Syrah/Shiraz Around the World: A Rapidly Expanding Varietal

Syrah/shiraz is one of the world’s top six grape varieties along with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

The surface area planted to Syrah/Shiraz vines has gone from less than 10,000 hectares in the early 1980s to more than 140,000 hectares in 2004/2005.

Surface area planted to Syrah (in hectares)

The geographical distribution of these 140,000 hectares is as follows: France (68,600 ha), Australia (36,500 ha), Argentina (12,000 ha), South Africa (9,800 ha), California (6,600 ha), Chile (2,500 ha), Washington (1,180 ha) and Italy (1,040 ha).
In 2005, 225 ha of Syrah/Shiraz was planted in New Zealand. Syrah is also being grown in Greece, Spain and the Valais region of Switzerland.

Syrah/Shiraz Around the World: A Rapidly Expanding Varietal

Focus on a Few Countries

Australia

USA

South-Africa

Syrah: Ampelography and Growing

Etymology

Ampelographic Background

According to Victor Pulliat and Alphonse Mas

According to P. Viala and V. Vermorel, “Ampelography”

Overview: Modernity of Syrah/Shiraz

1992 – Syrah Colloquium in Tain l’Hermitage, France

1995 - Catalogue of Grapevine Varieties and Clones Grown in France

1996 – Re-issue of “Ampelography” by Victor Pulliat and Alphonse Mas

2000 - Pierre Galet publishes the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Grape Varieties”

2005 – Inventory of Genetic Profiles

Syrah in its original terroirs

Typicity of blended Syrah wines

Grape varieties blended with syrah