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australia, canberra, collines rhoadiennes, france, rhône, shiraz, syrah -

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...

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rhône, syrah -

so bad, it's good: wine labels

When I first entered the wine industry, I worked at a wine shop in Manchester which taught me so much about selling wine to customers. Selling wine is fundamental to the business, but there are so many elements: understanding the needs of each customer, being able to explain a wine passionately in an informed manner, not trying to sell a wine to a customer that clearly doesn't want it but selling them a wine they didn't know they wanted, introducing a new wine to the customer, always on your toes, and always making it personal. Or just pointing at a...

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carignan, cinsault, france, grenache, languedoc, mourvedre, provence, rhône, sardinia, syrah -

south of france

The south of France has always been a favorite place to visit for its beauty, its weather, its diverse geography, its food, and of course its wines. There's such a range of wines made, mostly red, but also plenty of rosé, a little bit of white, some fortified wine, and a small amount of sparkling. You don't have to venture far to try every style of wine—and at many different price points. rosé I've had rosé from the south of France in the club before, including from the famous village of Tavel and from Provence. Provençal rosé has transformed international...

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california, carignan, grenache, mediterranean, mourvedre, rhône, syrah -

california & the mediterranean

California is most famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, but the wines I often find most exciting are those made from Mediterranean varieties, such as Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah. It makes complete sense that these varieties work, because, after all, California has a Mediterranean climate in common with southern France and eastern Spain. These varieties have been planted since the nineteenth century, but went by the wayside when the trend for Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties made California so successful internationally. Due to the price of land and of varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, producers are returning to...

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