Australia

As the most important red in Australia (where it is known as Shiraz), it produces richly flavored wines full of ripe blackberry and peppery spice. Many examples display smoky coffee mocha notes courtesy of new oak barrel aging. Usually very soft and lushly textured, these big fruity wines have immediate appeal and are easy to like.

Americas (USA, Chile, Argentina)

Syrah from other parts of the New World have similar characteristics to Australia but often are toned down a bit, with less jammy fruit flavors and a somewhat firmer structure. They bridge the gap style-wise with Australia’s fruit bombs and French Syrah.

France

French Syrah offers darker black fruit flavors and peppery spice and is almost always more structured with firmer tannins and higher acidity. With less obvious fruit, the flavors are more earthy and gamy than New World examples and typically are intended to age several years before drinking.