Since I was making a simple turkey and roasted pepper stir-fry for dinner, I wanted a special wine to accompany it. I headed over to ABC Wine to ask the experts. A few recommendations later (after we’d ruled out Chardonnays, even un-oaked ones), we hit upon a Cotes-du-Rhone made entirely of the Syrah grape. The prefect crowd pleaser, I was told–smoky when you want it to be, spicy when you need it to be, fruity for the fruit lovers…

So today, I decided to do a little research into what this grape is all about. Syrah is a dark-skinned grape that is grown all over the world, primarily in France, the US, and Australia (where it is known as Shiraz). It can stand alone, as it often does in the case of wines from the northern Rhone region of France, but it is also used as a varietal as it gives structure to weaker varietals.

But why is it so versatile if it’s such a powerful, full-bodied wine? Its age matters a lot in this regard, as does the climate and soil in which it was grown. Syrah is a wine that can be drunk young or aged–the older wines are a little more mellow and complex, as age tempers the high tannin content. Its characteristics are wide-ranging, from dark berries to chocolate to espresso to black pepper.

And the difference between Syrah and Shiraz? Other than the names, which both come from the grape’s disputed origins (some say France, others say the ancient Persian city of Shirazi, and the Sicilians claim that it comes from their city Siracusa), the wines offer different things. The French Syrah is typically more elegant, tannic, and smoky, with a restrained fruit component. Shiraz tends to refer to the more New World wines of Australia and Chile, amongst others. Made from riper berries, a Shiraz is more fruit-forward and peppery, less tannic, and higher in its alcohol content. So, depending on what you like, Syrah/Shiraz really does seem to have a variety to please.

And by the way, it went perfectly with my meat. Although it might have been a little too drinkable…