Red Wine

Shiraz/Syrah

Shiraz A.K.A Syrah makes a vast array of styles and blends from vineyards in cool to very hot sites.

From super ripe jammy numbers to fresh vibrant supple wines of elegance, restraint and harmony no style including fortified is off limits! Typically in the new world if you see Syrah, the French name for Shiraz on the label it is an indication that the wine will be more elegant in style, often from a cooler climate. There are no hard at fast rules though!
Where is it grown?
Shiraz has its roots in the Northern Rhône Valley regions of Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, and is grown throughout the great Rhône. Outside France, Australia has been its home for over the last 150 years. James Busby bought it here in 1832! Australia has some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world in regions where phylloxera is absent.

The warmer regions of Australia, think the Barossa and McLaren Vale were some of the first to achieve global recognition for their Shiraz. Yet the Clare Valley, Wendouree, and Central Victoria, Thabilk and Bailey’s of Glenrowan, have made Shiraz for just as long. The size of Australia and dramatic differences in microclimate and geology of Australia allow us to celebrate Shiraz in so many different ways. The Hunter Valley and other cool climates around Australia including the Adelaide Hills, Canberra, the Yarra Valley, Mornington, the Grampians, and, Heathcote are known for their Shiraz.

An epic 395,000 tonnes of Shiraz grapes are grown in Australia accounting for nearly 25% of the annual crush, and, 50% of the red grape crush. It is almost double the amount of Cabernet and four times the amount of Pinot grown in Australia!
What does it taste like?
The diversity of styles is influenced heavily by the other grape varieties often blended with Shiraz.

In Côte Rôtie it’s blended with the white grape Viognier giving it a beautiful perfume, contributing a certain luscious element to the palate, and, surprisingly making the colour dark through the process of co-pigmentation. Heading to the Southern Rhône and areas like Chȃteauneuf du Pape, Grenache and Mouvèrdre A.K.A Mataro amongst many other varieties are blended with Shiraz. The Grenache adds flowers, perfume spice, a juby confectionary character, the Mouvèrdre structure, and, earthiness. Similar blends are found in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Each variety contributing different elements to the wine. Decades ago many of Burgundy’s Pinots were fortified with a splash of Syrah from the Rhône.

In Australia, there is a long history of blending Shiraz and Cabernet. It is virtually impossible to generically describe Australian Shiraz. We’ll have a stab at breaking it down to regions in general terms past and present.

Past

The wines of the Barossa and McLaren Vale have historically been very ripe, sometimes jammy and inky in nature. In the 1980’s and 1990’s it was common to see them loaded up with oak and added tannins. At the some time the Clare was producing equally dense wines with greater freshness and an edge more structure from grape tannin. The Hunter produced wines of much lower alcohol content, medium weight and an earthy less fruit forward nature. Central Victorian wines from the likes of Thabilk have vibrant dark fruit, with sometimes massive structure and tannins. Cooler climates in Victoria and South Australia offered juicy natural acid and red fruits with a more supple mouthfeel.

Present

In recent times experimentation with Shiraz, pushing the boundaries across all aspect of growing and making has seen a fascinating evolution in styles. Particularly in warmer regions, makers have been picking earlier and earlier, they have had to work hard in the vineyards to ensure they can achieve flavour and tannin ripeness at when doing so. Trials with carbonic maceration, whole bunches, stalk use, different fermentation vessels, long periods of skin contact, older oak, and, larger oak have been common.

Shiraz Viognier blends have been around since the 1970’s at Yarra Yering in the Yarra Valley, in the 1990’s these took off and we now see a plethora of wines made with this blend, the most notable being Clonakilla’s Shiraz Viognier from Canberra.

All of this experimentation has resulted in wines of greater restraint coming from the warmer climates and wines of incredible sophistication, texture and complexity from the cooler climates. Shiraz in Australia is the best it has ever been and only getting better!


Battle of Shiraz vs Syrah!


