Syrah is the forgotten red grape on the Peninsula – in my opinion anyway. First, there is definitely a representation of ‘other’ grapes grown down here, such as gamay and sauvignon blanc through to riesling and even some cabernet and merlot, but that’s for another article.
However, a question I am sometimes asked when my customers are looking for alternatives to our local red vino – aka pinot – is “What else can I try?” And I ask them: “Have you tried a syrah/shiraz from here?”
For the purposes of this article, we’ll call it syrah, but some producers will still call it shiraz on the bottle. There is more syrah produced on the Peninsula than perhaps you may realise. They are underrated and give other more fancied shiraz-growing regions a run for their money. Again, that’s my opinion.
Syrah grapes are small with dark skins, so they produce the beautiful purplish colour you see in the glass. There are varying styles. It is a grape that needs more consistent warmth than not, so will really struggle to ripen in very cool climates.
Depending on the winemaking techniques and where the grape is grown climate-wise, the varying styles range from a full-bodied wine that is a bit bolder with riper black fruit flavours, more tannin with punchier aniseed-like notes (Barossa, for example), to more of a medium-bodied red with subtle flavours of fresh black fruits, a bit smoother, less tannin and a bit of spice. The latter style is more typical down here, as we are classified as a cool-climate grape-growing region; we don’t get the same warm, dry climate as the Barossa.
Of course, the styles of syrah will differ from producers around the Peninsula. However, generally you will experience that lovely expression of cool-climate commonality that I have come to appreciate, which is that smoother mouthfeel, leaner-style shiraz, with fresh black fruits, some spicy notes such as pepper, and topped off with a well-rounded medium body. So, a wine that oozes drinkability.
Winemaking techniques vary from producer to producer, which I like. Some might co-ferment their shiraz/syrah with viognier, a white wine grape, to give lovely floral notes and lift, and also help enhance the colour, and you will sometimes see ‘Shiraz Viognier’ on the label. Other styles might be a little bit fuller on the palate, with richer black fruit flavours and slightly higher in alcohol.
So who makes this cool-climate shiraz, as it’s affectionally known? Well, make sure you pop into wineries such as Yabby Lake, where you will find it called syrah; Moorooduc Estate, where they make a gorgeous age-worthy shiraz; Paringa Estate, which started out by planting shiraz vines; and Avani wines, which is a syrah specialist. Others to try are Port Phillip Estate, Rare Hare Wines and Ten Minutes by Tractor.
And remember, whether it’s called shiraz or syrah, it’s still a cool-climate style and the name is the preference of producers. They will all have their own nuances, some you may prefer over others, but that’s OK because that’s what make wines on the Peninsula so diverse.
Cheers, and until next time, enjoy your wine journey.
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