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The Napa Valley AVA now joins the ONLINE ranks with The Mendocino County AVA and The Sierra Foothills AVA pages! Click on the links in the navigation bar visit those pages. Explore Syrah |
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Syrah is the same thing as Shiraz, which is the common spelling in Australia and South Africa. In Australia, it is also known as Hermitage. Syrah is a different grape than Petite Sirah though it does have the distinction of being Petite Sirah's father. Click on the Explore Petite Sirah link in the navigation bar on the left to learn more. Syrah, originated in the northern Rhone region of France and it is known as a "noble grape."
A Little History
Research, unfortunately, has dispelled the romantic notions about Syrah's originating from near the ancient the city of Shiraz in Persia, now Iran/Iraq. DNA testing in 1998 confirmed that the grape originated in the northern Rhone Valley of France. The fabled part of the story tells of a crusader, Guy De'Sterimberg who, in 1225, brought the grape home with him from Persia to the Rhone region. The true part of the story is that Guy did return to France from the crusade. He subsequently became a hermit turning his life over to reflection and meditation. There, in Rhone, on a high hillside near the town of Tain L'Hermitage, he planted a vineyard. Eventually many people visited him on his hilltop to benefit from his wisdom and his wine and thus the fame of both spread. So, in this way, the grapes became known as Hermitage. This is Rhone's most famous region.
Syrah has had plantings in Mendocino County AVA dating back before Prohibition but it is a relative newcomer to the rest of California.
Terroir
Since 1990 Syrah's popularity has grown quickly and in 2004 there were nearly 18,000 acres planted in California. San Luis Obispo, in the Central Coast AVA, has the most Syrah vines planted, next is Sonoma County in the North Coast AVA, and third is San Joaquin in the Central Valley AVA. These are widely diverse areas which should have a significant influence on the characteristics of the wine. The grape is also grown in Madera, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Napa and Mendocino. Stay tuned as we work our way through the regions and report on how the terroir of these places influences Syrah's character.
The Syrah grape is a quick ripening one and requires warmth and full summer sun to bring it to its peak. Terroir has a big influence on the character of this wine. It will be fruitier in warmer regions and more spice driven in cooler regions. The wine has a deep violet, almost black color. This is a full bodied wine, often described as "chewy" and it is marked by spicy peppery characteristics and a smoky aroma. Typical fruit flavors are those of blackberries and plums. Commonly there is a cocoa and/or licorice finish. Because of its relatively high tannins it can be aged for ten to fifteen years. Try decanting younger Syrah or allowing it to breathe for several hours before drinking to bring out more of the fruit character and to mellow the tannins.
Click on the links in the navigation bar on the left to explore the AVAs listed. Each link will take you down this page to more information about that AVA. From there you will be directed to more information about the region including lists of wineries. These pages will provide the tools you need to create your own self guided tour. Your exploration can focus on one region or follow a route to sample the highlights of several.
California American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)
American Viticultural Areas are unique legally designated grape growing areas that are defined by the ATF. These regions are most often defined by their topography, soil types, climate and sometimes historical relevance.
| North Coast | Mendocino County, Lake County, Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Marin County and Solono County |
| Sierra Foothills | North Yuba, El Dorado, Fair Play, CA Shenandoah Valley, Fiddletown |
| Inland | Yolo County, Madera County, Sacramento County, |
| Delta | San Joaquin County, Siskiyou County, Stanislaus County |
| Central Coast | Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara Santa Cruz |
| South Coast | Los Angeles County, Riverside & San Bernardino, San Diego County |
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The Mendocino County AVA is located in the California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). Mendocino is diverse with cool ocean regions, high mountain vineyards and fog moderated Russian and Navarro River valleys inland. Syrah has some versatility despite the fact that it matures quickly thereby generally requiring relatively warm growing conditions. Warmer Mendocino County regions will create a more fruit forward wine while cooler areas bring forward its spicy character. Syrah typically has fairly high tannins but the grapes grown in the high Mendocino Ridge AVA are marked by soft, silky tannins.
The Mendocino County AVA Syrah page is NOW ONLINE! Click on the logo to go to the Mendocino Syrah page for detailed information about each sub-AVA including lists of wineries. There are additional links to food and lodging opportunities in Mendocino County.
Pair Syrah with beef, lamb, pork, venison and hearty stews with rosemary, thyme and other strong savory herbs. It goes well with Parmesan and Camembert and smoky cheeses.
| Mendocino | Mendocino Ridge |
| Anderson Valley | Redwood Valley |
| Potter Valley | Cole Ranch |
| McDowell Valley | Yorkville Highlands |
| Dos Rios |
The Lake County AVA surrounds Clear Lake, California's biggest natural lake. Lake County is next door to and east of Mendocino. This is a growing viticultural area. There are fourteen wineries that produce mostly Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. Topographically, the elevation is between 1,370 feet at the valley floor and the 2,000 foot extinct volcano, Mount Konocti. The soil is composed of rich alluvial sediment in the valley and red volcanic soil at the higher elevations.
