What Is a Shiraz Wine?

Shiraz wine is an often overlooked red wine, overshadowed by more popular varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, but Shiraz wine is gaining popularity and notoriety because of its fruity, complex flavor and the fact that it is a great, affordable young wine.

Identification

Shiraz wine is also sometimes labeled as Syrah, named after the grape from which it is made. It is a deep red color, and is usually served in a large glass at just under room temperature--around 64 degrees.

Geography

The Syrah grape is native to the Rhone Valley in France. However, it is the most widely planted red wine grape in Australia and is now more commonly known as an Australian grape. It grows in the Barossa Valley, the McLaren Vale and Hunter Valley.
In America, it is most commonly grown in California, Oregon and Washington.

History

The Syrah grape didn't become prominent until the 20th century, when it was more widely planted in Australia. There, the wine adopted the name Shiraz. Today, it continues its popularity and Syrah grapes are increasingly planted in the United States.

Taste

The Shiraz is a robust, heavy red wine. It tends to vary in taste depending on where it was grown and what kind of barrel it was aged in. A traditional Shiraz is fruity, with a mid palate, soft tannins and a hint of American oak flavor. However, winemakers are now experimenting with all different types of oak to produce more complex, interesting flavors.
Shiraz wines have spicy blackberry, plum and peppery flavors. When grown in warmer climates, it sometimes has notes of licorice, chocolate or mocha. It is a great young wine, but as it ages, it grows in complexity.

Pairing

Because of their robust flavor, Shiraz wines do well with hearty foods like beef. Because of the spicy notes, they are also great choices for spicy foods, like Mexican or Cajun. Then again, many wine lovers like to drink a Shiraz alone because of its deep, fruity flavor.