Complementary recipes:

• Balsamic Grilled Radicchio with Shaved Pecorino
• Black Bean Soup
• Black Bean with Bacon Soup
• blue cheese and caramelized onion dip
• Chargrilled Lamb Cutlets with Oregano and Hot Feta Dressing
• More recipes...

  

Serve this wine between 60-65 degrees Farenheit or 15-18 degrees Celsius.

Shiraz

Shiraz and Syrah are both originally from the same clone, but various regions have chosen one name or the other. They both create rich, robust wines with a smooth texture and signature aromas of spice, pepper, clove and licorice leading, followed by dark fruit such as blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and black cherry, as well as truffle, earth, violets, vanilla, smoke, sandalwood, cedar, cigar box, earth and leather. The greatest of these wines can age for 25 years or more.

The grape was originally believed to be from Persia, now Iran, from the city of Shiraz, but has since been proven to be indigenous to France, where more than half the world's Syrah vines are planted. The legendary wines of the Rhone Valley's Côte Rotie and Hermitage are made from 100% Syrah. Syrah is also part of the blend in other Rhône wines, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape that often includes Grenache, Mouvèdre and up to nine other grapes.

This wine is also the flagship red wine of Australia, where it's called Shiraz (easier to pronounce than Syrah), and is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Australia's Barossa Valley is particularly famous for its complex, multi-layered Shiraz. It is also becoming South Africa's leading red. California grows it successfully in Paso Robles where it's usually called Syrah.

Shiraz and Syrah pair with robust dishes such as grilled meats and vegetables, beef stew, meat lover's pizza, barbecued ribs and hamburgers, beef wellington, bison steak, brisket, meatloaf, peppercorn steak, grilled or spice-rubbed chicken, chicken sausage, fajitas, ostrich, game casseroles, venison stew, braised lamb shanks, barbequed pork spareribs and Mexican Mole.

Reserve

The word reserve on a wine label should apply to a producer's highest quality wine from its best vineyards that has been set aside for special care in aging and storing. In some regions, this is the case, either voluntarily or by law. However, in other regions, the term reserve is not regulated and some wine producers label low-quality, mass-produced wines as such to sell them more easily. This is also the case with similar terms such as proprietor’s reserve, cellar selection, vintner’s blend and private reserve. The lack of legally-defined terms is one of the non-tariff barriers that North American wines face when exporting to Europe.

For more details on how I do my wine reviews, what the scores mean and other background, please click here. To find definitions of the wine terms I use, from acidity to zesty, visit my Wine Glossary.