Premium Shiraz

The Syrah grape was introduced into Australia in 1832 by James Busby, an immigrant who brought vine clippings from Europe with him, and it is almost invariably called Shiraz.In the 2005-2006 growing season, total Shiraz plantations in Australia stood at 41,115 hectares (101,600 acres), of which 39,087 hectares (96,590 acres) were old enough to be productive. These vines yielded a total of 422,430 tonnes of Shiraz grapes for wine production. This made Shiraz the most planted variety in Australia, and Australia the world's second largest Syrah/Shiraz grower, after France.

Shiraz is a full bodied wine, with considerable taste variation depending on the region it was grown in. Most Shiraz wines will have undertones of blackberries, plums and pepper swimming somewhere in the many layers of this heady concoction. Shiraz is grown in most wine regions, and there is a significant school of thought that claims Australian Shiraz grapes are more closely related to the original Syrah grape of the Hermitage in France, then the French version, given their extensive replanting due to the Phylloxera issues. Australian Shiraz’s can also have tastes of chocolates, liquorice and slightly bitter notes, contributing to the vast range of Shiraz’s available.Today it is Australia's most popular red grape.

Not surprisingly, given its heaviness and hearty taste, Shiraz pairs beautifully with similarly-endowed foods,grilled meats or robust casseroles, richly flavored red meats, beef stew and meat lover's pizza are all ideal, as are more unusual wild game dishes like elk and, of course, kangaroo!