What Is a Shiraz?
If you are a lover of red wine, you know that there are many varietals to tempt your palate and delight your taste buds. One red wine that is growing in popularity is the Shiraz (called Syrah in France), which, according to André Dominé's extensive compendium, Wine, "delivers full-bodied, hefty wines that have excellent tannins and complex aromas . . . a combination that winemakers and consumers are greeting ever more enthusiastically." Does this Spark an idea?
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Geography
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Shiraz/Syrah wine is primarily produced in France's Rhone Valley, California, Australia and South Africa. France produces over half the number of bottles of this wine every year, world-wide. In Australia, Shiraz is the most widely cultivated red grape, totaling one-fifth of all wines produced down under. Shiraz is the third most planted grape in South Africa.
History
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In 1831, James Busby took 437 cuttings of the Syrah grape from the Rhone Valley home to Australia and established the first vineyard there to cultivate this red grape. (Busby noted at the time that there were many alternate spellings for the grape, none of which were "Shiraz.") The grape prospered in the Mediterranean-like climate of southern Australia, and is now one of Australia's most recognized exports.
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Features
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When you sip a Shiraz, you might taste spicy blackberry, plum and peppery flavors, and even hints of licorice, bitter chocolate or mocha. Depending on how the grapes are fermented, and how warm or cool the temperature is while they are growing, Shiraz can taste more "sweet" (and fruity) or more dry to the palate.
Misconceptions
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The Shiraz grape did not come from the city of Shiraz in southwestern Iran. Many people have assumed this origin, given the name and the frequency of traders to and from the Middle East, who would have had many opportunities to export vines from Iran to France. The name for the grape seems to have developed as a natural linguistic evolution of Australian dialect (Syrah = Shiraz), which is why "Syrah" is still preferred in France today and even Californian vintners refer to their product as "Australian Shiraz."
Benefits
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Many research studies indicate alcohol (in moderation) is good for you. In 2007, for example, researchers found that people who had a little more than one drink a day also had a 28 percent lower risk of renal cancer. The ingredient resveratrol (found in larger concentrations in red wine than in white) can prevent prevent plaque buildup in arteries and lower the risk for coronary disease.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Mr. T in DC http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/3000950461/sizes/o/
