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Each week this summer we dive into one of our varieties for a #GrapeSpotlight thread. This week, the grape our cellar is full of right now: #Syrah! Did you know:
Syrah's popularity is relatively recent; in 1990 it was the 35th-most planted grape worldwide. Today it is 6th. 1/
Syrah's popularity is relatively recent; in 1990 it was the 35th-most planted grape worldwide. Today it is 6th. 1/
Despite various other legends about its origin, DNA research by @LagierMeredith showed Syrah is a native French grape, the offspring of two grapes (Dureza & Mondeuse Blanche) from SE France. Syrah first appears in the historical record in 1781 in the Rhone's Tain-l’Hermitage. 2/
The origin of Syrah's name is unknown, though it does not appear to have anything to do with the Persian city of Shiraz or the Greek island of Syra. Instead, linguists suggest it comes from Latin serus, meaning late-ripening. 3/
Syrah is still most closely associated with the Northern Rhône appellations of Hermitage and Côte-Rotie. It is also an important component (typically behind Grenache) in the wines of the southern Rhone, and critical to the wine traditions in both Australia and South Africa. 4/
The first records of Syrah in California are from 1878, but in 1995 there were just 1,330 acres in California. By 2001 there were 14,700 acres, an eleven-fold increase in six years. Acreage peaked in 2010 at 19,280, and declined to 15,400 acres by 2019. https://twitter.com/jasonchaas/status/1306635601991446529?s=20 5/
When we brought our cuttings from France we included four different clones of Syrah. These were quarantined for three years, then propagated here. We planted our first @Beaucastel-clone Syrah blocks in 1994. The 14.8 acres we have is our 3rd-most, after Mourvedre and Grenache. 6/
Syrah is vigorous. Unlike most Rhone varieties its canes extend horizontally rather than up, which is why it is the one grape permitted to be trellised instead of head-trained in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It's our first red to ripen, typically harvested the first half of September. 7/
Syrah's small clusters & small berries produce juice with dark color, concentrated flavors and significant tannin. We ferment Syrah in open-top tanks for oxygen exposure & have begun experimenting with whole-cluster fermentations to emphasize Syrah's herbal and spice elements. 8/
Wines made from Syrah have dark purple-black color, flavors of black fruit, smoke, bacon fat, and pepper. Syrah reflects minerality well, and its tannins allow majority-Syrah wines to age for decades while also providing backbone to softer, fruitier grapes such as Grenache. 9/
Syrah is typically the #2 or #3 grape in our Mourvedre-based Esprit de Tablas, the #2 grape in our Grenache-based Cotes de Tablas, and the lead grape, representing ~50% of our Patelin de Tablas. We bottle a varietal Syrah about half our vintages. https://tablascreek.com/story/vineyard_and_winemaking/our_wines 10/
More recently, we have since 2016 explored the kinship between whole-cluster-fermented Syrah and Terret Noir with our Le Complice bottling. Le Complice translates, roughly, as "partner in crime," celebrating how Terret brings translucency to Syrah. https://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2017/05/move-along-nothing-to-see-here-just-our-first-new-wine-in-seven-years.html 11/
Our 2017 Syrah is showing beautifully. Because we didn't make one in 2018, if this is your thing make sure to get some before it's gone!
Do you have a favorite style or producer of Syrah? Please share! https://tablascreek.com/wines/2017_syrah 12 & END/
Do you have a favorite style or producer of Syrah? Please share! https://tablascreek.com/wines/2017_syrah 12 & END/
