We can make the best Shiraz in the world,” the young Australian winemaker told me. “We’ve been growing that grape for over 150 years, so that’s a pretty simple message: It does well here.”
Indeed it does. Shiraz is the great red Syrah grape of France’s Rhône Valley, brought to Australia in the 1840s and renamed, probably for the city of Shiraz in Iran where it is thought to have originated around 600 B.C. Wherever it was born, whatever its name, Shiraz/Syrah has found a natural home in Australia. Today it is the most heavily planted grape in the country and produces wines whose characteristics include a peppery quality, spiciness and hints of blackberry, plum and other sweet flavors. Its full, round body can run from silk to satin to velvet to a fullness usually called “jammy.”
Australian winemakers often blend Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot or other wines. But to understand the true essence of the grape, the wines I recommend here are made 100 percent of Shiraz.
Margen Family Winery Shiraz 2002 ($16), from the Hunter Valley, displays a bit of spice in the nose and a full-bodied velvety texture in the mouth. Ross Estate Northridge 2001 ($16), from the Barossa Valley, is deeply colored, well-balanced and smooth on the palate. Hug Estate 2001 ($18) originates in McLaren Vale and offers great balance and a mouth-filling taste. From the western part of Australia comes Cape Mentelle Margaret River 2001 ($19), an exceptionally good Shiraz — inky dark in color with a complex aroma and concentrated flavors set off by a characteristic pepperiness.
Among more expensive Shiraz, there are Limb Vineyards 2000 ( $45), from Barossa Valley, a deep, rich, lightly peppery and silky smooth Shiraz; and Craneford’s Old Vine Barossa Valley Shiraz 2001 ($30),which has a velvety texture, deep color and light pepper and spice. For a quintessential Shiraz, there is the well-structured Dominique Portet Heathcote Shiraz 2000; it captures the essence of the grape, all silk and satin and spice, for $32.
There is also an easy-drinking Shiraz that sells for under $10. Angove’s Bear Crossing 2002 is not the most classic Shiraz, but it is round and pleasant.
Read This Next
Diabetes
2004 / April 2004
Sep 1, 2010
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedSeptember 2023
Sep 23, 2023When the Sun Goes Down, the Party Begins on Mykonos
There is something magical about sipping a glass of local wine while watching the sun slip into the Aegean Sea as the afterglow tinges traditional, white-washed Cycladic houses with glorious shades of rose, purple and gold. Ancient Greeks believed Helios, the Sun God, caused sunsets by driving his fiery chariot into the sea. Standing at water’s edge in Mykonos, watching the sky slowly turn from purple to inky black, you almost believe it.
Sponsored Content
IHG® Business Edge: A Better Way to Travel
Many small- and medium-sized businesses face time and budget constraints when organizing corporate hotel travel for employees. To address this problem, IHG® Business Edge emerged as a cost-free business travel solution for small- to medium-sized enterprises, offering travel managers exclusive access to enticing perks, handpicked educational resources and comprehensive company travel metrics. IHG Business Edge connects our loyal customers to our portfolio of 5,800 hotels and resorts across 18 brands in more than 100 countries.
Daily
Sep 22, 2023Portraits of Some of Europe’s Most Unique Museum Shops
The prospect of a post-visit treasure hunting session inside the shops of landmark museums such as the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and The British Museum in London can be irresistible. However, some of Europe’s smaller and more unusual museums boast retail spaces with a surprising “wow” factor, often as well-curated as the galleries.
Daily
Sep 22, 2023Hyatt Has Much in Store for North America Through 2025
Hyatt Hotels recently announced plans to add more than 30 new luxury and lifestyle hotels and resorts to its U.S., Canada, Latin America and Caribbean portfolio through 2025. These new hotels and resorts span many of Hyatt Hotels’ brands including Park Hyatt, Dream Hotels, Thompson Hotels and Destination by Hyatt.
Sponsored Content
Why Buy Annual Travel Insurance?
One affordable plan can protect an entire year of trips: business or pleasure, short or long, domestic or international.
September 2023
Sep 22, 2023Cruise Alaska for Awe-Inspiring Adventures to Delight All Ages
I hadn’t even made it to my first cup of coffee when I got an early phone call from my sister, who lives two time zones away. “OMG, Kristy, Patsy Cline came on twice while I was driving the kids to school today,” she laughed. “You know what that means, right?” We both gasped and then instantly began singing the lyrics to “La Bamba,” an inside joke we’d shared since our family’s Alaskan cruise decades ago when we, unintentionally, won the ship’s karaoke contest among a sea of Patsy Cline tributes.
Great Bring-Alongs for Fall Adventure Travel
Daily
Sep 21, 2023The Lancaster Hotel Review
eFlyer Reviews
Sep 20, 2023eFlyer News
Sep 20, 2023The Woodward Geneva Partners with Swiss International Air Lines for Culinary Journey
The Woodward Geneva and Swiss International Air Lines recently launched a new collaboration to transport passengers to the counter of Michelin-starred restaurant L’Atelier Robuchon. As part of the SWISS Taste of Switzerland inflight culinary program, the partnership provides Business and first-class travelers on SWISS long-haul flights departing from Geneva and Zürich carefully curated menus inspired by the restaurant.
Sponsored Content
Greece: A Life-Changing Experience
Experience the life-changing destination of Greece by exploring its island gems in the Ionian Sea. Scattered off the western coastline of Central Greece, to the south of Peloponnese, the Ionian Islands are an island group comprising large and small islands.
eFlyer News
Sep 20, 2023Nobu Hospitality Enters Egypt with 2 Luxury Hotels, Restaurants and Residences
In partnership with Nobu Hospitality, SODIC, Egypt’s leading real estate developer, recently announced plans on the expansion of the Nobu brand in Egypt. This expansion entails the development of luxury hotels, branded residences and the acclaimed Nobu restaurant.
ShareThis