July 25th – Shiraz Wine Day
(4th Thursday of July) #ShirazWineDay
Shiraz
It is the name for Syrah down under. You might think of it as big and bold (wine peeps might call it “new world” in style.)
Yellowtail Shiraz can be found almost everywhere, but there is much more to this wine from the Southern Hemisphere.
What’s in a name?
So why do they call it Shiraz in Australia? If you have visited Australia, you will know that they like to make up nicknames for everything under the sun. So when Syrah arrived, the Aussies took to calling it Shiraz. Historians relate the name to Shirazi, a wine exported all over the Mediterranean from Iran. Regardless, the Aussies have embraced the name, and today, you find Shiraz from Australia worldwide.
This is Australia’s most widely planted grape, found in almost every wine region. It came to Australia with James Busby, the father of Australian Wine. In his 1832 collection, Wine Australia tells us, “these cuttings were labeled ‘Hermitage,’ or rather more curiously, ‘Claret’ or ‘Burgundy,’ by bin numbers or with other generic, non-varietal descriptors.”
Flavors in Shiraz
Flavors can depend on the region’s climate and the winemaker’s style.
Typically big and bold with notes of plum, blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry.
If it is a cooler climate, it will lean toward black currants.
Then, depending on the specific site and aging, you might find licorice, smoke, clove, violet, cola, forest, limestone, black pepper, leather…
Pairings with Shiraz
This is a wine that definitely wants meat! BBQ is a perfect go-to for cured meats and sausages.
Because of the bold berry notes, you might add fruit to your BBQ sauce!
Beyond that, try pairing with PB&J. No, really! The fruit and nut notes are terrific with this wine!
Or…try a Stovie like we did!
The name “Stovie” comes from cooking with stewed bits from the stove. This is the dish made on Monday with the leftovers from Sunday’s big dinner.
(you’ll find the link to the post below with the basics of the recipe)
Our Aussie Wine Adventure
A few years ago, we visited New South Wales, Australia, and met some incredible winemakers.
Australia is a large country, and we only explored a bit of it. New South Wales is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the site of the first British Colony in Australia and where the first grapevines were planted by James Busby, the father of Australian wine, in 1820. Sydney is the capital of the region.
But before the British colonized, there were the first peoples. Humans have been on the Australian continent for at least 60,000 years, and the Aboriginal people date their arrival to “the Dreaming” – the beginning.
Traveling in the region, you are often welcomed by small monuments, giving honor and respect to the native people of the area you are in. Michael Newman greeted us with a Welcome to Country when we visited Angullong Winery in Orange, Australia. He welcomed us to this land, paying respect to his Wiradjuri elders, past and present.
The culture in Australia has come to embrace and respect the indigenous tribes in a way that I wish the United States would embrace our First Nation People.
Shiraz is grown almost everywhere, but you will also find many other varieties.
The atmosphere is decidedly Australian—laidback and easygoing. People are friendly and speak their minds honestly and openly. When you travel anywhere, you feel welcomed as part of the family, and pretentiousness is not to be found.
Wine is shared jovially. There is no sitting on ceremony. It is a beverage to bring to the table and share with friends, old and new!
Throw some ribs on the barbie, pop a bottle of Shiraz, and celebrate Shiraz Wine Day!
More on Australia and Shiraz from Crushed Grape Chronicles
Here are some links to articles we have written on Australian wines…
- South Australia – Cabernet from Coonawarra & Fortified Shiraz from McClaren Vale
- Celebrating Rutherglen Red Wines with Bobbie Burns and a Stovie
- 2 days in Orange? Too little time for this beautiful Australian wine region!
- Digging into Biodynamic farming with Rod Windrim of Krinklewood
- Exploring New South Wales – Hunter Valley
- Exploring New South Wales – Mudgee
- Speed dating for wine – Red Wine Social at the Wine Media Conference
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
Check out our book series, “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, these books create “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
“Tempting Spoonfuls – Pairing single bites with glorious wines” – Our first book paired wines from boutique wineries on the west coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington, with delicious spoonfuls.
This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some fantastic small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
A slightly larger book at 104 pages, this time you learn about pairing with a type of wine from a region. Rather than a specific bottle, you can look for a style of wine from a region and feel confident that it will go well with the recipe pairing we provide. We give you 12 recipes, each to pair with a wine.
The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
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