Syrah may be the world's oldest grape variety. Today it is famous for the great Hermitage and Cote Rotie wines of the Rhone Valley in France as well as the great reds of Australia. The Middle Eastern city of Shiraz was thought to be its origin. By one account, the Knight of Stérimberg brought the variety to the Hermitage zone on his return from the Crusades. Syrah is the offspring of Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza. It is a very productive red variety with small- to medium-sized berries, and thin but disease-resistant skins.
The Rhone Valley’s Cote Rotie and Hermitage, the world’s finest examples of Syrah, are deeply colored, powerful, flavored with dark berry fruit, earth, smoke, bacon, lilacs, white and pink peppercorns, and herbs de Provence, and have a long aging potential. They are medium-bodied and dry, as are less expensive appellations Cornas, St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage; their wines sometimes take on a rubbery or burnt tire character.
Australian Shiraz, especially from the excellent growing regions of McLaren Vale or Barossa, is inky in color with very forward raspberry, boysenberry, lilac, lavender, menthol, and notes of sweet vanillin (from oak aging). There is nothing shy or understated about these wines. They are outgoing, warm, friendly, and instantly likeable. Despite relatively high alcohol, generous oak usage, and sweet, ripe fruit, the top Australian versions are balanced. Australia turns out boatloads of smooth, clean, warm, round, and spicy Shiraz at under $10 the bottle; many today are under $5 from Southeastern Australia. In South Africa where is by far the highest quality red, New Zealand and the Americas, producers who label their wine “Shiraz” are imitating the jazzy Australian style, which is typically aged in American oak, while those who use “Syrah” are after the more subtle French style with less obvious sweet oak influence. In these new world areas where the wines are varietally (rather than geographically) labeled, the more expensive the Syrah is, the more heavily oaked it is.
In North America, Washington (Columbia Valley) and California (Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Lodi–Central Valley, Monterey, Paso Robles, and Santa Barbara) are all producing this popular varietal and a wide variety of styles. In the warmer regions, the grape quickly loses finesse and perfume. In the Columbia Valley where they are often aged in American oak, the wines have a peculiar blueberry/mocha/roasted coffee bean flavor and are quite rich and dense. Oregon, Idaho and New York also produce this varietal. In the Argentine provinces of Mendoza and San Juan, Syrah is highly regarded for its deep color, expressive varietal character, and fine tannins. In Italy, Syrah is grown in Tuscany, where it finds its way into many Super Tuscan and Chianti wines.
Syrah and Petite Sirah (or Petite Syrah) are not made from the same grape; and Shiraz is the same wine as Syrah, but with an Australian attitude.
grape goddess® recommends: Yummy Wines of the Week
2006 Dutton Goldfield Syrah Cherry Ridge Vineyard Russian River Valley, $35 at the winery’s Sebastopol tasting room is complex and silky with raspberry, cherry,white pepper, and vanilla notes. The Cherry Ridge vineyard juts out over the west side of Green Valley in Russian River valley, on a south-facing hillside just north thePetaluma Wind Gap, so it is a warm spot in a cooler growing area.
2006 JC Cellars Broken Compass Syrah California, $40 at the winery’s Oakland tasting room is made with fruit sourced mainly from Coombsville inNapa Valley, and is dark and rich with notes of black cherry, raspberry, thyme, smoked meats, and mocha.
2006 Luca Laborde Double Select Syrah Mendoza Argentina, $21.99 at the WineClubis a great value. It is quite rich with sweet, ripe fruit and toasty oak; big enough to please even a Cab drinker, but still reflective of its varietal character.
Concannon Vineyards, the pioneering California–Irish winemaking family, has come out with a delicious sandwich recipe using leftover corned beef. This unusual twist on the classic Reuben is delicious with their juicy, spicy Petite Sirah.
slices corned beef, sliced thinly (deli or homemade)
One slice Irish cheddar
For the aioli: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic clove in oven-proof container; add 1 tablespoon Concannon Petite Sirah, olive oil, and water. Cover with foil, roast for 20–25 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced. Remove and cool. Mash garlic with any remaining cooking liquid; stir garlic, dill, and 4 teaspoons Concannon Petite Sirah into aioli. Set aside; reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
For the slaw: In a saucepan, place bay leaf, sugar, 4 teaspoons Concannon Petite Sirah, chicken stock, caraway seeds, salt, and cabbage. Toss to coat cabbage. Cover and bring to quick boil, then reduce heat to low, keeping covered until cabbage wilts, about 30 seconds. Uncover, turn up heat to medium and boil away liquid, about 2 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
Assembly: Spread rye bread with ¾ tablespoon aioli. Add slaw then place corned beef folded on top. Add one slice Irish cheddar. Heat sandwich open faced in oven for 5 minutes or until cheddar melts, cover with second slice of rye bread if desired.
SIP-worthy Events
Martine’s Wines Grower-Producer Tasting Saturday, March 14, 2–5 p.m.; $25 per person Arlequin,
384 Hayes St., San Francisco, 415-863-1104
Participating winemakers include Remy Gresser, Alsace, Julien Brocard, Chablis, Arnaud Mortet, Gevrey-Chambertin, Sebastien Gay, Beaune and Julie Gonet-Medeville, Champagne & Bordeaux, each pouring 3–4 wines.
Press ClubSaturday School March 14–April 11, 1–2 p.m.; $20 per person Press Club, 20 Yerba Buena Ln., San Francisco, 415-744-5000 San Francisco’s urban tasting room offers a series of informal wine education courses every Saturday for five weeks beginning March 14. Each participating winery will host a casual learning experience and cover a broad range of topics including, “For the Love of Wine and Cheese,” “Pinot-cation,” and “Nose Notes.”
Catherine Fallis is the fifth woman in the world to have earned the title of Master Sommelier, and is also a Certified Wine Professional. To read more of her writings on wine, please visit
www.planetgrape.com. E-mail: grapegoddess@yummyletter.com
2006 Dutton Goldfield Syrah Cherry Ridge Vineyard Russian River Valley, $35 at the winery’s 
2006 JC Cellars Broken Compass Syrah California, $40 at the winery’s 
2006 Luca Laborde Double Select Syrah Mendoza Argentina, $21.99 at the 
For the aioli: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic clove in oven-proof container; add 1 tablespoon Concannon Petite Sirah, olive oil, and water. Cover with foil, roast for 20–25 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced. Remove and cool. Mash garlic with any remaining cooking liquid; stir garlic, dill, and 4 teaspoons Concannon Petite Sirah into aioli. Set aside; reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
