Mmmmmmm. Syrah! Question:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

I just had my first Syrah.

Liberty School 2000. One of the best California wines I have tasted if not THE best. I have heard about i but never tasted it before.

Is this a purely California wine?

[mr_hat]

1. Gawd no. There's some ab-fab Aussie Syrahs.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. I'll start looking for them....

Not too sweet, a hint of wood...

great bouquet.

[mr_hat]

9. An easy-to-get, easy-to-drink US Syrah is EXP. Typically $12

per bottle or so. You should find great Aussie stuff in the same $12-16 price range. Enjoy!

Edit: Find, not found.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. No, it is the same grape as Shiraz

and France has a lot of syrahs. One of my favorite is Stag's Leap. nothingshocksmeanymore and I had a bottle when I was out in Orange Couny on business. It was yummy!

[politicaholic]

3. No, there are some nice Aussie and New Zealand Syrahs also.

Very good spicey wine.

If you like Syrah you should try a nice Spanish Rioja. It's a wonderful winter wine with cured meat and cheese.

[candle_bright]

4. I don't know if it's purely CA

but it's usually a dessert wine. It's also called Sirah or even Petite Sirah.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

7. Petite Syrah is a California wine (see my post below)

I LOVE Petite Syrah!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

5. Here's a description:

http://wine.about.com/library/types/bl_sirah.htm

Shiraz and Syrah are names for the same grape. It is most definitely NOT the same as Petit Sirah, which is grown mostly in California.

The Shiraz/Syrah grape is called Syrah in the US, France and other countries. In Australia it is called Shiraz, where it is considered the finest red wine grown there. It is certainly the most widely planted red grape in Australia.

The Shiraz grape was once thought to have originated in Persia, but recent research indicates the grape is a native of the Rhone valley, in France. It is best known for its usage in Hermitage, in the Rhone valley. The grape creates a heavy red wine that has recently fallen out of favour with many wine lovers.

Shiraz is known for its spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors. Often there are additional notes of licorice, bitter chocolate and mocha. Shiraz is even affected by growing temperature - warmer climates bring out the mellower flavors of plum, while cooler temperatures spice up the wine.

[WMliberal]

6. Actually it's a perfectly good pinot noir

that someone liberally added some used dishwater to. :silly: