Shiraz has a long and rich history, working its way to be the 7th most popular grape variety in the world, and the most commonly grown red wine grape in Australia.

There existed only 2,700 hectares of Syrah vineyards in France in 1968, primarily in the traditional appellations of northern Rhône, which at that time had not received much attention in the wine world for several decades, and the vineyards of which were not planted to full capacity. After the wines of northern Rhône were rediscovered by wine writers in the 1970s, plantings expanded considerably. [Click title for more...]

Tags: introduction to wine, red wine, shiraz, syrah, the shiraz guide, varietals, wine, wine history, wine regions

Wine tasting has been practiced since far away, in history, actually, since wine started to be produced. It was only since the fourteenth century that wine tasting has become a more formal and sophisticated activity. These days, it is practiced both for recreational and professional purposes. Wine tasting has four phases of analysis, the first one taking into consideration, the appearance of the wine. In the second “in glass” phase, the aroma is put to the test. The third “in mouth” stage deals with the actual taste of the wine and the “finish” stage, with the “aftertaste”. [Click title for more...]

Tags: aroma, bouquet, labels, red wine, shiraz, syrah, terminology, the shiraz guide, vertical tastings, wine, wine appreciation, wine grapes, wine regions, wine tasting

Wines change over time. It’s important to produce desirable changes and stop damaging ones ones and you can do this by controlling the air, temperature, light, and humidity of the wine and keeping your bottles, labels, and corks in top condition.

Wine is best stored at 12ºC (55°F) and you should keep it at a constant temperature between 10-18°C (50-65°F ). Ensure you always avoid areas that can get too cold or vary in temperature garages. Humidity is a major killer of wine. Corks can dry out and leak, so you should always store them on their sides to keep cork moist and to prevent cracking. [Click title for more...]

Tags: cellar, cellaring, introduction to wine, red wine, shiraz, storage, syrah, the shiraz guide, wine, wine appreciation, wine investment, wine storage, wine transport