You Say Tomato And I Say Tomato: The Proper Way To Order This Fine Wine

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

We all have heard that red wine is better for us (because of the tannins) than white wine. And, we also know that wines with less sugar are also better for us. But, as far as which type (of wine) that’s pretty much personal preference and taste.

My husband prefers Merlot and some other savvy wine connoisseurs note the excellence of Cabernet, while still others insist on trendy selections such as Shiraz or Syrah.

And, while many of you may have thought there was a difference between the two, Shiraz and Syrah, you’ll likely be as surprised as I was to find out that there’s not.

Experts note that in countries including the U.S. and France among others, the preferred pronunciation is Syrah, while in Australia; they prefer the terminology, Shiraz. And, if you’re curious about WHY the variety in terms, you’re not alone.

According to experts, Syrah is the French pronunciation and Shiraz the Australian pronunciation of the same root word, a word likely the distortion of the original name of the old capital of Persia-Shiraz.

They also suggest that James Busby, initially introduced the vines to Australia from France back in the 1800s, and that at that time the name was historically spelled “SCYCRAS”. However, the note, that it’s quite challenging for Australians to pronounce “SYCRAS”, hence the transmutation.

A new (California) trend assigns the name Syrah to wines manufactured in French style, while other wine manufacturers use Shiraz for new world style wines.

And, though not documents it is believed that the Persian area, which gave rise to these wines, had some of the earliest vineyard and some suggest that the Phoenicians brought these vines into Marseilles.

So, regardless of how you pronounce it, it’s still the same great taste and a great gift for the holidays.

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