For those who love full-bodied and intense wines, Syrah is the perfect red wine. Here's how to taste it and how to learn to recognize it blindly.
Six things you can't help but know about Syrah.
Before leaving: we at Sommelier Wine Box adopt this rule to distinguish the grape variety from the wine of the same name: the grape in lower case, the nectar of Bacchus in capital letters. Let's begin!
1. Where does the Syrah grape come from?
The vine is native to the South of France (particularly in the Rhone Valley, where it has been attested since the Middle Ages) but from the mid-nineteenth century onwards it spread throughout the world, especially in Australia , where it is known as Shiraz. Today it is the sixth most cultivated grape in the world; it does not fear the heat at all and is also cultivated in Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil... In Italy, it is very widespread in Sicily.
2. How can you recognize Syrah (wine)?
Syrah is recognized first and foremost by its aromas, characterized by ripe fruity aromas ( blackberries and blueberries in jam above all) on a spicy background of black pepper . And then: plum, berries, currants, chocolate, tobacco, liquorice, mint. But pepper is the key to recognizing it blindly, even if vinified with other vines.
3. How does Syrah refine?
The wines produced from pure Syrah are generally aged in small wood and have a good evolutionary capacity.
4. What determines the scent of Syrah?
The typical peppery aroma is due to a molecule called rotundone , which is characterized by a very low perception threshold, present in very high percentages of Syrah vinified alone.
This very stable molecule is found mainly in the skins of Syrah grapes.
5. Syrah tasting
The wine has an intense ruby red color (garnet or orange if it has many years on its shoulders)
We mentioned complex and intense aromas: especially fruits and spices .
In the mouth it is very tasty and intense , warm (the alcohol content is high).
6. Syrah tasting tips
Pour a glass of it (serving it at around 18° C) into a large red wine glass .
Taste it together with a mature cheese , in small sips, reading a book on a rainy Sunday.
If it's summer: invite friends and have a barbecue : the intensity of flavors of the meat and wine will make it a perfect match.
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References:
This piece was written by researching with curiosity. Among the many, important readings were: Il Respiro del vino by Luigi Moio, Particularly "peppery" wines by F. Mattivi, L. Caputi, S. Carlin, M. Stefanini, L. Valenti, I. Ghiglieno, J. Tardaguila , D. Nanni, R. Eder, U. Vrhovsek, Evolution of Polyphenols during Syrah Grapes Maceration: Time versus Temperature Effect by Patricia Taillander and New wine-growing regions of Brazil and their importance in the evolution of Brazilian wine by DA Wurz, B. Pereira de Bem, R. Allebrandt, B. Bonin, LG Dalmolin, A. Tamiris Canossa, L. Rufato, A. Anneliese Kretzschmar .
