SYRAH
One of the most popular black grapes in the world, Syrah makes wines that are incredibly rich and powerful, packed with delicious ripe black fruit flavours, with a spicy and smokey character.
Overview
Syrah, a.k.a. Shiraz, is one of the noble grape varieties, extremely popular across the world. Originally a French grape, Syrah supposedly comes from Rhone region, where it has been cultivated for many centuries. Today, some of the greatest Syrah wines come from the Northern Rhone appellations of Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Cornas. In Southern Rhone Syrah is an important part of the blend in the iconic appellation of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Nowadays, Syrah is widely grown across the world, from Australia to Chile. In Australia, this grape has not only found its second home, but also acquired a new name, Shiraz. A good Australian Shiraz is a wine of startling depth and intensity. Syrah is also cultivated in Armenia. Vines have been brought here from Napa Valley, California, where this popular grape was planted in the 1970s.
Aromas And Styles
Syrah wine is incredibly rich and powerful, sometimes meaty and always packed with delicious ripe black fruit flavours: blackberries, black plums, blackcurrants, blueberries and brambles just to name a few. It is not, however, just about the fruit. What makes Syrah so distinctive is its spicy and smokey character with lots of black pepper, coffee and tobacco notes.
More refined examples of Syrah develop seductive notes of milk chocolate which make you long for another glass. With age, a good Syrah wine develops elegant notes of game and truffles.
As with many other grapes, Syrah flavours are largely influenced by the terroir. Syrah from Armenia is a complex wine, deep-purple in colour, with expressive aromas of black fruit, coffee and spices. With robust structure and grippy tannins, Armenian Syrah has a great ageing potential.
