Depending on where it's grown and how it's made, the variety has two names. In France, where it goes by Syrah, it makes a huge contribution to the red wines of the Rhone Valley. In the southern Rhone villages of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras it is blended with a number of varieties but mainly Grenache. It is in the northern Rhone, including Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage,Côte-Rôtie, St. Joseph, where it most often stands out on its own, and is only occasionally blended with the region's white grapes. More recently, in the late 20th Century, Shiraz has put Australian producers such as Penfolds and d’Arenberg on the fine wine map, with cult wines like "Grange" and "The Dead Arm". Generally speaking, the style from the old world is more savoury, expressing aromas of pepper, cured meat and leather. The hotter climate experienced in Australia results in more upfront, dense and even jammy fruit. The grape has also taken off with rapid success in California and Washington, as well as South Africa and New Zealand. Producers in these regions often name their varietal wines according to the style they intend.
Provence is a sun soaked region in the southeastern corner of France that stretches from the Mediterranean coastline to the southern end of the Rhone valley and across to the border with Italy. The largest area is the Cotes du Provence, where roughly 80% of all wines produced are dry rose, predominantly made from Cinsault and Grenache. A few serious wine producers are replanting vineyards with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in place of the ubiquitous Cinsault. Meanwhile the very small amount of white produced is made from Ugni Blanc and Clairette.
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