Shiraz grape Shiraz is the name of a grape variety used to make a popular style of red wine, either on its own or blended with others. It is grown in many wine producing regions around the world. It is generally known as Syrah in France, though some argue that Syrah and Shiraz have diverged sufficiently to be considered separate varieties. In other countries where it is cultivated, usage differs. It has sometimes been thought that the name of the grape Shiraz was taken directly from that of the city of Shiraz, Iran. More likely is that the name of the grape is a modification of "Scyras," one of a number of synonyms for Syrah in the Rhône Valley, where it was already established in Roman times and from where it was taken to Australia by James Busby in 1832. In France Shiraz is the main grape of the Northern Rhône (where it is always called Syrah), associated with classic wines such as Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. Although its best incarnations will age for decades, it is usually regarded as an early-drinking wine. For this reason it has been widely used as a basic blending grape in the red wines of many countries. Wines made from Shiraz are quite powerfully flavoured and full-bodied, reminiscent of blackcurrants, with a distinctive "spicy" finish. With time in the bottle these flavours are moderated, and indeed many premium Shiraz-based wines are at their best after some considerable time aged in a cellar. The large Australian firm of Penfolds says that its flagship Shiraz-based wine, Grange, does not start giving its best until 12-15 years from the vintage. Though it is usually known as Shiraz in Australia, some winemakers there occasionally sell it as "Syrah" and it is also sometimes called Hermitage. South Africa usually calls it Shiraz. In the USA this grape is grown primarily in California, where it is most commonly called Syrah. Adding some confusion is the fact that it is not uncommon for Shiraz wines to be labelled as "Syrah" when exported to some parts of the world. It is Australia's most popular red grape, but Shiraz has not always been in favor in Australia; in the 1970s white wine was so popular growers were ripping up unprofitable Shiraz vineyards, even those with very old vines. Many factors, including the French paradox and the affinity of influential wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. for the lush, powerful wines produced from Shiraz caused a turnaround in demand, and plantings expanded dramatically through the 1980s and 1990s. Shiraz is also used to make the unique "sparkling Shiraz," an alarmingly blood-red sparkling wine that is not usually exported from Australia. In Australia, and other New World countries, it is common to blend Shiraz with either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, and such wines are labeled with the grape providing the largest volume listed first. For instance, a blend with a majority of Shiraz and a minority of Merlot would be labeled "Shiraz-Merlot". Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiraz_grape