![](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.
Bookshelf: Author David Allen & more
Kelowna author and illustrator David Allen will be at Wentworth Music for a reading, lullaby sharing and book signing of his newly released pre-school children’s book, A Song for Swinging.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performs in Vernon
The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre proudly presents the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet on Tuesday, November 14 2017 at 7:30pm. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s threefold vision – top global choreographers, distractive groundbreaking repertoire, and virtuoso dancers – is...
Watch BC play in opening draw of 2018 Scotties
Curling fever is picking up in the South Okanagan. Fans now have more options to watch the world’s most famous women’s curling event. New ticket packages are now on sale, giving fans more flexibility to take in the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship: the 2018...
United Way needs your help tackling the growing needs of the community
The United Way CSO campaign is well underway and since the kickoff breakfast in September has been gaining steam. In order to support the needs of the community, United Way is asking for your help to make a difference in the lives of kids, families, and seniors....
$30,000 to support small business in the Okanagan
Local business owner Paul Byrne, publisher of Okanagan Life magazine, is supporting small business with a $30,000 giveaway to mark his 30th year in publishing. “Okanagan Life would not have reached this milestone without our readers and the support of local...
Fizz-tastic: The many expressions of the grapes of Champagne
The green Chardonnay grapes bounce down the sorting table and up into the crusher. It’s the first vintage at Penticton’s new urban winery, Time, and these grapes are destined for sparkling wine. Chardonnay grapes originate in the Champagne region of...