What is the difference between Shiraz and Syrah red wine?

6 Comments

1. mwah says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   They come from essentially the same grape, just different names for different growing regions.
2. loveholio says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   nothing. in some regions, it’s called syrah. in others, it’s called shiraz
3. k_ richey says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   Yes, they are the same. Most Shiraz brands I see are from Australia but the grape combination for this wine is also found in Southern France and the U.S.
4. ricnnl says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   Shiraz or Syrah is a variety of grape used in wine. The names are interchangeable. It is called Syrah in France and most often in the United States. In South Africa, Australia, and Canada it is most commonly known as Shiraz. In Australia it used to be called Hermitage up to the late 1980s. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, which is a different type of grape. It got its name from Shiraz–the city of flowers, wine and poetry in Persia/Iran–in the heart of an ancient winemaking region
5. Patricia D says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   The country where it comes from. Shiraz is mostly used in Australia but California and France use the word Syrah. They are the exact same grape.
6. Alex M says:

   July 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

   Essentially, it’s geography. Both Shiraz and Syrah refer to the same type of grape (varietal). Typically Shiraz is the name given to the grape grown in Australia, and Syrah is the name given elsewhere.

   These days, because Shiraz wines from Australia are somewhat fashionable, you can find wines labeled Shiraz from other parts of the world as well.