Shiraz

How is Shiraz Wine Made?

Shiraz wine, or as it’s sometimes referred to in France and other parts of the world; Syrah wine, originated in the French Peninsula and has been in production for almost two decades now. Although fairly new as far as wines are concerned, the use of two species of grapes is what has led to the beverage becoming as popular as it is, with thousands of bottles departing the French isles each year to meet demand.

The deep red tone of the wine is produced due to a combination of two particular grape types; one of which hails from Northern Rhone, while the other is now more commonly found due to plantations being established across the region (this grape is known as Viognier). When creating traditional Shiraz, these two grape types are used for their supple, fruity taste, but since its original introduction in 1999, producers of Shiraz have also gone on to use alternative grape species to achieve variations. Of course the best quality Shiraz is the Reserve Shiraz - at a premium price.

What type of wine is Shiraz?

This type of wine in specific is often considered one of the strongest, yet sweetest available on today’s market. Due to the strong taste, Shiraz is best sipped after a meal, or enjoyed in small amounts in general. It’s thought of as a very dry wine, with a taste that can increase as the liquid is allowed to ferment and age.

How is Shiraz made?

Generally speaking, the style of Shiraz being made will be the first thing to be decided by the manufacturer. When creating the traditional style most producers will set about picking fresh grapes from their own groves and vineyards, or sourcing them from an organic source. The natural way in which the wine is produced is one of the most defining features of Syrah – but with options to replace one of the grapes with an alternative species, it can be possible to achieve a variety of flavours.

With the grapes harvested, most producers will rely on modern pressing facilities to ensure that the higher volume of grape juice is obtained. That being said, there are still many wineries in France that rely on the old fashioned method of push pressing – and several facilities make good use of their staff to press the grapes for several hours, before harvesting the liquid.

Once the grape juice has been properly extracted it will be reintroduced to the skin of the grapes, allowing it to ferment within vats to ensure quality control. After this period has come to its end, a testing process will ensue to gauge the volume of alcohol produced during fermentation. Shortly after a few other techniques are put into practice, the wine will be bottled and made available for purchase.

Other wines at Fox Creek include our outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon from 2015

Fox Creek Wines Shiraz

Address: 90 Malpas Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171

Hours: Open today · 10am–5pm

Phone: (08) 8557 0000