Red grape variety

Syrah

Also called Shiraz, Hermitage

Syrah is a red grape from the northern Rhône, France, known for deep, peppery wines with blackberry and dark-chocolate notes. It makes Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, and as Shiraz it is Australia's signature red. DNA work in 1999 showed it descends from Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.

Color	Red (black-skinned)
Origin	Northern Rhône, France (a cross of Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche)
Body	Medium to full
Acidity	Medium to high
Tannin	Medium to high
Typical aromas	blackberry, black pepper, mint, dark chocolate, licorice, leather, smoked meat
Key regions	Rhône Valley (France), Barossa Valley (Australia), McLaren Vale (Australia), Languedoc-Roussillon (France), Washington (United States), Swartland (South Africa), Hawke's Bay (New Zealand)

Origin and history

Syrah comes from south-eastern France. In 1999 Carole Meredith's group at UC Davis used DNA typing to show it is the offspring of Dureza, from the Ardèche, and Mondeuse Blanche, from Savoie, which places its birthplace in or near the northern Rhône Valley. Its spread began in the 19th century: James Busby collected cuttings in Europe in 1831, Syrah reached South Australia from Sydney in 1839, and by the 1860s it was an important variety in Australia, where it became known as Shiraz. Plantings grew sharply between the 1970s and 1990s, and in the early 2000s it entered the world's top ten varieties. In 2004 it was the seventh most grown grape, at 142,600 hectares.

Where it grows

The northern Rhône makes Syrah's benchmark wines: Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. Further south it is a blending partner of Grenache and Mourvèdre in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Languedoc wines such as Pic Saint-Loup and Faugères. In South Australia, the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Eden Valley produce icons such as Penfolds Grange and Hill of Grace; New South Wales has the Hunter Valley. It also thrives in Swartland, Washington's Red Mountain, Chile's Elqui Valley, New Zealand's Gimblett Gravels and Lebanon's Château Ksara.

Taste, wine styles and food

Syrah gives deeply coloured wines whose style follows climate. In moderate places like the northern Rhône they are medium to full-bodied and tannic, with blackberry, mint and black pepper. In hot climates such as much of Australia they are fuller, with softer tannins, jammier fruit and notes of licorice, anise and leather. Dark chocolate is common to both, and age adds earthy, leathery tones. In Côte-Rôtie growers traditionally co-ferment a little white Viognier with Syrah for extra aroma, a practice some Australian producers have adopted, adding up to 4%. Syrah is also the S in the Australian GSM blend with Grenache and Mourvèdre. Peppery, structured examples suit grilled lamb, game, barbecued meats and hard cheeses.

Test yourself: the Syrah quiz

Wines made with Syrah (37)

WineGuessr lists 37 wines made with Syrah, from 10 countries. Most come from France (13).

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Syrah: questions and answers

Is Shiraz the same as Syrah?

Yes, Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape. Shiraz is the name used in Australia and South Africa, often for riper, fuller wines, while Syrah is the French name.

What does Syrah taste like?

Syrah tastes of blackberry, black pepper and dark chocolate, often with mint, licorice or leather. Cooler sites give peppery, structured wines and hot ones richer, jammier fruit.

Which wines are made from Syrah?

Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage in the northern Rhône are made from Syrah. In Australia it makes Barossa Shiraz, Penfolds Grange and Hill of Grace.

Why is Viognier added to Syrah?

In Côte-Rôtie, growers traditionally co-ferment a small share of Viognier with Syrah, which adds apricot-like aromatics. Some Australian producers copy the practice.

Where does Syrah come from?

Syrah comes from the northern Rhône in south-eastern France. DNA analysis in 1999 showed its parents are Dureza from the Ardèche and Mondeuse Blanche from Savoie.

Other red grapes

All grape varieties →

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.