The Story of Shiraz

Shiraz is a hugely popular wine all over the world, grown and produced as a varietal as well as being blended with other grapes to make various red wines and loved for its spicy, bold fruity flavours and aromas.

It is deep purple in colour and has firm tannins with smoky liquorice and dark, rich berry fruit flavours. Very good varieties will age well.

It's a wine that can be found on a shelf in any off-license and supermarket in the UK, as well as in pubs and bars, and it makes a great beverage whether when drunk by itself or with a meal.

In France, the grape is generally referred to as Syrah, thought to be its original name, although no one is sure from where this name derived. Some experts believe that the grape was imported into France from Persia where there exists the city of Shiraz.

Shiraz is cultivated widely in the New World, with South Africa, Australia, Canada and California all producing large amounts of the wine. Confusingly, in California it is known as Syrah.

Mass production of the wine in these areas can at times lead to overly simple, vulgar wines making it onto the market, and it's common for Shirazes to be produced that are totally fruit and spice-focussed, with no attention to texture or undertones.

Food pairing

Pairing this wine with food is relatively easy and straightforward. Because it is such a full-bodied drink in the mouth, it stands up to bold flavours extremely well. Rich stews are fantastic with Shiraz, and all duck and game dishes are complemented well by this wine, including venison which is a particularly good bedfellow.

When the wine is Australian, it partners barbequed food well, as well as strong-flavoured cous-cous. You may come across a unique sparkling variety of this wine which hails from Australia, and these partner particularly well with a nice rich terrine or pate.

Be sure not to let wine snobs prevent you from trying other combinations, however. There are people who condemn certain wine and food pairings, and while it may be true that expertly paired notes between food and wine do make the loveliest flavour combinations for the masses, these are by no means the law.

Any combination that works well for you and is what you enjoy is what you must drink. After all, you are consuming wine for your own pleasure; just remember to enjoy responsibly!

About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is a wine expert. Find out more about Shiraz and the great deals available.