Syrah

Tier: Global Headliner
Color: Red
Origin: France
Lineage: Autochthonous
Areas of Prominence: Syrah — known as Shiraz in Australia and on wine lists that want you to know they mean business — is one of the great shape-shifters of the wine world. It is capable of producing wines of extraordinary elegance and wines of sheer, unapologetic power, sometimes from vineyards just miles apart. That range is not a weakness. It is precisely what makes Syrah one of the most exciting red grapes on the planet. Its spiritual home is France’s Rhône Valley, where it expresses itself in two very different voices. In the Northern Rhône — through the appellations of Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, and Saint-Joseph — Syrah stands alone, producing singular, intense, and often age-defying wines of floral lift, olive, smoked meat, and cracked black pepper. These are among the most compelling and underappreciated wines in all of France. In the Southern Rhône, it shifts roles gracefully, lending structure, dark fruit, and spice to iconic blends like Châteauneuf-du-Pape alongside Grenache and Mourvèdre. Two very different performances. Both magnificent. Elsewhere in Europe, Syrah has found willing partners across Italy, Spain, and Portugal, where it brings elegance, perfume, and structure to local blends with admirable discretion. Then there is Australia, where Shiraz is not merely important — it is foundational. The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Hunter Valley have built their international reputations on it, producing wines that range from opulent and plush to surprisingly restrained and age-worthy. Australian Shiraz at its best is a singular experience — rich, layered, and built to last. Do not let anyone tell you it is a lesser expression of the grape. It is simply a different and entirely legitimate one. In the USA, the Rhône Ranger movement gave Syrah its American moment, and California — particularly Paso Robles, where warm days and cool nights conspire to produce bold, fruit-forward, and beautifully spiced wines — has never looked back. These are wines that can stand comfortably alongside the best of the Old World, and the best of them do exactly that.
Iconic Wines: The northern Rhône is where Syrah reaches its most eloquent heights, and the wines of E. Guigal — particularly the single-vineyard La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque, known collectively as the La Las — are among the most celebrated expressions of Syrah anywhere on earth. Domaine Jean-Louis Chave’s Hermitage is another benchmark of extraordinary depth and longevity. In Australia, Penfolds Grange (Formerly Grange Hermitage) has been a national icon and international sensation since the 1950s, while Torbreck RunRig and Two Hands Ares from the Barossa Valley are modern classics. In the USA, Tablas Creek in California stands out, and Troon Vineyard in Oregon produces Syrah with an Old World soul while clearly being a wine from the Applegate Valley.

Syrah Attributes

Syrah Profile

Syrah (synonymous with Shiraz) is an important red wine grape native to southeastern France. It first blossomed to fame in France’s Rhône region but has since become an important wine grape in many, if not most, wine-producing nations. Many wine pros believe that Syrah’s best work can be found in the wines of the northern Rhône, which is the driving force behind the famous wines of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, among others. Syrah is also widely used in the blended reds of the southern Rhône.

Syrah has become a major player in the New World in recent decades, most notably in Australia and the USA. Shiraz is the principal grape in Australia’s most iconic wines, Penfolds Grange. In the USA, Syrah can be found throughout California but has also made a name for itself in the Columbia Valley (WA and OR), as well as in many eastern wine-producing states. At its best, Syrah can produce some of the most profound and age-worthy red wines in the world. The wines are packed with dense berry flavors and aromas, with tannins and structure that add complexity and longevity.

Many of the best Syrah wines have complementary flavors of earth, smoked meats, and leather. It must also be said that Syrah makes a damn fine rosé wine.

Aromatics and Flavors: Blueberry, Boysenberry, Dark Chocolate, Mineral, and Black Plum
Wine Types: Red, Rosé, Sparkling, and Fortified

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