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Shiraz wine was one of the first varieties to be produced in Australia and is now known the world over as a classic Australian wine. The Syrah grapes used in the making of Shiraz are grown all over Australia, with each territory infusing its wine with unique properties and taste profiles. As a warmer climate grape, this style of wine takes on a completely new and bold character full of fruity flavours and perfect for pairing with a range of hearty and delicious food. Australians are known for our creative winemaking, and we have produced stunning examples of this ancient and full bodied red in a way that is entirely our own even between Australia regions. 

We love bringing Australia wine from its own backyard as well as the rest of the world for over 70 years and we’re excited to share with you the latest discoveries that we’ve made. As a red wine drinker you will already be familiar with the wealth of choice that awaits you, including classics like Rose wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Merlot, Pinot Noir from stunning local producers like Crackerjack, Vasse Felix, Paringa Estate and Innocent Bystander. What about the Red blends? Why not sample our Shiraz Blend Wines? 

If you’re looking for something a bit exotic, try Cabernet Malbec Shiraz, Grenache Shiraz Touriga, Grenache Mataro Shiraz and Shiraz Petit Verdot Cabernet. For a refreshing summer fizz, choose from sparkling Shiraz, sparkling Rose and then step into the world of white wine and the possibilities it offers as well.

We have all of the classics available including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling, as well as a variety of white blend wines including Semillon Viognier, Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Semillon Riesling Chardonnay, Semillon Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc. Step into the world of dessert wine and then sample the delights of sparkling wine. 

Interested in expanding your wine palate even further? The Wine Collection has a vast array of wine varietals and types for you to sample like our collection of sparkling white wines including Prosecco, sparkling Pinot Noir, sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling Riesling, sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir,  sparkling Chardonnay, as well as our selection of fizzing red wine varieties including sparkling Shiraz, sparkling Shiraz Cabernet , and sparkling Merlot Wines. Tour the world’s wealth of wine under the guidance of experienced wine experts who love to share their discoveries.

Is shiraz red wine?

Shiraz is made from a grape variety genetically similar to the Syrah red grape and does indeed produce a red wine. Shiraz wines typically have a deep, opaque ruby-red hue and generally darker than a cabernet sauvignon. 

It’s Australia’s oldest homegrown variety of wine grape and remains a mainstay across all of our major wine regions including the Yarra Valley, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Maclaren Vale and the Hunter Valley. In fact, our Shiraz vines are amongst the oldest still producing in the world, with vines dating back to 1843. The single largest repository of Shiraz vines is located in the Barossa Valley, northeast of Adelaide, and Barossa Shiraz remains one of the most widely available and best-known reds from the valley.

The name ‘Shiraz’ actually refers to the ancient Persian city of the same name which was once the wine capital of Persia. European merchants took great delight in distributing the region’s finest wines to enthusiastic English and French nobility from the seventeenth century onwards, but the descriptions of the wines they were buying don’t really match up to a modern day Shiraz. We know that the Shiraz grape is actually genetically identical to the Syrah grape although its characteristics have greatly changed since James Busby, the father of Australian wine, collected his vine cuttings in France and Italy and brought them to Australia. It’s thought that the warmer climates have completely altered the wine the Syrah grape produces and while there is no real connection between the grape’s Australian name and the greatest Middle Eastern wine producers the world has ever seen, it does have a nice ring to it.

Is Shiraz sweet?

This is a typical warm climate grape which tends to produce a full bodied style of wine perfect for pairing with grilled and roasted meats. It’s known for offering spicy tones of pepper as well as black fruit flavours like blackberry and plum. Structure and complexity will vary depending on the region the wine comes from and the winemaking style.

Generally, a Shiraz is a dry red wine and the fruity flavours are due more to the region in which the grape was grown and how the wine was produced rather than any amount of sugar in the wine. The old world winemakers of France still call their wines Syrah Wines and the cool climate wines from these areas, and from Chile and the United States, will typically not have such strong fruity tones that warmer climate Shiraz from Australia is so well known for. When aged in oak the Syrah wines from the old world winemakers often takes on notes of vanilla but still deliver a savoury and acidic taste over the fruitier Australian variety Shiraz ideal for French and Italian cooking. Western Australian Shiraz is often compared to the French Bordeaux styles so it’s definitely worth exploring whether you agree and pair it with a night of French cooking.

Knowing what food to pair with a good quality Australian Shiraz is the best way to really enjoy this dynamic and versatile variety. For cool nights in front of the fireplace or around the people you love, pair your spicy and peppery Shiraz with barbequed meats like spare ribs, chicken and braised beef. Wild game like kangaroo, duck and quail, as well as lamb hamburgers and roasts, are also excellent pairings. You will need a strong and hearty meal to get the most of our glass (or bottle!). Your Australian style of Shiraz typically has firm tannins and will usually have between 13-14% alcohol so a hearty meal is all the better for pairing your glass with. If, by some outside chance, you find that you still have a bit left in the bottle by the end of the meal, then think hard cheeses to pair it with. Sweeter varieties from the Hunter Valley also go well some blue cheeses. 

If you are already a keen Shiraz drinker and appreciate both the Syrah style and the slightly sweeter Australian Shiraz, then we have a plethora of opportunities for you to sample. Why not try a naughty New Zealand Shiraz to compare antipodean styles?

All of our wines have been personally tasted by our wine experts who recommend them. You will find their tasting notes available on every type and style we carry. Your online order is quick and easy to make, and we offer delivery direct to your door, right across Australia. Whether you’re relatively new the wine world or know a fine wine when you see one, we can help you collect some of the finest wines Australia, and the world, has to offer. Order your Shiraz online today and spend some time perusing our fabulous flavours collected from the finest producers.