syrah & shiraz
Up until the 1980s, it was commonly believed that Syrah came from Iran/Persia, near the city of Shiraz. There were many myths and legends about the origin story of the variety, none of them true. Syrah did not originate from Iran—it's a natural crossing of Mondeuse Blanche from Savoie and Dureza from Ardèche—but the myth gave the name Shiraz to the variety, which it's still called in Australia.
Syrah/Shiraz takes on many forms. In the southern Rhône and Languedoc, it's usually part of a blend with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and other varieties like Cinsault and Counoise. In the northern Rhône, it's a single-varietal wine (though sometimes with a bit of Viognier in the blend), with meaty, smoky, licorice aromas, and often ageworthy. In Australia's warmer climate, it's also meaty but less spicy, fuller bodied, riper, and higher in alcohol. Comparing all these examples gives an understanding of how Syrah expresses exactly where it comes from.
northern rhône
The northern Rhône is home to some of the great appellations for Syrah, but those wines can be expensive. On a small scale, producers are making introductory wine from a lesser-known, broader area called Collines Rhoadiennes. The fruit is less expensive, and therefore the wines are more affordable. Collines Rhoadiennes covers the northern Rhône appellations and a little bit extra. The wines may not have the power of the great wines of the region, but they are extremely typical of the northern Rhône and Syrah. blackpoolmatt's wine club has had a couple of Syrah wines from this region, the most recent being made by Cave Cluzel, a two-brother team. At just $24, it's a great, very characteristic example of northern Rhône Syrah: perfect for blind tastings as well as just enjoying it on its own or with food (e.g. wine-braised beef).
canberra
Australians tend to get a bit embarrassed about Canberra. It's the capital city, but much smaller than the country's other major cities. Its climate is also cooler than other Australian wine regions, and the profile of Australian wine used to be based on big, full-bodied wines from warmer areas. The wines of Canberra are not like that: they are higher in acid, lower in alcohol, less ripe in fruit profile. And I love them. Clonakilla (which means "meadow of the church") was established in 1971 by an Irishman from County Clare in Ireland and is one of the standout producers not just of Canberra but of Australia. Tasting Clonakilla's "O'Riada" blind, it would be tricky to pinpoint Australia: it's 13% ABV, ripe but not too jammy, lightly spicy, and very fresh. Australian Shiraz comes in many shapes and sizes, and this is one of those wines that makes you rethink preconceptions of Australian wine.
These are two quite different wines, from two very different regions. But there's a clear connection between them, and that is Syrah. I was teaching the other day and I asked the students what their favorite black grape variety was. One immediately said Syrah, and the rest of the class nodded in agreement. These two wines are proof why so many people love Syrah and how it is such an expressive, place-driven variety.