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Shiraz Red Wine
Shiraz
Shiraz 
Shiraz or Syrah is a variety of grape used in wine. The names are interchangeable, although the original name is Shiraz. It is mostly known as syrah in america and france. In South Africa, Australia, parts of europe and Canada its known as Shiraz.
The Shiraz name was taken from a city Iran known as Shiraz, it has been speculated that wine making started nearly 7 millenia ago. The evidence that was dug up at the site of Hajji Firuz Teppe in northern Iran has confirmed that wine making originated in the Kurdish regions of that country around 7000 years ago.
The french have attempted to rebut the orign, saying that the grape found its roots in their soil. This is according to French DNA study in 1998 The study concluded that the grape variety in its modern cultivated form has originated in the vicinity of the Northern Rhône valley of France, as the result of a cross of the "Dureza" and "Mondeuse Blanche" grape varieties. Historic accounts, on the other hand, state that the Syrah/Shiraz was brought into southern France by a returning crusader, Guy De'Sterimberg. He became a hermit and developed a vineyard on a steep hill where he lived in the Rhône River Valley. It became known as the Hermitage.
Syrah continues continues to be the dominant grape and is associated with classic wines such as Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie. In the Southern Rhône it is used as a blending grape in such wines as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Côtes du Rhône. Although its best products will age for years to come, less-extracted styles can be enjoyed young for their lively characters and smooth tannin taste. Shiraz has been used as a blending grape in many countries because of its fleshy fruit mid-palate, balancing the weaknesses of other varieties and resulting in what being called a "complete" wine.
Wine
It is a grape variety widely used to make dry red table wine. Shiraz is often vinified on its own, but is also frequently blended with other grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier. It is grown in many wine producing regions around the world.
Many of the 1st class Shiraz-based wines are at their peak after a time aged in a cellar approximatly 10-15 years. In Australia Shiraz is also used to make the unique "sparkling Shiraz", a deep-red sparkling wine which also ages well. There is also a small amount of rosé wine produced from the Syrah grape. Before the popularity of Australian Shiraz wine it was very often used to make port.
Taste
Wines made from Shiraz are often full bodied and very potent flavors. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to chocolate, berries, coffee and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are commented on the most.
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