Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape but with radically different styles depending on origin. In the northern Rhône in France – Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie – Syrah produces a lean, elegant and complex wine with black pepper, violets, olives and smoky notes. Flavour and structure are tannic but elegant. In Australia, primarily Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, Shiraz takes a different direction: dark berries, chocolate, coffee extract and liquorice dominate, the wine is full-bodied and fruity. Climate is the decisive factor: cool temperatures produce spice and structure, warmth produces fruit and body. Both styles are magnificent but in entirely different universes.