Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: Syrah

Shiraz and Syrah are alternate names for the same (in DNA terms) dark-skinned grape variety which originated in the Rhône and dominates plantings in the valley's northern section. The Shiraz name is used in Australia and selected pockets of the New World, usually with warmer climates. Stylistic differences are usually pronounced and explain the enduring dual identities.

While Syrah/Shiraz is adaptable, and grown in numerous regions, it is primarily found in the temperate to warm viticultural areas. As of 2016, approximately 35 percent of the world's Syrah was found in France, followed by Australia with 20 percent and Spain with 10 percent. The name Shiraz has become so widely recognized and so highly marketable that it has been used to label Syrah wines in countries other than Australia. It can imply a riper, fuller style, though this is not set in stone. Similarly it does not guarantee the point of origin of cuttings used to plant a vineyard. In South Africa, the Shiraz naming convention is commonplace and in the US, South America and Israel either Syrah or Shiraz may be used depending on fashion. Even a handful of producers in France's Languedoc-Roussillon have taken to labeling their wines as Shiraz.

DNA profiling studies published in the late 1990s have shown that Shiraz/Syrah is a cross between two minor Rhône varieties: Dureza (a black-skinned grape) and Mondeuse Blanche (a white grape), neither of which today are prolifically planted. This essentially proves the varieties Rhône origins.

We have a choice of videos to watch including:

1. https://youtu.be/uHRJR4YGhqg?si=NBhq6nuG5ettNsqX - A Master Somm's Guide to Syrah - SOMM TV (18:53)
2. https://youtu.be/AHsoPSYrSzM?si=VtWe9_MwmmGQQaEp - Syrah vs. Shiraz: What's The Difference? - Quince (5:01)
3. https://youtu.be/vgsTBXzwgqE?si=WVS-kJcl_ZK9FKOo - HERMITAGE: JL CHAVE & LEGENDARY SYRAH - Our Pour Decisions (19:43)

So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!

Cheers!!