Australian Shiraz
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
Much like California Chardonnay, Australian Shiraz is often described as one thing, one style, one way of being. Given that the wines are coming from a country as big as Australia, you’d think there would be broader understanding of the variations that exist, but that just isn’t always the case. For myself, having grown up in the United States, Australian Shiraz was most frequently associated with “critter wines,” a term used to describe all of the various Yellow Tail copycats whose heyday passed about 20 years ago. And of course, there’s Penfolds, a winery many Americans are familiar with thanks to the Somm series. But if you ask about stylistic variations between Shiraz (AKA Syrah) wines, or even what regions exist beyond Barossa Valley, there isn’t usually much discussion. For me, too, it took time and exploration to discover all that Australia has to offer, and I hope I’ll get to spend much more time (ideally on a trip down under) doing so in the future. In the meantime, consider this tasting guide your invitation to get to know some of the signature styles of Australian Shiraz.
Stuff to know
First up: Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape variety. Syrah is originally from southeast France, around the Rhône, though there are stories floating around about Syrah having origins in ancient Persia, since the grape variety goes by Shiraz in Australia and occasionally elsewhere, too. Shiraz may have been a medieval capital in Persia, but there is no further connection with the red grape variety we know and love today.
France might be Syrah’s original home, but Australia is now home to the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. The grape variety that has been planted for more than 200 years down under was once primarily used to make blended fortified reds. As tastes changed, Shiraz lost its fashionability, and it took a few pioneers like Max Schubert at Penfolds and Eric Purbrick at Tahblik to bring Australian Shiraz to international prominence, making it the Australian signature grape variety, still the most-planted grape in the country today, comprising almost 30 percent of all Australian vineyards.
Yellow Tail and other “critter wines’” outrageous success in the 80s and 90s furthered Australian Shiraz’s global fame, while at the same time, Robert Parker handed out 100-point scores to the biggest, ripest Shiraz wines at the higher end of the quality/price range. For better and worse, Australian became synonymous with huge, ripe, high-alcohol Shiraz. Inexpensive critter-style wines are still produced, as are expensively ripe blockbusters, but there is a whole range of styles in between too, and many, many wines that are astoundingly delicious. And sometimes insanely good value, too.
Nevertheless, Australia created a style that is now associated with the word “Shiraz,” such that when that word is used on a label in other countries, like the United States or South Africa, it’s a good indication that the wine is on the ripe, fruity, bold and on the prominent oak side of things stylistically.
On the other hand, when Australian winemakers use the word “Syrah,” it’s a clear signal that they’re aiming more toward a Northern Rhône-style of wine, with more savory character, less ripeness, more acidity and less prominent oak. Sometimes, Australian Syrah wines use whole bunch fermentation techniques, or are co-fermented with Viognier, just like some wines in the Northern Rhône appellations, in order to stabilize the wines’ color, alter the texture and tannins and add even more aromatic lift to the grape that already has plenty of nose on offer.
Shiraz (AKA Syrah) is a solid blending partner, not just in co-ferments with Viognier, but in red blends that vary from the classic Southern Rhône Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (AKA Mataro) trinity to South Africa’s Red Cape Blends. In Australia, Shiraz frequently shows up in GSM blends, but also in the country’s signature Cabernet-Shiraz blends. In this tasting, we’re focusing on the wines that single out Shiraz / Syrah, though Viognier co-ferments can still fit the bill.
I’ve selected Australia’s six best-known regions for Shiraz, which should make these wines easier to find around the world, but if you find Shiraz / Syrah wines from other regions like Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Margaret River, Grampians or Coonawarra, they will offer welcome variety to this tasting too.
What to look for in this tasting
If we were to look at Syrah / Shiraz wines’ styles as though they existed on a continuum, one end point would be the Northern Rhône’s lean, wild, almost feral Syrahs, and the other would be Australia’s most bombastic, ripe and lush Shiraz wines. You’d think this would mean that the majority of Australia’s Shiraz / Syrah wines would sit near the bombastic side of things…but that’s just not the case.
These days, Australian Shiraz / Syrah wines sit at almost all points on the continuum, though they rarely, if ever, get all the way over to the Northern Rhône’s leanest side. Even in Australia’s cool climate or high altitude regions and in the hands of winemakers who prefer restraint over exuberance, grapes still tend to get riper down under than they do in the Northern Rhône’s farthest reaches, so there is usually a riper, sweeter fruit quality to Australian Syrah. Don’t let that fool you into thinking these wines are any less complex, refined or interesting though.
