Syrah in France, Shiraz in Oz (Shiraz in general)

Member Name: pjs21

Product:	Shiraz in general
Date:	18/09/01 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fruity , Spicey

Disadvantages: Can be a bit expensive

Syrah is a grape we all know and love by another name. Syrah, is one of classic French grapes used in wine production. It is one of the grapes used in the famous and incredibly expensive Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Okay, no more guessing, the Syrah grape is what the Australians and other new world producers call Shiraz, after the town of Shiraz where it supposedly originates.

I'm going to tell you a little about the grape and how it's produced first – YAWN – stop that! And then I'll get on to a couple of wines that use Shiraz.

The Rhone in France is the true home of the Syrah and it is there that it is produced in large crops. The climate is warm enough which makes this grape relatively easy to grow, hence no British Syrah/Shiraz could ever be grown outdoors!

The grape is mainly used to spice up other grapes to make them more interesting, as with Merlot which is added to Cabernet Sauvignon, so too is the Syrah. It is used widely in Vin de Pays wines (Vin de Pays for those who want to know, is the next step up from Vin de Table, and two steps down from an AOC wine, which are the top notch ones. VDQS come's in between them. I might write a review on the differences between them at some point, now that would be really dull! Hmmm?(that was me thinking))

It is also produced in the south of France and used in wines from Provence through to the Aude.

If it is used on it's own it is often only in wines from northern Rhone, it is an expensive process and therefore only usually used in Hermitage which is kind of pricey to buy. It is usually aged in oak barrels to enhance the flavour. As a Hermitage it used to be added to red Bordeaux to add colour and flavour and make it agreeable with the UK market.

Australia mix the Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon to make it more accessible and easier to drink, also to pad out the flavour, but they also produce unblended Shiraz, which is a much
nicer wine, in my opinion, to drink.

Okay, so onto the wines.

I've got three wines here for you which are a standard part of my collection.

The first is a Vin de Pay from the south of France Les Planols Syrah 1999. This is a full bodied red wine made from 100% Syrah. It is a deep ruby red in colour and smells strongly of berries and pepper (bizarrely enough!) The taste is very strong and it almost explodes in your mouth when you drink it. It's a wine – sorry veggies – most suited to go with big meats – steak, lamb, beef, but could go just as well with lasagne or a big hearty casserole. It's not a light drink in any sense and would probably lose something to drink on it's own. Although, I'm sure it would go well with a hot bath! You can but this for about £5.99 a bottle.

The second is good old Hardys. In my opinion Hardys produce some of the nicest of the new world wines. Those who have read my review on their Shiraz/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon mix will know how highly I rate them. They are one of Australia's largest groups and produce a wide range of Whites and Reds, but only one rose. And it's this rose which is next on my list.

Hardys Stamp of Australia Grenache/Shiraz Rose.

Many people have reviewed Lindemans White Grenache, which is too sweet for my taste, so this is the Rose I choose as top of my list. It's a really light wine, so the grapes are picked earlier then they would be to produce a full red. Serve it chilled with light foods, or drink it chilled on it's own. It's loverly! Again this can be brought for around the £5.49 mark from most supermarkets. Rose has come on leaps and bounds since good old Matheus Rose which I remember from my childhood.

And my third choice is another Hardys – no, I don't work on commission for them! This time it’s their Bankside Shiraz, like the Shiraz/Merlot/Cabernet, this is an
other of their Premium Wines. It's a really dark coloured wine, which is really pleasing to look at in a large glass. A LARGE glass! This is a really fruity drink with just a little bit of pepper to taste and spice it up. It's another award winner for the Hardys group. It sells for about £7.99 a bottle, so is a little more expensive.

There, that's my review on Shiraz and my top three shiraz wines for you to buy and try. If you haven't had a Shiraz/Syrah then do. It really is a fantastic flavour and once you try it you'll be hooked. If you're not hooked I'll get a bottle of Blue Nun in for you!

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