Over the last year I’ve noticed the word “Syrah” popping up on Australian wine bottles instead of the more common Australian usage of “Shiraz”.
It’s been creeping in slowly as there has been a growing trend to use Syrah for wines that are made in the Old World style, being less fruit forward, quite floral aromatically with a tannin structure that is more often seen in a French or European wine, where strangley enough, its more common to see the word Syrah on a bottle than it here. Generally these wines are from the cool to cold grape growing areas of Australia, such as the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Geelong or Tasmania.
I’m not sure how this has come about, to me it would seem that the marketing boffins wanted a point of difference from the big, Barossan reds. I tend to think it’s been one of the better moves from the Australian wine marketers, and it does seem to be working. Many of my friends are able to tell me now whether they would prefer a warm region Margaret River Shiraz over a Yarra Valley Syrah.
First and foremost, both Shiraz and Syrah derive from exactly the same grape variety. There is a huge range in the flavour profile of Shiraz and Syrah wines, dependent on the vineyard and region that they are grown, winemaking and influences of the terroir, the area that the fruit is grown in.
However in very broad general styles, Australian Shiraz is bold and flavour packed; they are rich, ripe, and intense dark blue/black fruit flavours (plum, blackberry, cherry) as well as hints of black spice. They can also have a higher alcohol content due to longer ripening on the vine before picking. These fruit driven wines are usually made in an easy drinking style and are good everyday wines but are also able to age for many years. In contrast you get cool climate Syrah wines that are often written about using the words elegant and finesse, refined and subtle, they are slightly leaner in style than Shiraz, yet are often more complicated, with spice, cherry, tar, smoke, plum, earthy, have softer tannins, and typically capable of short to long term bottle ageing.
This all comes about because of how the grape buds grow in the cooler climates. When the buds start growing they start off as tiny, tart and sour buds. As they ripen, the sugar levels go up and the buds get bigger and softer. The flavours change from those herby, green notes and earthy flavours to fruity, ripe and even tropical flavours. Cool climate grapes take longer to grow and that’s why they the wines tend to be higher in acid and lower in alcohol.
However a Syrah that comes from a vintage that isn’t great are often thin and sharp tasting. They aren’t as enjoyable as a lesser vintage from a warm climate.
So in a nutshell, if you like bold, fruit forward wines with tannin, stick with Shiraz. If you’re looking for something a little more elegant and complex, the Syrah could be a good option.
A quick guide to Australian and New Zealand’s most common wine region climates and four wines under $20 bottleshop prices.
Hot Regions Hunter Valley, Clare Valley, Cowra, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Mudgee, Goulburn Valley.
Yalumba Patchwork 2014 – so named because the fruit is sourced from a patchwork of vineyards throughout the Barossa, its juicy and savoury, with blackberry and dark cherry flavours, and a slight touch of woody spices. RRP is $22 but bottleshop prices will see this land around $18-$19.
Warm Regions Avoca, Margaret River, Mt Barker, Padthaway, Heathcote, Mornington Peninsula, Coonawarra. Tumbarumba, Pyrenees, King Valley, Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Padthaway, Margaret River, Australia’s Great Southern district.
Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2013 – Deep and dark purple in colour, chocolate, blackberry touches of pepper. The fruit is to the fore, juicy and in layers, great drying tannins on the finish. Great quaffing red. RRP $25 but floats around $18 in a bottle-o.
Cool Regions Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Geelong, Ballarat, Macedon, North Tasmania, Marlborough, Nelson, Auckland
Shadowfax Shiraz 2012 – you don’t see Shadowfax floating around in retail land too much anymore, which is a shame as this deserves a little more looking at, a blend of fruit from across the cooler areas of Victoria, mainly in and around Geelong. Light red fruits, its spicy and charming, a light lunch red that still has enough happening to still be good drinking at dinner too. Around $19 in bottleshops
Cold Regions Southern Tasmania, areas around the Snowy Mountains and much of New Zealand’s South Island
Te Mata Estate Syrah 2014 – I quite enjoy the Te Mata range, and as the 2015 rolls onto the shelves, it will replace these notes for the 2014. Cherry, blackberry, thyme and white pepper, it’s supple and smooth with savoury notes and liquorice in there too. Soft tannins, great mouthfeel and soft dry finish. $20 bottle.