Australian wines using the word “Shiraz” tend to have full bodies, soft, ripe tannins, moderate acidity and aromas and flavors of blackberries, black plums, blueberries, mulberries and sometimes brambly jam, along with plenty of vanilla, cola, clove, cinnamon and star anise from evident toasted new oak aging. Some producers use American oak barrels instead of French ones, adding even more clear vanilla and sometimes coconut-y aromas to the mix. These wines may also have a huge variety of complementary aromas and flavors, including everything from milk chocolate to licorice, black pepper, Kalamata olives, sage, rosemary, leather and an iron-like quality that can taste yes, you guessed it: bloody.
On the other end of the spectrum, Australian wines using the word “Syrah” might have medium bodies, bright acidity, just-ripe tannins and more red fruit flavors mixed in with the black, like strawberries, red currants and raspberries hanging out with all of those blackberries and blueberries. The influence from oak aging on these wines is usually subtler, with most winemakers choosing to use French oak, often lightly toasted (if new) or neutral (used), imparting little, if any, oak flavors like vanilla and baking spices. The complementary aromas and flavors are myriad here, too, from herbs like eucalyptus, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme to black olives, bacon fat, game, sweat, bonfire, black pepper, dried rose petal and yes, sometimes even that iron-y clay-y bloody thing.
The wines
#1: Barossa Valley Shiraz
Confusingly, wines from Barossa are not the same as those from Barossa Valley. The “valley” matters. Barossa is the name for a whole zone, the Barossa Zone, in the state of South Australia, which includes Eden Valley, another wine region nearby.
Barossa is a byword for Australian Shiraz, home to one of the country’s oldest wine regions and many of its oldest Shiraz vines. For much of its early history, Shiraz plantings in Barossa were used to make Port-like fortified red wines, which often used Grenache and Mataro (AKA Mourvèdre) in blends. There have been periods of boom and bust over the almost 175 years of winemaking in Barossa Valley, through which winemakers have weathered the decline of fortified red wines’ popularity, sales of family-owned companies to large conglomerates, a State-funded Vine Pull Scheme, an explosion in Australian Shiraz’s global popularity followed by market contractions…and more. Luckily, many of the old Shiraz vines have weathered the vagaries with astonishing adaptability, seemingly only improving their grapes’ quality with age. Many of Australia’s best-known wineries are located in the Barossa Valley, making it the country’s mecca for wine tourism, just like the US’s Napa Valley or France’s Bordeaux.
Shiraz is far and away the region’s most popular grape, and you can find the full spectrum of Australia’s Shiraz / Syrah styles here. The wines considered classically Barossa Valley-style are of the Shiraz sort, ripe, full-bodied, with dark fruit and evident oak aging. But there are wineries producing top-notch, pricey Shiraz wines and there are wineries producing widely accessible ones, like Jacob’s Creek. Both work for this tasting, it’s really up to you and your guests to decide what price range suits your group best.
Styles evolve over time, and the biggest, baddest Shiraz wines of the 90s have been swapped for subtler, more balanced styles that aren’t alcohol bombs. This is true for the Shiraz wines, even those with plenty of new oak, just as much as those labeled “Syrah,” which are often subtler and sometimes even co-fermented with up to 10% Viognier grapes.
Keep an eye (a nose, really) out for whiffs of eucalyptus, a common tasting note widely attributed to the trees lining and even dotting the vineyards in this iconic region.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Shiraz (or Syrah) from the Barossa Valley (rather than Barossa, the Zone)
#2: Hunter Valley Shiraz
The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest wine producing region, partly thanks to its coastal location in the state of New South Wales, where the wine pioneer James Busby initially brought vine cuttings from France to Australia in 1831, including several cuttings of Syrah (Shiraz) from the Hill of Hermitage in the Northern Rhône Valley. Reputation and tourism-wise, it doesn’t hurt that the Hunter Valley is about 155 miles (250 km) north of Sydney and within Australia’s most populous state, either.
The Hunter Valley is an unusual wine region, one that might not have been selected if James Busby were looking for a place to grow grapes today instead of in 1831. It’s generally warm and humid, increasing the risk of fungal disease, though it’s not as wet and humid as the areas around Sydney. It doesn’t face the frost threats that more inland regions would face, but it struggles with erratic, heavy rainfall, patches of unusable soil, and winter droughts that can make or break a vintage. This is a region where the growing season is often short, since the grapes must be harvested before heavy Fall rains drown the wine producers’ efforts and investments.
Somehow, wine producers manage to get Shiraz vines to thrive in the Hunter Valley year after year, which has allowed the region to retain its prestige for almost 200 years. Hunter Valley Shiraz wines tend to be medium-, rather than full-bodied, usually with lower alcohol levels than those from Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale. French, rather than American oak, has become more common here, complementing the wines’ subtlety. Some of these wines showcase flavors of red fruit toning down the black, along with savory, herb-y, earthy and leather-y flavors ranging from sage and thyme to smoke and wet leaves.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Shiraz (or Syrah) from the (Upper or Lower) Hunter Valley
#3: McLaren Vale Shiraz
McLaren Vale, in the Fleurieu Zone in the state of South Australia, made a name for itself in the early 20th century by producing high-alcohol, tannic red wines from Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro (AKA Mourvèdre) that were considered “medicinal,” and mostly exported to England. Shiraz, which was the primary grape variety in the old “medicinal” wines, continues to be the most-planted red grape variety in McLaren Vale, though Cabernet Sauvignon has certainly picked up steam over the past century.
McLaren Vale benefits from its proximity to Adelaide, just 21 miles (35 km) north of the region, giving tourists easy access to tasting rooms. On the other hand, the region has had to carefully combat urban sprawl. The region has a warm Mediterranean climate, tempered by cooling sea breezes thanks to its coastal location, with the Gulf of St. Vincent, part of the Indian Ocean, constantly impacting the weather.
Shiraz wines from McLaren Vale can be extra-extra ripe with dark fruit and high alcohol levels, especially from warmer, sheltered sites. Since the market for Australian Shiraz wines with alcohol levels above 14% has declined in recent years, more and more producers are shifting their viticultural and winemaking techniques in efforts to keep the region’s bold style of Shiraz while ensuring things don’t get out of balance. If you’re a fan of full-bodied, big, bombastic Shiraz wines with explosive, yet comfortingly juicy flavors, McLaren Vale will have plenty to offer. Look out for a signature dark chocolate flavor along with those dark, brambly fruits.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Shiraz (or Syrah) from McLaren Vale
#4: Eden Valley Shiraz
Eden Valley is part of the Barossa Zone in the state of South Australia, so there are wines made from grapes from both the Eden and Barossa Valleys that can be labeled “Barossa.” For this tasting, try to find a Shiraz (or Syrah) wine from Eden Valley proper, allowing you to taste a bit of this region’s distinctive qualities.
Eden Valley vineyards can be just as old as those in Barossa Valley, and they sit at higher elevations, making this region quite a bit cooler; so much so that harvests tend to be about two weeks later than they are in the Barossa Valley. Though the topography varies widely throughout Eden Valley, with hills and wind-swept slopes, in general, the longer growing season results in Shiraz wines that strike a stylistic balance between peppery, lean Syrahs and full-bodied, ripe Shiraz wines.
Eden Valley Shiraz wines tend to be ripe, with black fruit flavors and sometimes hints of licorice, but they’re often medium-bodied with soft tannins and a sense of balance that gives them incredibly broad appeal. One of Australia’s most prominent vineyards, Henschke’s Hill of Grace, is located in Eden Valley.
What to ask for: Ask by style name
Alternative(s): Stick with an Australian Shiraz (or Syrah) from the Eden Valley
#5: Clare Valley Shiraz
Clare Valley, in the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone in the state of South Australia, is a region full of contradictions. It’s best known for its dry Riesling wines, white wines that require chilly climates to develop well…and yet, there are great Shiraz wines made here, too. It’s not actually one single valley, either, but a series of six valleys with five different historic villages: Auburn, Clare, Polish Hill River, Sevenhill and Watervale - all names that frequently pop up on wine labels. As you might’ve surmised, the topography, elevation and soil types within Clare Valley vary widely, too.
