Syrah wine tasting

The Syrah is a red wine grape with debated origins, but its renaissance and modern home is in France, precisely in the Rhone Valley. In Italy the Syrah is grown everywhere, from Aosta Valley to Sicily.

What does Syrah mean?

* The Romans could have spread it across Europe from the Sicilian city of Syracuse. Could the grape be named after this city?

* Roman author Pliny the Elder once wrote about a grape called Vitis Syriaca or ‘grape from Syria,‘ suggesting it may have come from there.

* Syrah may simply be named after the Iranian city of Shiraz (or Chiraz), where a wine called shirazi was produced.

The manual grape harvest takes place in the second half of October. Because Syrah wines have such thick skins and high tannin, it is a common practice for winemakers to cold soak Syrah grapes for days (or even weeks!). Cold soaking (aka extended maceration) increases color and fruitiness in a wine while also reducing harsh tannin and herbaceous flavors. It adapts well to maturation in wood.

Typical scents and flavors of Syrah include blackberries, plums, black cherries, flowers, spice, earth, chocolate, licorice, blueberry, cassis, pepper and truffles.

Syrah is a perfect for a wide and diverse array of wine and food pairings.

Is often the best wine for all types of roasted, grilled or smoked meat dishes like; duck, beef, veal, sausage, grilled meats, barbecue and chicken dishes. It works with numerous, winter comfort dishes like cassoulet, grilled steaks and good old fashioned, myriad of different hard and soft cheeses.

Join our wine tasting tours in Aosta Valley