Across the world, individual grape varieties, confusingly, go by a number of synonyms, Mark Henderson writes.
The Monastrell of Spain for example, is the Mourvedre of France and the Mataro of California and Australia's Barossa Valley. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of similar synonyms.
One that continues to cause some confusion for local wine lovers is syrah and shiraz. Stylistically, the expressions of these two can be vastly different, although they are in fact the same grape.
While somewhat of a generalisation, wine produced from these grapes in cooler climates tends to follow the French nomenclature and use syrah, while wines from warmer climates lean to the Australian example and plump for shiraz.
From the homeland of the Rhone Valley in France, cuttings were taken to Australia in the early 1800s and thrived there. At some point the name altered and it began to be known as shiraz.
Syrah cuttings also made their way to New Zealand in the 1800s. However, by the 1980s the only remnants were a row of vines at the Te Kauwhata Research Station near Hamilton which were due to grubbed up and disposed of.
Hawkes Bay winemaker Alan Limmer, of Stonecroft Wines, famously took cuttings of these vines, which led to the first modern release of syrah in New Zealand with his 1989 vintage.
In the warmer climate of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, this grape lends itself to big, sweetly fruited reds that are lush and supple. Examples from cooler areas such as Hawkes Bay show more spicy and savoury notes and a more lifted florality. Both styles are worthy of a place on any dinner table or wine cellar.
These should not be confused with the completely different variety petite sirah, the American name for the grape known in Australia as durif, but that is another story.
Price: $20
Rating: Excellent
Lots of things going on in the glass: white pepper, black fruits, Fruit Jubes with plums, spices and savoury elements all showing with aeration. Firm at first on the palate with a core of sweet fruit, this fleshes out and opens up, becoming plump, rich and rather tasty with a plush, long finish.
Fantastic value for money on special.
Price: $28
Rating: Fair
Quite funky at first with notes of barnyard, hung meats and saddle leather; balsamic with time. Edgy in the mouth, the acidity noticeable with the fruit fighting its way out.
Shows a brambly, woodsy note and some astringency on the palate with a somewhat clipped finish.
Price: $129
Rating: Excellent
Intense dark colour but a reticent nose with ripe fruits and touches of lavender. Supple and rich in the mouth with a lovely, silky texture: intense and mouth-filling with powerful tannins sweeping in.
While all the building blocks are here, this is somewhat locked up for now, the latent power hinting at unresolved promise.
One to tuck away for a while.
