The wines that made Syrah famous were from Hermitage, in the Rhone Valley region of France. According to legend, the Knight Gaspard de Stérimberg returned home from battle wounded in 1224 and was given permission by the Queen to build a refuge to recover in. He remained living there, as a hermit, for the remainder of his life.Today the Hermitage appellation consists of 345 acres of vineyards and produces 730,000 bottles of wine, primarily Syrah.
The most famous Syrahs continue to come from the northern Rhone Valley in France. But Syrahs are also produced in Australia, South Africa, and California. In South Africa and Australia, it is commonly referred to as Shiraz.
Syrah can vary widely in response to the climate in which its grown. The traditional style Syrahs grown in moderate climates taste of leather, earth, blackberries, smoke, and tons of black pepper and spice. Black pepper in particular, is considered the signature of a good Syrah. They also have fairly high levels of tannin, which makes many of the best Syrah wines good candidate for aging.
Syrahs grown in warmer climates tend to be softer and fuller bodied than their counterparts. They tend to have flavors like jammy fruit, leather, and anise.