Generally, though, Clare Valley vineyards sit at higher elevations than those in the Barossa Valley, and most nights and mornings during the growing season are cool, slowing down grape ripening that would otherwise hustle forward thanks to warm daytime temperatures, allowing plenty of time for flavor and complexity to develop while retaining much-needed acidity.
Clare Valley’s Shiraz wines, much like those in Eden Valley, tend to straddle the line between Australia’s ripest, boldest styles and its leanest, most Rhône-like ones. These Shiraz wines are usually deeply colored and ripe, with medium- to full-bodies, soft tannins and bright acidity, along with dark fruit flavors, the occasional hint of licorice, and clear oak aging.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with an Australian Shiraz (or Syrah) from the Clare Valley
#6: Heathcote Shiraz
Heathcote is a lesser-known region for Shiraz by international standards, sitting inside the Central Victoria Zone in the state of Victoria, where the Great Dividing Range and its foothills define the Zone. This was once gold rush country, where vineyard plantings followed, much like in many parts of California.
Heathcote sits between Bendigo and Goulburn Valley, and is a relatively small region for the Zone. Its boundaries were drawn based on where Heathcote’s famed Cambrian soils could be found. The Cambrian era is a geological period that occurred about 500 million years ago. Heathcote’s Mount Camel Range, part of the Great Dividing Range, is comprised partly of Cambrian-era greenstone that has weathered progressively, gradually altering the region’s soils, which are bright red and manage that ideal vine-growing habit of draining well while retaining moisture - a necessity in a region where water is often scarce.
Heathcote may not be as well known as Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, but its Shiraz vines can be equally old and the wine quality is generally high. These wines tend to be as richly textured and full-bodied as those from the Barossa Valley, but in a markedly different way. There’s a mouth-coating, dense quality to Heathcote Shiraz wines, along with an iron-y flavor that you can call mineral-y or bloody, whichever suits you best. Look out for supple, velvety tannins and flavors of dark fruit, licorice, leather and spices.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Shiraz (or Syrah) from Bendigo
Tasting tips
The eats
There’s a misperception that all Australian Shiraz wines are big. Huge, even, with lusciously ripe, sweet-tasting fruit, velvety tannins and plenty of clear new oak influence. The reality is a lot more nuanced, and some of the Shiraz wines in your tasting will likely be medium-bodied and closer to Rhône Syrahs stylistically, with plenty of herbs, spices and savory, meaty goodness.
That meaty goodness, in my opinion, is always a delight with barbecue. Real barbecue, mind, comprised of smoked meat. It can be beef, pork, sausage, duck or turkey, and I will accept all kinds of regional variations. Barbecue and Syrah just work. That said, I have nothing against grilled meats per se, and if you’re in the festive mood, like I am these days, a roasted duck or baked ham will still fit the bill. On the vegetarian side of things, I’d lean into smoky flavors through seasonings like smoked paprika, harissa or smoky curry-seasoned vegetables like roasted winter squash or eggplant.
As for charcuterie, smoked meats in particular work well, as well as firm cheeses like Pecorino or Manchego and soft cheeses like Humboldt Fog. Round things out with salted or herbed crackers, smoked almonds and some sweet and pickled accoutrements.
The prep
Some of these wines will be easy to find, others, not so much, at least for those of us living outside of Australia. I recommend giving your guests at least three weeks to find their wines, depending on where you live.
There is a wide range of prices for all of these wines, so it’s up to you as the host to decide if you want to set a price range or let your guests determine what they’re each comfortable spending.
I know it seems unnecessary to chill most red wines, but these Shiraz wines are still best with just a little bit of coolness to them. Imagine that you are grabbing these bottles straight from a fancy cellar where the air feels brisk and damp. If you live somewhere where it’s cold already, the time in the trunk on the drive over might just be enough.
It’s worth noting that in some parts of the world, namely Australia, screw caps often take the place of corks. In others, like France and the United States, wines with screw caps are often seen as being cheaper or poorer quality. Please ignore that stereotype. It’s simply not true, and there are many excellent wines bottled with screw caps. There are even new studies showing that wines aged under screw cap fare better on average than wines aged under cork.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first. If you have fewer than 6 wines/guests, you’ll still have a well-rounded experience. However, the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines are included, is recommended as follows:
Eden Valley Shiraz
Hunter Valley Shiraz
Clare Valley Shiraz
Heathcote Shiraz
Barossa Valley Shiraz
McLaren Vale Shiraz
