Syrah

Dark red or purple in colour, Syrah grapes produce bold, medium-to-full bodied red wines.

This grape thrives in warmer climates, where it can ripen fully, producing black fruit flavours (blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum), spice and brambles, with aromas of black pepper.

In moderate climates, Syrah typically produces medium-bodied, rich reds with intense black fruit flavours, including black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum. Alongside the rich black fruit, you’ll often find distinctive black pepper aromas..

 Oak-aged Syrah may have notes of spice or smoke, while very concentrated styles can evolve complex tertiary flavours during bottle ageing. This ageing can extend to a decade or more, producing flavours of leather, meat and earth.

This versatility means that this style of wine can be enjoyed solo or paired with a variety of foods, especially red meats.

France’s Rhone Valley is the home of Syrah. In particular, the Northern Rhône is the classic region for Syrah, which is the only black grape variety allowed in the AOC wines of the region. 

In Côte Rôtie, the far north of the Rhône Valley, vineyards are exceptionally steep and stony, producing a peppery Syrah that can develop for years in-bottle.   

Further south, Hermitage produces premium Syrah which is brimming with ripe fruit flavours and has the potential for ageing. In Crozes-Hermitage, Syrah is typically less intense and complex than what is found in Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, resulting in lower priced wines.  

The warmer climate of southern Rhône, especially the Languedoc-Roussillon region, helps Syrah to ripen reliably. It’s often blended with other grape varieties in the region, particularly Grenache, where it provides structure, tannin and acidity.   

Syrah is an incredibly versatile wine. It’s important to consider the style of Syrah when pairing it with foods, but the general rule is that it pairs well with meats.  

If you’re drinking a medium-bodied Syrah, pair it with:

• Grilled meat
• Roast beef steak
• Beef short ribs
• Pork  

Or if you’re drinking a full-bodied Syrah, a much bolder wine, pair it with:

• Barbecued chicken
• Spare ribs with plum sauce
• Slow-roasted barbecue pork

Discover More Food Pairing Inspiration

The day of your delivery will depend on which option you’ve chosen at checkout.  

• For a standard delivery, we will deliver your order in 2-3 days.
• Delivery to the Scottish Highlands, some other areas of Scotland, Northern Ireland and offshore islands can take an extra few days.
• Usual delivery times are between 07.00 and 21.00.
• You can select Next-day or Named-day delivery at checkout – but do bear in mind we don’t deliver on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

For the best experience we recommend you subscribe to our Unlimited service. A one-off payment of £29.99 entitles you to free delivery for a year – including free Next-day delivery. There’s no minimum order – you’ll get free delivery even on a single bottle. And you can get delivery to multiple addresses, so it’s perfect for gifting!

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