Cathal McBride on wine: Put a pep in your step with syrah/shiraz

Whether it’s named syrah or shiraz, the peppery aroma of this grape makes for a satisfying wine drinking experience

Syrah wines traditionally came from the Old World, while the same grape is mostly called shiraz in New World wines. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Whether you call it syrah or shiraz, there’s no denying the peppery dark fruit that’s so synonymous with this grape. The choice of name is all about location.

Traditionally speaking, syrah wines come from the Old World – most notably France. Shiraz was once thought to be called after an ancient Persian city famous for its viticulture, but this has been disputed. Today, it’s the name generally adopted for New World wines, particularly in Australia ...