z a r i h s & h a syr AS MS
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By the end of 2021, the vineyard producing area of Aotearoa was 40,323 hectares. Syrah represented 434 hectares of this, just 1.07% of the total. Not very much at all compared to Pinot Noir or Merlot, but it is actually more than the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and enough to suggest that the variety has quite a few fans, including me, and that winemakers are producing some fantastic examples. A Hawke’s Bay Syrah received a ‘Best in Show’ gong at the world’s largest wine competition – the 2022 Decanter awards. Grown throughout New Zealand, from Northland to Central Otago, Syrah’s proclivity to adapt to myriad soil types and a range of climates suggests there is a great future for the variety. All we need is more people buying and drinking it. The genetic mapping of grape varieties places Syrah’s first home firmly in France. Also known as Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, it is grown throughout the Rhone Valley and southern France. Syrah is the force behind the great Cote-Rotie, Hermitage and Chateauneufdu-Pape. The aroma, taste and texture of Syrah can be quite complex, showcasing mineral and soil flavours as much as fruit and winemaking technique. Blackcurrant, raspberry and plum, to a meaty scent (aged or fresh), mushroom, olive, liquorice or earthy flavours; and spices from pepper or peppercorn to cinnamon and aniseed can be discovered in many examples. Shiraz and Syrah is a very oak-friendly variety and nearly all use it, layering complexity from the aromas and flavours of toast, sawdust and even a burnt cedar flavour. Syrah holds acidity well and when I say in my wine notes ‘backbone of acidity’, I mean that the acid level is critical to the texture of a wine and provides for longevity and freshness. Tannins will nearly always be bold and firm – this is part of what makes these wines so textured and compelling.
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Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. An experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant, he is the Beverage Director & Group Sommelier for Rodd & Gunn and is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association. Formerly academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage at AUT in Auckland, Douglas has also consulted to a variety of establishments, taking care of their wine lists, wine and food pairings, and staff training matters and he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. 24 THE SHOUT NZ – JULY 2022
