Syrah and Shiraz. Two different names for the same grape variety, but also the name of two different styles of wine. Originally from France but spread around the world today, it has found its own identity in regions far away from the original origin.

The black grape Syrah comes from the French Rh&ocirc;ne valley and it&rsquo;s still very much planted there. Here, it&rsquo;s the only variety used in Hermitage and Cornas, and also used in blends with other local grapes in areas like Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape and C&ocirc;tes du Rh&ocirc;ne to mention a few. The grape name won&rsquo;t appear on the label though since in France, and in Europe in general, the origin is of more importance than the grape variety.

As France is writing the wine region instead of the grape on the label, countries outside of Europe favors writing the grape variety over the region. Due to this, the term Shiraz is commonly seen on wine labels as it&rsquo;s almost exclusively produced outside of Europe. The origin of the name Shiraz, instead of the French Syrah, is said to be Australian. When wine production here advanced, Syrah vines were sent from France to be planted, however the mistake of writing Scyras instead of Syrah was made and eventually that transformed to the Shiraz we know today. It&rsquo;s in Australia Shiraz has made a name for itself, just like with Syrah in Rh&ocirc;ne. The most premium area for Shiraz would be the Australian Barossa Valley, an area known by many today.

Even though the names are different it is still the same grape variety. They are made in different styles though, where Syrah often tends to be more austere with flavor of dark berries, black pepper, licorice and leather. A Shiraz wine on the contrary would be described as a more full-bodied style with riper fruit and berries, and often a higher alcohol due to the warmer climate the grapes grow in. Today, winemakers around the world choose to label their wine either as Syrah or Shiraz depending of the style they make and the image they want to convey. In either case it&rsquo;s a fantastic grape with different expressions, which will be your favorite?

Syrah and Shiraz. Two different names for the same grape variety, but also the name of two different styles of wine. Originally from France but spread around the world today, it has found its own identity in regions far away from the original origin.

The black grape Syrah comes from the French Rhône valley and it’s still very much planted there. Here, it’s the only variety used in Hermitage and Cornas, and also used in blends with other local grapes in areas like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône to mention a few. The grape name won’t appear on the label though since in France, and in Europe in general, the origin is of more importance than the grape variety.

Decoding the wine label: Syrah or Shiraz?

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head downtown to Salem, Massachusetts where they review the wine list at Ledger.

Wine List Review of Ledger, Massachusetts

Sam Hohl

Ledger

BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Roederer Estate is a California sparkling wine producer owned by the French Champagne house Louis Roederer. The winery is located in the Anderson Valley and produces premium quality sparkling wines using the traditional method.

Upscale hotel dining featuring seasonal American fare in a handsome space with a wall of windows.

Meson

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou

BondST

Buenos Aires Restaurant

Buenos Aires

Meadowsweet

Casa Mono

Atera

La Cava

LAVO Italian Restaurant

Lavo

Quality Italian

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Madera

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Pinot Noir 2021

Pinot Noir

California, USA