| Shiraz is one of the most popular wines around in | | | | rest of the world. Most of the vineyards are in |
| the UK. This is because it is an easy to drink wine | | | | the South East of the country and the names of |
| that goes with lots of different types of food. In | | | | the districts that produce wine are now household |
| fact it is its spicy full bodied taste that makes it | | | | names in the UK following their publicity through |
| something that you can drink with hot Indian, | | | | the wine that they manufacture. Possibly the |
| Mexican or even Chinese food. This is because | | | | most famous of all Australian Shiraz comes from |
| the Shiraz grapes that are used to produce the | | | | the Barossa Valley. This area is in Southern |
| wine take a while to ripen making them full of | | | | Australia and is one of the oldest and best known |
| sweetness before they go into wine production | | | | regions. Other well known areas are Hunter Valley |
| ensuring that the wines taste does not dominate | | | | in New South Wales, Mudgee, the Goulburn Valley |
| the food, but at the same time the food does | | | | and Great Western in the Victoria area and the |
| not take over the taste of the wine. | | | | Coonewarra region in Southern Australia. |
| Shiraz is actually the second name for this grape - | | | | So what should you look for when you are |
| the same grape is known as syrah in France. | | | | looking for a good Shiraz? Firstly look at where |
| Shiraz has been developed by Australia and really | | | | the wine comes from and then look at the label |
| been transformed into a style which suits New | | | | of the bottle. Remember, Shiraz is a thick-skinned |
| World wine (there are still plenty of wines made in | | | | grape, which takes longer to ripen than other |
| other countries using the grape but they are | | | | plants. That is why is does well in warmer |
| almost a different type of wine) In fact it is | | | | climates. However, because of this, it is not |
| estimated that Shiraz is the fifth most planted red | | | | always a great wine to drink young. It needs a bit |
| wine grape in the world so that is why it is a wine | | | | of aging. Also think about how you are going to |
| that we see a lot of on the supermarket shelves. | | | | be drinking the wine. Shiraz is a strong, fruity wine |
| Australia has produced wine for a long time but it | | | | and therefore needs to be drunk with |
| wasn't until the 1970s onwards that the wines | | | | flavoursome food or the wine will dominate the |
| produced there started to have an impact on the | | | | meal. |