Shiraz vs Pinot Noir

Producing red wines most wine lovers would describe as polar opposites, Pinot Noir & Shiraz might actually be 2 branches of the same family tree!

Like most things we enjoy today, wine or winemaking was most likely discovered accidentally – possibly by Stone Age hunter-gatherers inadvertently getting inebriated after gulping the juice of naturally fermented wild grapes. The grape varieties we enjoy today are not the same ones our Neolithic ancestors pounded and pressed in their caves more than 8,000 years ago. One of the ‘fittest’ varieties that survived is Pinot Noir, an ancient grape variety that might be only a generation or two removed from wild vines.

Origins

Since Pinot Noir is an ancient grape variety, its origins are quite unclear. It is said to resemble Burgundy, a grape that can be traced as back as the 1^st Century BC. Unanimously though, France is considered to be the ancestral home of the Pinot grape.

Shiraz has a lengthy history in the Rhone district of France, but viticulturists aren’t sure whether Rhone is its place of origin. It was finally concluded that it is the offspring of two distinct varieties – Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.

Aussie Wine Regions

Pinot Noir is grown mostly in cool-climate Aussie regions, and is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, even though it is difficult to cultivate and vinify. The Australian wine regions that are most popular for Pinot Noir grapes include New South Wales, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills & Mornington Peninsula.

On the other hand, Shiraz has enjoyed increased popularity. Its cultivation in modern times has expanded significantly, owing to its capability to thrive in moderately cool to very hot regions, producing lip-smackingly-good wines. For Shiraz, the most favourable destinations are Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale and Heathcote.

Characteristics

In terms of wine style, you’d never mistake one for the other.

Pinot is earthy, lighter in colour, and shows medium to low tannin density. It is flexible & easy-drinking, pairing well with distinct types of food & flavours.

Shiraz produces deeply coloured wines with firm tannins, and characteristic flavours of spicy blackberry, plum and pepper. Everything about a Shiraz screams BIG – concentrated body, bold flavours, dark colours. A good Shiraz matches magnificently with spicy cuisine & richly flavoured dishes.

According to Swiss botanist and grape geneticist – José Vouillamoz, the intense and full-bodied Shiraz grape is the great-grandchild of the silky and translucent Pinot Noir variety. So, while apples generally don’t fall far from the tree, grapes apparently do!