Craiglee

Craiglee Shiraz 2019

Shiraz/Syrah | Victoria, Australia

A delicate lick of oak with a hint of mocha is quickly usurped by fresh red and darker fruits, a little liquorice, and a background layer of plum pudding with spices and candied citrus rind. A savoury cured meat / light reduction adding complexity. Superfine, flowing, and soft texture with excellent mid-palate weight and length. Blossoming in the glass. Another classic from Pat!  If Pat Carmody can’t make great shiraz, then we should all shut up shop. He’s only been doing so at C
$69
$66ea in any 3+
$63ea in any 6+

N.Z.’s Finest from Bilancia

Bilancia Syrah 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

This comes from 20 yo vines from property next door with some La Collina pressings. Subtle, the flow here is more even long & supple than the 2019. Mid-weight with excellent red dark and spiced fruit, sophisticated and elegant. Musk, perfume, flow. Fresh elegant, sophisticated. Energetic and fresh and thirst quenching. Beautifully weighted.  Fine long even. Lovely build in tannin. Subtle sophisticated spice and a little licorice. Very bloody good! Tasting the 2020 with Warren and L
$46
$43ea in any 3+
$40ea in any 6+

Bilancia ‘la collina’ Syrah 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

Bilancia's 'La Collina' is New Zealand's Syrah equivalent TeMata's 'Coleraine' Bordeaux blend. The only challenge, they make a minuscule volume. Australia might see 10 dozen for the country! Tasting the 2020 with Warren and Lorraine last year was inspiring. A little lift that blows off. Interesting fresh energy, redder fruit. Even long detailed fine tannins, with a playful edge. The length and depth. Poise balance perfume, underlying savoury edge. Excellent balance. This will be stunning i
$165
$160ea in any 3+
$155ea in any 6+

The Skips 🦘

An Icon!

Clonakilla O’Raida Shiraz HALF 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Murrumbatemen, Australia

A great introduction to Shiraz from Clonakilla & Murumbatemen, Canberra. Cool climate Shiraz with excellent texture and shape. Opulent & generous fruit, tamed by excellent tannins with an edge of playful grip and energetic acid. Plum and red fruit have spice, savoury, graphite, and that hallmark pepper playing around with florals making for an entrancing perfume. Delicious, complete, harmonious, and thirst-quenching!
$35
$32ea in any 3+
$29ea in any 6+

Wine Decoded Yarra Valley Shiraz 2017

Shiraz/Syrah | Yarra Valley, Australia

Our 3rd and Best Release is Here! I'm quietly very happy with this one. As a passion project we had no commercial time constraints and were able to give this much more time maturing in barrel and then bottle prior to release, over 5 years prior to release. The end result is a wine of poise and balance. I reckon I've nailed it. Delicious, cool climate Shiraz with energy, vibrant fruit, layered savoury, earthy complexity with pops of spice. An underlying darkness, fine, long, plush and caressin
$51
$48ea in any 3+
$45ea in any 6+
An Icon!

Clonakilla O’Raida Shiraz 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Murrumbatemen, ACT

A great introduction to Shiraz from Clonakilla & Murumbatemen, Canberra. Cool climate Shiraz with excellent texture and shape. Opulent & generous fruit, tamed by excellent tannins with an edge of playful grip and energetic acid. Plum and red fruit have spice, savoury, graphite, and that hallmark pepper playing around with florals making for an entrancing perfume. Delicious, complete, harmonious, and thirst-quenching!
$54
$51ea in any 3+
$48ea in any 6+

The 2017 Vintage & Making of the 2017 Wine Decoded Shiraz

2017 was a cooler, year with good water stores available for the vines. Ripening was slow and even with phenolic ripeness matching sugar levels. A short spell of rain a couple of weeks prior to harvest freshened up the vines and we ended up picking delicious fruit with ripe tannins . The water stressed from 2016 was not a challenge.

Genevieve, Max & Alby Sampling our Shiraz

If you get the chance go through the Articles in the Wine Bites Mag Articles that share the making process and you’ll get a deep understanding of each step in the process, the care and detail we took in handling our grapes, and, guiding them through to the bottle.


Rippers from the Northern Rhône!


Domaine des Hauts Châssis Crozes Hermitage ‘Les Galets’ 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Crozes-Hermitage

There's Crozes and then there's Crozes - Franck Faugier has made a cracker! Stunning Syrah 🍇 Perfume violets, draws you in with the depth and length of aroma. Beautiful integration finely spiced, with a earthy, seasoned wood from grape not oak rhubarb red fruit. Heart shape complete, beautifully weighted and sophisticated. Excellent drinking. Long fine delicious. Honest wines made by farmers of stone fruit & grapes with bloody good palates Galets are pebbles, the vineyard is covered
$80
$76ea in any 3+
$72ea in any 6+
Excellent élévage yet so very tight. Graphite mineral thing. Long even tannins, fine vibrant red fruit fresh red cherry. Pure grape first Syrah with much more going on. Lovely shape. Longer finer feel compared with Villard’s Saint-Joseph that uses much more whole bunch. It’s a matter of preference and difference not necessarily quality between the two. More to come from both with a few years in bottle. Excellent Syrah!
$88
$84ea in any 3+
$80ea in any 6+

François Villard Saint-Joseph ‘Mairlant’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Saint-Joseph, France

Love the perfume here very complete long layered fine, dark and red fruit with brooding and stalk. Harmonious with subtle pepper pop. Excellent élévage, fine acid. Build in structure and mid-palate grip, giving energy. Playful fun. Excellent comparision with Hauts Châssis’ Saint-Joseph made with no whole bunches. Saturated violet color. Vibrant, spice-tinged dark berry, cherry, potpourri and licorice aromas are sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Fresh blackberry and bitter
$107
$102ea in any 3+
$97ea in any 6+
Museum Release

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. François is making stunning wine. From a 20 year old chef to a vigneron with over 30 years experience his wine wisdom shows. Stylistically you'll find great density in his Côte-Rôtie with fruit from the Northen half, the Côte-Brune coming from several Lieux Dits. The Côte-Brune is known to produce more masculine wines that the Côte-Blonde. The 2016 vintage shows a lovely, Classic, balance amongst the
$164
$157ea in any 3+
$150ea in any 6+

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. Personality+ this calls: Drink Me! Drink Me! Perfectly balanced, harmonious, seamless. It draws you in. Exceptional line and length and the tannins are so long, fine and even. Red and dark fruit a little licorice. So fine. Incredible complex savoury roasted barbecued vegetables & a line of earthiness. Perfume of Violets so long. A tiny splash of Viognier. This is exceptional. Would make a fantastic com
$178
$171ea in any 3+
$164ea in any 6+

Stéphane Ogier ‘La Rosine’ Syrah 2019

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Collines Rhodaniennes

Stéphane makes wines of great energy and vibrancy, always on the fresher end of the spectrum. Here there is both power and finesse. La Rosine comes from a single plot just outside the southern boundary of the famous Côte-Rôtie appellation. The 2019 is much more together than the 2018 at the same stage.  Still a little puppy fat. This is generous out of the gate. The tannins silky and long match the fruit nicely. Decant in youth to get the most from this. A divine array of fruits, spices a
$60
$57ea in any 3+
$54ea in any 6+
Wines of Presence

Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Mon Village 2018

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Fresh dark berries, potpourri, olive, exotic spices and smoky bacon on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy, penetrating blackberry, cherry liqueur and candied violet flavors show fine delineation and a spine of juicy acidity. Subtly chewy tannins add grip to an impressively persistent, mineral- and spice-driven finish that strongly echoes the cherry and floral notes. Josh Raynolds, Vinous
$152
$145ea in any 3+
$138ea in any 6+
Burgundy meets Côte-Rôtie
Côte-Rôtie is often compared to Burgundy for it's detailed vineyard breakdown. Like Burgundy we see dramatic differences in the wines from vineyard to vineyard. Stéphane has a great number of lieux-dits that he works with through the Côte-Blonde (southern part of Côte-Rôtie) and Côte-Brune (northern part of Côte-Rôtie). Stéphane makes wines of greater energy and vibrancy, always on the fresher end of the spectrum. La Belle Hélène from Côte Rozier, a parcel of Stéphane's oldes
$890
$870ea in any 3+
$850ea in any 6+
Burgundy meets Côte-Rôtie
Côte-Rôtie is often compared to Burgundy for it's detailed vineyard breakdown. Like Burgundy we see dramatic differences in the wines from vineyard to vineyard. Stéphane has a great number of lieux-dits that he works with through the Côte-Blonde (southern part of Côte-Rôtie) and Côte-Brune (northern part of Côte-Rôtie). Stéphane makes wines of greater energy and vibrancy, always on the fresher end of the spectrum. La Belle Hélène from Côte Rozier, a parcel of Stéphane's oldes
$1,035
$1015ea in any 3+
$995ea in any 6+

Filters & Sorting

Showing 77 Delicious Wines!

