About Syrah

Syrah is a premium red wine grape whose origins are traced back to France's Rhône region. The grape is also known in other parts of the world, most notably Australia, as Shiraz.

Syrah has been cultivated in the Rhône Valley since at least Roman times. Many myths surrounded the possible origins for the grape including that the Greeks brought it to the region from Persia. The name Shiraz was taken from that of the city of Shiraz in present day Iran, near where the process of making wine is documented as far back as 5000 BCE. In spite of these wonderful stories it has now been proven through genetic analysis that Syrah is actually the hybrid of two little known varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche indigenous to France.

VIEW A LOST CANYON PRESENTATION ON SYRAH.

Regions

Syrah predominates in the Rhône wines of Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. In the southern Rhône, Syrah is blended to contribute flavor and structure to the multi-variety wines from Châteauneuf-du-pape and Côtes-du-rhône. In addition to France, Syrah found a home half the around the world in Australia. In Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, but most importantly in the state of South Australia, Shiraz became the bedrock on which that nation established one of the worlds premier wine industries. This could only have happened because of the versatility of the Syrah grape. Whereas, Pinot Noir relies upon a very narrow range in which it can thrive, Syrah can succeed in hot climates such as the Barossa Valley in South Australia as well as the cool climate of the Russian River in California.

Other important Syrah regions are Argentina, Mexico, Washington State, California, Chile and South Africa.

Characteristics of the Wine

Wines made from Syrah are often powerful and have a reputation for being full-bodied. Syrah can be consumed young when it exhibits an extremely deep purple color and is rich in tannins. Dense blackberry and blueberry fruit that is accompanied by notes of tar, tobacco, leather, bacon, smoke, and chocolate distinguish this varietal. But most importantly it is famous for its spicy and peppery character. Syrah also has the ability to age gracefully over time at which point it shows other qualities such as blackberry, black currants, and plum. With time in the bottle the notes of youth are transformed and then enhanced with the earthy and savory notes described above.

The Vineyard

Though Syrah thrives in various conditions, great Syrah is less forgiving. It requires warmth, but not excessive heat, and thin, rocky, well-drained, heat-retentive soils with access to plentiful sunshine. Its tendency for the flowers to fail to develop into berries in windy conditions necessitates that it be planted in areas protected from wind. Vigorous and moderately to highly productive in sandy loam soil, its concentration and character are enhanced in the shallow granite and mica schist of the northern Rhône which stress the vine and curb yield. The Syrah vine has a tendency for prolific growth and must be closely watched. Because it is so vigorous, it requires extra canopy management (to expose the fruit to the sun for ripening) and aggressive crop thinning. Unique in this aspect the canes grow down toward the ground rather than toward the sun. Strong opinions exist as to the appropriate trellis style to use with Syrah. In recent years the vertical trellised style has been in favored instead of styles such as the head-pruned technique.

The Grape

The berries are small and thick skinned with a deep blue-black color, high in extract, flavor, and aroma. The grapes show good acidity but must be carefully watched as the acid vanishes and the pH rises at the first instant of over-ripeness. The berries and clusters are small producing concentrated flavors that are rich in tannins. The clusters ripen earlier than do many of the other Rhône varietals, but later than Pinot Noir and it is generally picked in the month of October in Northern California.

Winemaking

Syrah produces wines with a wide range of styles, depending on the terroir (the climate and soils where it is grown) and the viticultural practices employed, including the hand of the winemaker. At Lost Canyon Winery the winemaking approach for Syrah is similar to that described for our Pinot Noir. The grapes are sorted to assure only the highest quality grapes are used in the wine. The crush, fermentation, and press rely on the gentle handling of the grapes and juice to assure a premium product. Although the process is similar it varies at key points. One important difference is in the choice of yeast. The secondary flavors and aroma are impacted by the selection of yeast that can enhance desirable qualities of a specific varietal. Yeast also has the ability to impact and contribute to the production of undesirable aromas. This is especially important in Syrah which already has a tendency to acquire off odors from Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). By selecting specific strains of yeast such as MB45 for Syrah this tendency toward unwanted aromas can be minimized while maximizing those aromas that are appealing.

Other secondary flavors are impacted by the regimen and management of oak selected for the wine. Because of the ample tannins present in Syrah grapes, the addition of oak must be undertaken with care. Unlike Pinot Noir which seems to have a great capacity to incorporate oak, Syrah can only successfully integrate oak in measured proportions. The over use of oak can effect the wine by over shadowing the character of Syrah that is unique to each vineyard and the experience of this very special grape.

Learn about the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations.