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22 Jul Cavazza celebrates the International Syrah Day
by Elisa Cavazza
Let’s celebrate together the International Syrah Day by exploring this grape variety and our Syrah Cicogna.
Syrah or Shiraz? In Cavazza we call it Syrah, but the origins of this noble dark-skinned grape type are still very uncertain and extensively debated. According to some theories, it comes from territories that are now part of Iran, where the town with the same name, Shiraz, is located. It was then brought to Europe ̶ precisely to France in the Rhône valley ̶ by Henri Gaspard de Steinberg, a Templar Knight, on his return from the Crusades. Another theory, however, argues that Syrah originated in France from a spontaneous crossing between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza.
Whatever its origin, this grape variety is widespread throughout the world, so much so that it is considered to be an international grape variety as it is drought-, frost- and disease-resistant, but it also adapts well to challenging climatic conditions. As a rule, we can say that wines produced from this grapevine are called Syrah in the Old World and Shiraz in the New. The grape is the same, while terroir, stylistic and geographic meanings are different. In the Old World, Syrah from the Rhône Valley is certainly the most famous: here the cold climate gives a gracefully contoured, slightly tannic wine, showing spicy hints of black pepper and red fruits, typical of this grape variety. While New World Shiraz wines, especially Australian ones, produced in a warmer climate ̶ displaying vibrant ripe red berry aromas ̶ are full-bodied and tannin-rich. However, the common factors of the different interpretations of this vine are the unmistakable scents of chocolate, plum, eucalyptus and mint.
Our Cicogna Syrah Veneto Igt Cavazza is the result of a wine project initiated in the 1990s aimed at enhancing the best expression of this variety, which began in the unique terroir of Tenuta Cicogna. A Veneto Region zoning study had recently demonstrated how the Colli Berici (hills) were particularly suited to growing this vine.
Cavazza was among the first wineries to decide to grow the variety and make a Syrah varietal wine and, as no Vicenza DOC or Veneto IGT appellation existed at the time, we used a coined name: Syrhae. The first label of our wine dates back to 2002.
Today, in the Colli Berici we are one of the few wine estates to actively continue this venture. Our wine has been given its correct name “Syrah” because the grape variety was included in the Veneto IGT appellation in 2007. Cavazza’s Syrah wine is full, rich, firmly structured, tannin-rich, with a lingering, leisurely mouthfeel, showing hints of black pepper, chocolate, coffee, cherries and ripe wild berries.
SYRAH CICOGNA
Syrah Veneto IGT
Syrah 100%
A limited production wine harvested from meticulously selected small vineyard lots (3 ha/7.4 ac) on hilltops (190 m/623 ft) that are estate grown and carefully farmed. The grapes are handpicked and sorted at harvest time in order to create unique, artisan-style wines that reflect the craftsmanship involved in hands-on winemaking.
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