Moulin de la Gardette ‘Ventabren’ 2018

Rhône Blend | Southern Rhône, France

Jean-Baptiste Meunier's Gigondas wines, from the land where Grenache is King, have an intensity and flavour that are distinctly their own. Moulin de la Gardette sits firmly in Gigondas' 1st Division. An extra layer of flavour & complexity over the 'Tradition'. The 18’s are bolder, darker than the 19's. A little fruit cake here, not at all jammy, five spice, tobacco, flowers, progressing well past bubble gum to a more sophisticated blackberry fruit. Excellent tannins with depth. Persiste
$154
$147ea in any 3+
$140ea in any 6+

Moulin de la Gardette ‘Ventabren’ 2019

Rhône Blend | Southern Rhône, France

Jean-Baptiste Meunier's Gigondas wines, from the land where Grenache is King, have an intensity and flavour that are distinctly their own. Moulin de la Gardette sits firmly in Gigondas' 1st Division. The sophistication and elegance here shows lovely line of acid, poached quince, baked rhubarb, fresh ripe mulberry, spice and delicacy. Seamless, dancing across your tongue with twirls of complexity. Superbly dialed in. All the element sitting in balanace. Entrancing, intoxicating and divine. Suc
$154
$147ea in any 3+
$140ea in any 6+

Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Cuvée Prestige’ 2019

Rhône Blend | Châteauneuf du Pape, France

“One of the top vintages for this cuvée, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige features intense aromas of black cherries and purple raspberries, without the dark chocolate nuances that appear in the other 2019s at this address. It's full-bodied, dense and concentrated, big but also silky and fine, with a long, elegant finish. It's a Grenache-led assemblage of lots from the lieux-dits of les Brusquières and Cabrières. Technical director Didier Negron is refreshingly candid when speaking abou
$160
$153ea in any 3+
$146ea in any 6+

Àlvaro Palacios ‘Gratallops’ 2019

Red Blend | Spain, Catalunya

Excellent. So fine and long, great persistence, harmony and intrigue. Poise, balance, complexity and personality. Bright fruits with mineral acid. Slatey, earthy, savour with some darker fruits. Inredible vitality, such sublte energetic fruit. Paul Kaan Initially quite a mineral nose with a blend of earth and gun smoke, this gives way to concentrated layers of red and black cherry, blueberry yoghurt and liquorice spice. The palate is bright and full-bodied, with firm savoury tannins an
$160
$153ea in any 3+
$146ea in any 6+
From all accounts this is something special. Given the calibre of the rest of the wines in the line up I don't doubt it for a second! “The saturated purple-hued 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De La Reine Des Bois is another brilliant wine from this estate. Made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah and Vaccarèse (as well as a few other varieties) brought up in 80% stainless steel and 20% old barrels, it offers an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, chocolaty herbs, ground pepp
$162
$155ea in any 3+
$148ea in any 6+
Museum Release

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. François is making stunning wine. From a 20 year old chef to a vigneron with over 30 years experience his wine wisdom shows. Stylistically you'll find great density in his Côte-Rôtie with fruit from the Northen half, the Côte-Brune coming from several Lieux Dits. The Côte-Brune is known to produce more masculine wines that the Côte-Blonde. The 2016 vintage shows a lovely, Classic, balance amongst the
$164
$157ea in any 3+
$150ea in any 6+

Bilancia ‘la collina’ Syrah 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

Bilancia's 'La Collina' is New Zealand's Syrah equivalent TeMata's 'Coleraine' Bordeaux blend. The only challenge, they make a minuscule volume. Australia might see 10 dozen for the country! Tasting the 2020 with Warren and Lorraine last year was inspiring. A little lift that blows off. Interesting fresh energy, redder fruit. Even long detailed fine tannins, with a playful edge. The length and depth. Poise balance perfume, underlying savoury edge. Excellent balance. This will be stunning i
$165
$160ea in any 3+
$155ea in any 6+

Swinney Farvie Syrah 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | West Australia, Australia

