Fun Wine Quiz 8. What is the difference between Shiraz and Sirah/Syrah? Shiraz is red, Sirah/Syrah is white Wrong! Sirah is definitely a red grape. Try again! Shiraz is a reserved name only allowed to be used for grapes from Australia Wrong! While Australians were the first to use the Shiraz name, there is no legal right or claim by the Australians to exclusivity. Anybody can create a Shiraz wine. Shiraz, Sirah and Syrah are the exact same grape. It's all a marketing game as to which name they use. Correct! Syrah was the original name of the grape. It was first made in France and the US The wine in France was smooth and gentle so the word Syrah had a definitely flavor "meaning". When the grape was brought to Australia, because of the hot climate the wine came out more spicy and lively. The Australians decided to call their wine Shiraz even though it's the exact same grape used. For a while, all Aussie versions were called Shiraz and all US/French versions were called Syrah. In modern times, winemakers randomly call their wine either Shiraz or Syrah based on what market they want to appeal to. Shiraz has a higher alcohol content than Sirah/Syrah Wrong! Sirah and Shiraz have the same range of alcohol content. Trot up to Question 9!
