and both Viognier and Mondeuse Noire seem to be closely related to Syrah, too. You can read more about the history at www.jancisrobinson.com. She and her team know much more than I.
ORIGNS of AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ
Again, open to much conjecture, but most historians suggest that cuttings of Shiraz were likely taken to Australia by James Busby in early 1832. It was very successful initially in NSW and quite quickly found its way to the Barossa Valley. Plantings remain at Langmeil from 1843, Turkey Flat in 1847 and Moorooroo at a similar time but there are many more historical blocks from the 1800s that remain. Australia, and the Barossa Valley in particular, has some of the oldest Syrah/Shiraz plantings in the world and some of the very few that survived phylloxera.
Some of our Vineyards
Our Estate Vineyard in Stone Well was thought to have been planted in 1948, the Fromm Family 1919 Block from the corresponding year, the Schulzs and Hoffmanns have a number of old blocks some of which were planted in the 1800s, including the Koonunga Ancestor Block from which we source our Koonunga Shiraz. Records are not great, but it is thought to have been planted in the 1870s or 1880s.
Our Old Ancestor Block in Koonunga now owned by the Hoffmanns
SAMPLING SHIRAZ and SYRAH
The Barossa, Clare Valley, Mclaren Vale, Coonawarra and many other SA regions coupled with the Hunter Valley and a number of regions in Victoria are home to some great old material. You will find some labelled Syrah, others Shiraz, rest assured a name is just a name, sample and discover the alternatives for yourself.