How to pour
a shiraz in
Bring the bottle to 16 to 18 degrees. Australian shiraz often has plenty of alcohol and ripe fruit, which can feel sweet and heavy at room temperature. Half an hour in the fridge takes the edge off; a bottle from a cool cellar should be allowed to warm up briefly.
Cut around the capsule just below the ridge on the neck and wipe the rim of the bottle clean. Place the corkscrew spiral in the centre of the cork, turn it straight down until just before the end, and pull the cork out in one smooth movement.
A young, full-bodied shiraz benefits from air: half an hour in a decanter softens the tannins and brings out the peppery notes. A mature, soft Australian bottle often doesn’t need it. If you’re unsure, pour a single glass first and taste it to see whether the wine is still closed.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full, and no further. This leaves room above the wine for swirling, and that movement is exactly what releases the pepper, blackberry, and liquorice aromas. It’s better to top up with a little more several times than to fill the glass all at once.
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The story
Shiraz and syrah are the same grape under two names. The idea that the grape comes from the Persian city of Shiraz is a romantic story unsupported by DNA research; that research points to the Rhône region in southeastern France as its origin. The name on the label is therefore not an indication of origin but of style. If it says shiraz, you generally expect the Australian approach: ripe, full and smooth. If it says syrah, it more often refers to the French interpretation of the same grape, with less sweetness and more pepper and spice.
The right glass
Shiraz calls for a generous bowl, usually 55 to 72 centilitres. The ripe fruit and high alcohol need air; otherwise you mainly smell the alcohol and barely the blackberry and pepper. The tapered rim gathers those aromas back toward your nose. A small glass makes a full-bodied shiraz seem heavy and closed. Compare the sizes in the red wine glasses collection or browse the large wine glasses.
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The right tools
For a shiraz, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew and, for a young bottle, a decanter. The bar tools below only come in handy once you turn the wine into a sangria: a bar spoon for stirring and a zester for an orange peel. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Wine glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 66,85.
What do you serve alongside it?
Shiraz is rarely served on its own. These are the wines served alongside it at the same meal, from a glass of crémant beforehand to a finer bourgogne with the main course. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it goes with and what type of glass you need.
Variations & twists
The distinction lies in the region. In Australia's Barossa Valley, shiraz is full-bodied and ripe, with blackberry, liquorice and a sweetish impression, and sometimes a fresh note reminiscent of eucalyptus. In the northern Rhône, with names such as Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, the same grape is tighter and more peppery, with a savory, almost meaty side. There is everything in between: cooler parts of Australia also produce tighter wines, while warm French vintages are rounder. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. Shiraz is a wine for fire and smoke: grilled leg of lamb, spareribs, barbecue sausage or a spiced stew. Its peppery side works well with meat that is itself heavily seasoned, and its firm structure can stand up to a dark sauce. With light fish or a fresh salad, this wine is too heavy.
Good to know
Shiraz or syrah, what is the difference
The grape is the same. The difference is a name that indicates a style. Shiraz usually appears on bottles in the Australian style: ripe, full-bodied, smooth and with a sweetish impression. Syrah more often indicates the French interpretation: tighter, more peppery and more savory. It is not a rule, and some Australian wines put syrah on the label specifically to indicate that tighter style.
The story about the city of Shiraz
You often come across the claim that the grape supposedly got its name from the Persian city of Shiraz, in present-day Iran. It is a nice story, but DNA research does not support it: it points to the Rhône region in southeastern France as the grape's origin. So treat it as an anecdote, not a fact.
Where pepper comes from
That note of freshly ground black pepper is one of the grape's clearest characteristics, and you taste it more strongly in wines from cooler regions and cooler vintages. In warm regions, the profile shifts toward ripe black fruit and liquorice, and the pepper recedes into the background. So the same glass can taste very different depending on where the grapes grew.
The eucalyptus note in Australian shiraz
Some Australian shiraz has a fresh, menthol-like note often compared to eucalyptus. A common explanation is the presence of eucalyptus trees around the vineyards. That is not certain in every bottle, and it is not a sign of quality; it is a characteristic you encounter or not.
How much alcohol it contains and how long it can age
Shiraz contains roughly 13 to 15 percent alcohol, with warm regions at the higher end; the exact percentage is stated on the label. A simple bottle is best drunk within a year or five, while a shiraz from a better origin can age considerably longer. Once opened, a bottle kept cool with a stopper will retain its flavor for another two to three days.
Frequently asked questions
Is shiraz the same as syrah?
It is the same grape with two names. The name mainly says something about the style: shiraz usually refers to the full-bodied, ripe and smooth Australian approach, while syrah more often means the tighter, pepperier and more savory French interpretation. So the name on the label is a hint, not a rule.
At what temperature do you serve shiraz?
Between 16 and 18 degrees. Any warmer and the alcohol will dominate, which happens quickly with a full-bodied Australian shiraz. If the bottle is in a room at 21 degrees, put it in the refrigerator for half an hour. It need not be colder than fourteen degrees, because then the wine closes up.
Which glass do you use for shiraz?
A large bowl of around 55 to 72 centiliters. The space lets the ripe fruit and high alcohol breathe, so you smell the blackberry and pepper instead of just the alcohol. Pour to one-third full and hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl.
What do you eat with shiraz?
Grilled and smoked meat. A leg of lamb from the oven, spareribs, barbecue sausage or a herb-seasoned stew all pair well with it. Its peppery side can stand up to heavily seasoned meat and a dark sauce. Light fish and fresh salads are too delicate for this wine.
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