Syrah is one of the darkest, most versatile red wines you'll encounter. Full-bodied and never short on character, it typically shows flavors of berries, tobacco, licorice, pepper, and even smoked meat. It can lean floral in its youth and turn peppery and herbaceous with age. With its high tannins, Syrah is also one of the most antioxidant-rich wines around. It's wonderful on its own, or alongside a meal.
All of that makes Syrah a wine worth putting on your radar.
Syrah 101
Syrah, known as Shiraz in Australia, is the world's fourth-most-planted red grape. Its thick skin accounts for its deep color and opacity — hold a glass up to the light, and you'll struggle to see through it.
Its aromas and flavors shift depending on the age of the wine, the region it comes from, and a handful of other factors, but Syrah is generally known as a full-bodied wine with dark fruit character. It tends to age well and works beautifully in blends.
Syrah originated in France, which remains its top producer, with vines across the northern Rhône Valley, Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and the Languedoc. Australia is the second-largest producer, where winemakers began calling the grape Shiraz back in the 1980s. Spain ranks third worldwide.
Syrah grown in the northern Rhône and other cooler climates, like Sonoma, Chile, and Washington State, tends to be lighter-bodied with savory flavors like:
- Olive
- Plum
- Pepper
- Bacon fat
- Smoky tobacco
- Herbs
- Boysenberry
Full-bodied Syrah from warmer climates — Australia, Napa, Paso Robles, and Spain — typically leans toward:
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Allspice
- Black pepper
- Sweet tobacco
- Mint
- Licorice
- Cocoa
- Clove
- Vanilla
With that range of aromas and flavors, there's a Syrah out there to suit nearly any palate.
The Best Syrah Pairings
Syrah's flavor profile varies by age and region, but here are some foods that typically pair well with this versatile wine:
- Barbecue
- Aged, hard cheeses
- Duck
- Grilled meat
- Pork
- Hamburgers
- Steak
- Veal
- Sausage
- Venison
- Lamb
- Grilled vegetables
- Mushrooms
Theorem Vineyards' Syrah
Theorem Vineyards is proud to be part of Syrah's rich winemaking tradition with our own Moon Mountain Syrah, grown high on our Moon Mountain District estate along the Napa-Sonoma border. Warm days and cool nights at elevation give the wine a silky, voluptuous character, rolling over the palate with fine-grained tannins and focused acidity. If you haven't tried it yet, now's the time.
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