![](https://okanaganlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/October-2007.jpg)
Syrah – Shiraz … whatever you call it, this French/Aussie varietal can mix ’n’ match or stand tall on its own
Syrah, the great red grape of the northern Rhône, produces such superstars as Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie as well as Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas. At their best, these long ageing wines are dark, dense and immensely concentrated with flavours of spice, leather, tar, game and blackberries.
In the southern Rhône and the vast Languedoc, Syrah has enjoyed an extraordinary surge in popularity. Here it’s not consumed so much as a single varietal but as a component adding complexity and structure to blends that include Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsaut.
The grape has also flourished in Australia since the first half of the 19th century, where it has always been identified as Shiraz, a name that may be better known to many consumers than the French original. Typically, Aussie Shiraz shows riper fruit and suppler texture than the Rhône examples.
Quick facts
• Syrah/Shiraz represents about 10% of the red wine produced in the Okanagan
• Penfolds Grange (shiraz) is Australia’s most famous and long-lived wine
• Rhône Rangers: American winemakers producing Rhône varietals (Bonny doon)
• More Rhône — Gigondas, Lirac, Vacqueyras
• More Midi — Coteaux du Languedoc, Corbières, Vin de Pays d’Oc
Best way to enjoy
Food pairings: Hearty dishes: intensely-flavoured stews, meaty casseroles; Rich roasted meats: game, beef, lamb; Char-grilled meats; Baked dishes made with lamb, beef, pork, duck, sausages; Hard cheeses like an aged cheddar
Temperature: 18 to 21 C
Type of glass: good quality, large bowled, stemmed
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Kot Auto Group: Expansion brings luxury and new auto offerings
Kot Auto Group The Kelowna Hyundai team and parent company, Kot Auto Group, just got busier with the addition of two franchises: Penticton Nissan and Genesis Kelowna. Penticton Nissan Opening its doors March 1, the new Penticton Nissan dealership was built on the...
Progress 2018 Spotlight on Okanagan business
Welcome to the Progress 2018 magazine . Progress 2018 brings you the latest from the following Okanagan businesses. We encourage you to support your communities by shopping local. Ace Plumbing & Heating Bohemian Cafe & Catering Boyd Autobody & Glass...
This Sunday, Kelsey Serwa at Big White
Welcome our homegrown hero, Kelsey Serwa, back to Big White Ski Resort this Sunday. Join in the Village Centre on Sunday, April 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for your chance to meet Kelsey, snap a phoot and get an autograph from an Olympic Gold Medalist. You'll also have a...
Penny wise: Confessions of a thrift store shopper
Back in the swinging sixties, I was six and still enjoying playground swings. It was not until I was out of my brown school uniform and had started working that I realized what I’d been missing out on, fashion-wise. My hard-earned money...
Bring your heritage to work
Rehabilitation assistant Garth Wale identifies as a husband, a dad, a brother, a 31-year employee of Interior Health; and a proud member of the Gitxsan First Nation.
Winter economics: rockets fuel local economy
Churning out NHL draft picks, world champions, Olympians and a record book to rival most in junior hockey, the Kelowna Rockets have found a winning formula under the tutelage of owner and general manager Bruce Hamilton.