Syrah & Shiraz

Confused about the difference between Syrah and Shiraz? The good doctor can set you straight. Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, viticulturally-speaking. Syrah is the European term for this grape and generally, the wine has more of a focused, peppery, leathery, earthy, black berry character. In the “New World” it’s called Shiraz. Here it possesses all the same descriptors, but has more of a coffee, chocolate note and sometimes tastes a tad sweeter. Occasionally in the “New World”, winemakers will call it Syrah if the wine they’ve produced is more European or “Old World” in style. Both work wonders with spicy robust food, grilled/roasted red meats, gamey dishes and hard seasoned cheeses. Gotta love it!