Syrah : Key Points

Syrah embodies the soul of the Northern Rhône Valley that originally had the largest number of plantings in Côte-Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage. The variety has been cultivated in the south of France since the Roman times. This black grape variety has fuelled many debates about its origins with Persia being considered the cradle of its birth. However, recent research seems to show that Syrah comes from Savoie and Ardèche.

Syrah is a low-yielding varietal with a strong aromatic signature. It has a noticeable concentrated purple colour. As a quintessential red wine, Syrah can also be a fruity and charming rosé. A variety from the south of France, Syrah has as aromatic power with typical notes of black pepper, liquorice and menthol. Depending on the appellation, the complex aromatic palate can have floral scents like violent, and red and black fruit like raspberry, currant or blackberry. The variety is well-suited to making wines that have a long cellaring potential. As these wines evolve through the years, these wines can develop musk, leather and truffle aromas.

On the palate, Syrah stands out for its power and structure, and its wines can have an alcohol content of over 14 degrees. The mouthfeel can reveal an ample and fleshy texture, but it keeps its finesse due to silky, fine-grained tannins.

Syrah is a variety that needs the right conditions to reveal its full personality. It grows all over the world with a production area of about 190,000 ha. Syrah can be found all around the world from Argentina to Chile, via California and South Africa. It stands out particularly in Australia where it is known as “Shiraz” and it gives rise to powerful, full-bodied wines. These wines have a full and generous mouthfeel with cedar and eucalyptus flavours.