Shiraz

ABOUT SHIRAZ

Shiraz is a red grape variety that stole our hearts, and for very good reasons! It’s by far the most planted grape variety in Australia - about 40,000 hectares of vines can be found across the country, nearly double that of the second most planted variety, Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz (or Syrah, as it is known to most of the world) can adapt to a wide range of climates and growing conditions and produces red wines that can be rich in fruit flavours, full of spice, light to full-bodied, or light to firm in tannin. It can be used in the production of rosé, varietal wines, blended wines, and, how could we forget, the quintessential Australian Christmas treat: sparkling Shiraz.

Most agree that Shiraz’s ancestral home is the Rhône Valley of France, though it is widely grown worldwide. It thrives in both warm and cool climates, which has allowed it to set its roots across many of Australia’s wine regions. For cool climate Shiraz wines that are packed with peppery spice, violet florals and savoury olive tapenade notes, look out for regions such as the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Mornington Peninsula, and Tasmania. For richer, more full-bodied examples, look to South Australia’s Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, the Clare and Eden Valleys, and Heathcote.