![](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.
Winter economics: when the weather turns cold, business stays hot
In the Okanagan, we make hay when the sun shines and when the snow falls. The Valley is well known as a four-season playground; perhaps less known, it’s also a four-season economy. Key industries fire on all four cylinders throughout spring, summer, fall and winter.
Okanagan Symphony Orchestra presents Viva L’Italia with Jens Lindemann
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is presented Viva L’Italia this February. The concert will feature music from Italy, from baroque concertos, inspired by dances, to the drama of opera, to the grandeur of the landscape. Three performance take place: Kelowna Community...
Feature: Okanagan POTibilities
Cultivating the cannabis industry The business of legalizing marijuana is creating a buzz in the Okanagan. Whether you call it pot, weed or Mary Jane, cannabis becomes legal across Canada on July 1, 2018, when the federal government officially enacts Bill C-45. The...
Lake Country calls out to artists
The Lake Country Art Gallery is opening a call for submissions for their upcoming exhibit: Who are we? A visual narrative of our community. The exhibition will run March 1 to April 1. The call is open to everyone of all ages. Individual and collaborative works...
Freestyle skier to speak at UBC Okanagan athletics breakfast
Mike Shaw will talk about his devastating injury and his incredible comeback As inspirational speakers go, it doesn't get much better than this. For the 13th annual Valley First/UBC Okanagan Athletics Scholarship Breakfast, homegrown hero Mike Shaw will be the special...
Chefs arrive in Kelowna for national competition finale
The 2018 Canadian Culinary Championships (CCC) is taking place this weekend in Kelowna, February 2 and 3. Representing BC is Chef Alex Chen of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar in Vancouver. Chen took top spot in the Victoria championships. He chose to create his...