It takes an expert to claim: “Syrah is the same as Shiraz,” and our wine writer Joelle Thomson is the perfect person to do that. So if you fancy a glass of delicious red wine on a wintery evening, then this variety is many and varied, says Editor Trudi Brewer. Read on to discover our wine writers local favourites.
Blood red and beyond delicious, "Syrah is the same as a Shiraz, and both originally come from the Northern Rhone Valley in France," says Joelle Thomson. According to Thomson, they were first written about in 1781, and these big, dark, sexy red wines are still made in this region and can age and improve deliciously for decades. Fast forward to today, and this wine is the third most popular red grape grown in New Zealand, following Pinot Noir, which takes first place (with over 5000 hectares growing in vineyards nationwide and Merlot with just over 1000 hectares). Thomson says. "I love the success that Syrah has had in such a short time in New Zealand. It's been rising steadily for the last decade, having grown from 299 hectares in 2011 to nearly 500 today." According to Thomson, the most popular region for Syrah in this country is Hawke's Bay. "Marlborough is the stunning home of two great New Zealand reds in this story, both made from this noble grape. And then there's Waiheke Island Syrah, but that's another story, for another day." Here are the Syrah's or Shiraz Thomson rates right now.
Squawking Magpie Gravels Syrah $34
Hawke's Bay is the home of Syrah in New Zealand, and this wine is a great example. Just 300 cases were produced, all from grapes grown on a single vineyard, fermented to dryness, and aged for just 18 months in French oak barrels. This 2019 dark ruby Syrah with masses of potential to live for over a decade. It is deliciously drinkable, especially on cold winter nights, and it will age well if you have the willpower. If drinking it now, make sure you decant into a large jug or big wine glass, allow it to come to room temperature and enjoy the earthy flavours such as eggplant, mushrooms, or gamey flavours, with or without eating meat.
Graze with: Prosciutto tamarillo chutney with slivers of gherkin and sourdough bread.
Serve with: Slow cooked beef and mushroom stew.
Rating: 18.5/20
Fromm Marlborough Syrah $38
An organically certified Syrah from Marlborough, this 2018 vintage ticks lots of boxes. Ethical, unusual, edgy and, most important of all, damned tasty. This new 2018 Fromm Marlborough Syrah is dark, delicious and full of black fruit flavours with complex earthy notes, including cedar, spice with oak flavours that add depth. This complex, full-bodied red will soften over the next five to six years, if you can't resist drink it now but make sure it's poured into a large glass.
Graze with: Truffle Castello cheese with grapes and parmesan crackers.
Serve with: Slow-cooked beef cheek stew and fresh seasonal vegetables.
Rating: 17.5/20
Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Syrah, $60
Here is a wine that bucks all the trends. This 2019 vintage is made from a late-ripening red grape grown in a moderate to cool wine region but on a hillside vineyard where it can ripen more readily than in more northern climates. The warmth provided by the elevation accentuates ripeness, adding depth, spice and earthy flavours. The 2019 vintage was outstanding in Marlborough and bodes well for a wine of great potential to age and drinking superbly well now.
Graze with: Mushroom paté, green olives and sourdough.
Serve with: Chinese duck pancakes.
Rating: 18.5/20
