| Syrah, one of the aristocratic grape varieties, is | | | | The grape travels widely, and is known to be at |
| also known as Shiraz in Australia and other New | | | | home in the hotter vineyards of the world. Syrah |
| World countries. It is famous for producing full | | | | is perhaps best known in the wines of the |
| bodied, (mostly) deeply coloured, spicy, fruity | | | | Northern Rhone, where (most famously) it is used |
| wines. Syrah is also the oldest of all the noble | | | | to make the wines of Cote Rotie and Hermitage. |
| grape varieties. | | | | Here (where Syrah is the only red grape variety |
| Growers adore Syrah (largely because it's | | | | permitted) the wines tend to be almost leatherlike |
| famously easy to cultivate in the vineyard) but | | | | on the nose, with black pepper and spice |
| winemakers find it more of a challenge (an oft | | | | characteristics. Chave, Auguste Clap, Jaboulet, |
| quoted gripe is that it's easier to make a great | | | | Guigal, Rostaing, and Chapoutier are all top |
| wine from Cabernet Sauvignon than Syrah). | | | | producers in this area. |