10 Essential Facts on Syrah

I say "tomayto," you say "tomahto." I say "Syrah," you say "Shiraz." In truth, they're the same grape variety – and the world's 6th most popular at that. Whether you enjoy the great Syrah wines of the Northern Rhône Valley or their more hedonistic Shiraz counterparts from Down Under , Syrah mystifies its drinkers with a seductive, savory combination of flavors – from blackberry to charcuterie to "animale." Here are ten essential facts you should know to help you fall in love with Syrah: 1. According to the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, Syrah is the world's 6th most planted wine grape variety (4th among reds). Almost every wine-growing country has dedicated some vineyard space to Syrah, from Sicily to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to Mexico's Baja California . 2. A study on the origins of Syrah performed in 1998 discovered the grape to be a genetic crossing of the far more obscure varieties Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Interestingly subsequent research also revealed Syrah to be a great-great-grandchild of Pinot Noir . In addition, Syrah appears to share a certain but vague genetic relationship to Viognier, with whom Syrah co-habitates in the vineyard slopes of Côte-Rôtie. Viognier might be a grandparent to Syrah, or potentially a half-sibling. 3. Exactly where Syrah was born is a more complicated question – and one that has given rise to legend. Many believe Syrah to derive from the ancient Persian city of Shiraz – whose name lends itself to the Australian term for the variety. Some further hypothesize that Syrah was first brought from Persia to the Rhône Valley during the Crusades. Others point to the grape Syriaca, described in antiquity by Pliny the Elder, as a possible ancestor to Syrah. Scientific investigation has now proven the Persian and Syrian connections to be doubtful. 4. Today scientists believe Syrah's true birthplace lies near to where it continues to accomplish its most classic expression: France's Northern Rhône Valley. Here, in the appellations of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage , as well as Cornas , St. Joseph , and Crozes-Hermitage , Syrah achieves an uncanny ability to illuminate the nuances of place - much in the same vein as the great Pinot Noirs of Burgundy due north. France's highest acreage of Syrah, however, comes from its southwesterly Mediterranean corner of Languedoc-Roussillon , cultivating nearly two-thirds of the country's total plantings. 5. In his 1920 "Notes on a Cellar-Book," British scholar and wine connoisseur George Saintsbury famously described Hermitage as "the manliest French wine I ever drank." Connotations of gender aside, in the 19th Century, merchants would notably blend a bit of Hermitage to Bordeaux wines to add some extra umph and subsequently raise the price. No matter where Syrah is grown, it is celebrated for its sweaty, gamey savory flavors –"bacon drippings" often finds its way in tasting notes – and brooding, muscular structure. 6. While Syrah can make a mono-varietal wine in the Northern Rhône, in the Southern Rhône it takes a back seat to Grenache . Along with Mourvèdre, the three grapes constitute the traditional red Rhône blend, known globally by the acronym "GSM." The three can work wonders together – Grenache offering a juicy purity of berry flavor, Syrah bringing an earthly, savory complexity, and Mourvèdre amplifying the tannic structure. 7. Grenache and Mourvèdre aren't Syrah's only blending partners. In fact, Syrah isn't always even blended with other reds. Producers of Côte-Rôtie commonly co-ferment Syrah with up to twenty percent of Viognier, contributing attractive floral aromatics and a distinctive oily texture. Similarly, in Hermitage, up to fifteen percent of white grapes Marsanne and Roussanne can be added to the mix. 8. After France, Syrah is most highly cultivated in Australia . Down under, the grape more commonly goes by its alias Shiraz and is found growing all over the country, though most famously in the Barossa Valley , Eden Valley , and McLaren Vale . Shiraz most likely first came this way at the hands of James Busby, the "Father of Australian Viticulture" who collected vine cuttings from France in the early 1830s. 9. While Syrah occupies less than one-fifth of the vineyard acreage of Cabernet Sauvignon in California , the Golden State bottles a number of tremendous Syrah wines – and often at value prices when compared to California's more famous red offerings. Syrah experienced a boom in plantings beginning in the mid to late 1990s with the success of the Rhône Rangers organization, which championed the potential for Rhône varieties in California. 10. Further north, Syrah is a relatively recent addition to Washington's portfolio of wines, quickly ascending to become the state's third most planted red grape. Syrah has demonstrated a particular proclivity to the soils of Walla Walla Valley , where several bottles achieve near cult-like status. — Bryce Wiatrak Have you enjoyed a glass of Syrah recently? We want to see what you're drinking! Scan the label or search by name to add your tasting notes on Delectable.