Grape first as with all the Swinney wines, there is beauty here. The cooler year offering more energy compared to its 2020 predecessor.  Incredibly complex fruit, beautifully framed with fine layered tannins. The harmony, development and elegance for a wine of such youth is impressive making for a delicious drink now. Looking at the 2018 in a mini-vertical of all Favrie releases the evolution over a few years offered up intriguing secondary development. “The 2021 Farvie Syrah is lighte
$166
$159ea in any 3+
$152ea in any 6+

Swinney Farvie Syrah 2022

Shiraz/Syrah | West Australia, Australia

As with all the Swinney & Farvie wines this is grape first. There's a thing about good reds, they have an acid-tannin complex that works were the total is greater than the sum of the parts. That applies to the 2022 Farvie Syrah. The hallmark playful grip is here. Again wonderfully perfumed with a little dusting of delicate pepper, earthy and savoury with that ferous, blood lip character. Layers of tannin wrap a core of fruit in harmony. Delicious! Halliday 97 Jukes 19.5+ Jordan 99
$166
$159ea in any 3+
$152ea in any 6+

Pax Wines Sonoma Hillsides Syrah 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Sonoma County, America

This is very, very good. Incredible length and depth. Core of vibrant, fresh fruit. Excellent texture with stalk spice and an edge of grip in a good way. Has parallels with Villard's Côte-Rôtie. Insane perfume, such elegance and finesse. Simply delicious. “The 2021 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is towering and statuesque in bearing from the very first taste. I don’t think I have ever tasted a Sonoma Hillsides with this much finesse, this much purity. A wine of vertical energy, the Sonoma H
$170
$163ea in any 3+
$156ea in any 6+

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. Personality+ this calls: Drink Me! Drink Me! Perfectly balanced, harmonious, seamless. It draws you in. Exceptional line and length and the tannins are so long, fine and even. Red and dark fruit a little licorice. So fine. Incredible complex savoury roasted barbecued vegetables & a line of earthiness. Perfume of Violets so long. A tiny splash of Viognier. This is exceptional. Would make a fantastic com
$178
$171ea in any 3+
$164ea in any 6+

Eric et Joël Durand Cornas ‘Confidence’ 2019

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

The sophistication and depth of tannin here is impressive. Again a lick of cleverly used, integrated oak hiding behind the fruit that will disappear completely with a little time in bottle. The extra year already sees it resolving. Silky, super fine grape tannins run the length of the palate with lingering fruit of energy. The graphite and mineral thing happening. Even with one extra year the complexity is building. Fresh clean and precise wines with plenty more to come.   The 2019 Corn
$183
$176ea in any 3+
$169ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas ‘Renaissance’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Since 1998, a second Cornas has also been bottled: Renaissance. It’s made from 20 to 25-year-old vines on the Domaine’s best slopes as well as older vines from the lower slopes. An earlier maturing wine than the classique, it should develop for two decades.

Auguste Clape Cornas ‘Renaissance’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

I tasted two components that will make up the bulk of the 2020 Cornas Renaissance, both still in foudre. From Patou and 15- to 20-year-old vines, a medium to full-bodied sample featuring mentholated red plum notes, chewy tannins and mouthwatering acids (90 - 92). From Reynard and 30-year-old vines, a medium to full-bodied sample that showed more cassis fruit, silky tannins and great freshness (93 - 95). They should make a lovely Cornas for drinking over the next 10-15 years. Joe Czerwinski, The
$275
$265ea in any 3+
$255ea in any 6+
"The 2016 Cote Rotie la Viaillere boasts delicate, almost dainty aromas of flowers, strengthened by stemmy notes and hints of olive and raspberry. It's medium to full-bodied, with a wiry, tannic strength that builds through the concentrated core of the wine and onto the long finish, yet it remains silky around the edges, suggesting reasonably early drinkability" Joe C.

Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020

Rhône Blend | Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape

"A blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah and other permitted varieties, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape looked exceptional on this day, offering up scents of framboise and kirsch alongside dried flowers and Asian spices. Full-bodied yet weightless, silky and long, this is special stuff, complex and balanced. "The phenolic maturity is there, the sugars are there," Avril said. "No, it won't be like 2019, but I think we will come in around 14.5–15 degrees [of alcohol]. I think, I don'
$310
$300ea in any 3+
$290ea in any 6+