I contemplated for a good while before writing this column, wondering whether to title it The Syrah story instead. Syrah is the name of the grape the French made famous. It is one of the few French wine that can stand up to the Bordeaux and Burgundy brigade. It is also a highly popular grape elsewhere, one that can often stand to make a good wine purely by itself, without any structure-giving, colour- enriching, or aroma-enhancing addition.

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France may have done a lot for it, and it can never be forgotten, but today, Australia is another place that is adding to the cache of great wines of the world. And they have chosen the grape’s original name, Shiraz, as it was christened after the port town in Persia (former Iran) from where it was procured by the French originally. But is that all there is in common to the grape in this nation?

My travel started in the MacLaren Vale, where the climate is warm and fruit maturity, a given. Shiraz is widely planted here, as also Grenache and Mourvedre. The wine styles often allude to a style that prefers to blend these three grapes, although in varying percentages. D’Arenberg is one house that comes to mind, not just for its wines but also for its super-vibrant team, as also the LOL names they use for their wine. Another iconic wine is the Henley by Geoff Merrill.

Moving on, Adelaide Hills, where the climate is much cooler, isn’t really Shiraz area although, having said that, no area in Australia (or any part for the world for that matter) should ever be labelled so. There is also some Shiraz grown here in the region, in little micro- climate zones that are suited to the grape, and in years when ripeness is bountiful, the wines are enjoyable, even though much lighter than Barossa.

This brings us to Barossa, the most popular wine region from Australia. A pity really, for it seems to overcast several other equally prolific regions, from Margaret River to Hunter Valley. Barossa is truly Shiraz country — a valley floor so small that it is possible to stand on one hill and scan it in entirety. The wines are big, with ripe and luscious layers of fruit and spice, more fruit though.

And this is very different from the style of wines to be found in the Yarra Valley in the state next door, ‘the place to be’, Victoria. Cooler climates and great difference in day and night temperature make this a great zone for Pinot reds, Chardonnay whites, or sparkling wines with a mix of the two. Any juxtaposition of the word Yering as a prefix, suffix, or self- contained entity, generally means the wine is from the Yarra. Yeringberg, for example, is a lovely family owned winery with all the elegance and charm of old school winemaking techniques.

The page runs short even though the ideas pour on. To sum up, Australia isn’t just about good food, fantastic wines, awesome locales, and one of the most fun-loving people in the world; it is about...wait a minute, I covered it all. Sorry, it is about just that.