The pages about these locations are under development.
| Benmore Valley | Clear Lake |
| Guenoc Valley | High Valley |
| Red Hills-California |
The Sonoma County AVA is located in the major California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). Sonoma is Mendocino's southern neighbor and Napa Valley's western neighbor. Sonoma's western border is formed by rugged, Pacific Ocean wave pounded bluffs. The Mayacamas Mountain Ranges create Sonoma's eastern border. Route 12 runs the length of Sonoma from Glen Ellen in the north and Santa Rosa in the south.
The coastal regions are cooled by breezes coming directly off of the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Daytime warmth increases quickly and dramatically as one travels Inland. This inland climate is moderated by nighttime and morning fog and cool ocean breezes coming up the Russian River to valleys as the fog wanders its way through the county. Syrah is second among the most widely planted grape varietals in Sonoma County.
During ancient times Sonoma County was covered by an inland sea but the Pacific Plate grinding its way under the North American Plate pushed up the coastal ranges. Volcanic activity laid down layers of ash and lava contributing to a complicated mosaic of soil types in the region. These elements are significant in the terroir that has made Sonoma's wines some of the best in the world.
Please check back since the Sonoma County AVA is in the works and will be available soon!!!
| Alexander Valley | Chalk Hill |
| Dry Creek | Knights Valley |
| Los Carneros | Northern Sonoma |
| Russian River Valley | Sonoma Coast |
| Sonoma Green Valley | Sonoma Mountain |
| Sonoma Valley |
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The Napa Valley AVA right next door to Sonoma County, is the next stop on our journey south in the California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). The region is mostly commonly referred to as "Napa Valley" since most of it is nestled between the Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca mountains in the east. The 4,343 foot Mt. St. Helena and the town of Calistoga mark its northern border. Surprisingly, this northern region is warmer because it is sheltered from ocean influences by the coastal ranges. South, is the city of Napa and San Pablo Bay which connects to San Francisco Bay. The bays are conduits for cool air and fog from the ocean that moderates the temperatures in this southern portion of Napa.
This is a 30 mile stretch of complicated geologic history as over millions of years, tectonic plates collided causing volcanic activity spewing lava and ash. During that time ocean levels rose and fell and water infiltrated from the bays to lay down layers of ocean soils. This has contributed to more than 30 different soils making up the ground of Napa. Once again, terroir is created by the variety of soils and combined with the numerous microclimates. These contribute to the success of just about any varietal of grape and Syrah is among them.
There are more than 400 wineries in Napa Valley. This is an exceedingly diverse area and there are several little known regions that are well worth the effort to explore.
Please check back since the Napa Valley AVA is in the works and will be available soon!!!
| Howell Mountain | St. Helena |
| Chiles Valley | Spring Mountain |
| Rutherford | Oakville |
| Mt. Veeder | Yountville |
| Stags Leap | Atlas Peak |
| Oak Knoll | Los Carneros |
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Click on the logo to go to The Sierra Foothills Syrah page. The Sierra Foothills AVA is on the Western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. There are 5 sub-AVAs (listed below) that make up the Foothills. The vineyards in the Sierra Foothills are relatively remote and are found at elevations between 1,200 to 3,600 feet above sea level which is well above the fog line. This makes for long, sunny summer days. The soils from 1,200 to about 2,000 foot levels are made of decomposed granite and at elevations above the 3,000 foot level there is crushed volcanic rock. Both soil types provide good drainage but lack many nutrients. So what's this about nutrients? Aren't they good? Grape vines tend to restrict the amount of grapes they produce when nutrients are sparse. The result is that those grapes end up with a greater concentration of those desirable characteristics--meaning better wine. The Sierra Foothills Syrah page provides more information about the unique qualities of this region's Syrah. You will find hints about food pairings, lists of wineries and links to associations and Chambers of Commerce for more information about restaurants, lodging and local highlights.
| North Yuba | El Dorado |
| Fair Play | Fiddletown |
| CA Shenandoah Valley |
The Inland region is not an AVA but it is a region located east of San Francisco Bay and the Coastal Ranges and west of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. The town of Red Bluff is on the northern end and Sacramento, the state capital, marks the southern border. This 120 mile long valley is protected from ocean breezes and fogs by the Coastal Ranges. Chardonnay and Zinfandel are the most widely grown grapes. Many of the sub-AVAs in this region are one vineyard enterprises so they have been grouped together under the county heading.
Stay tuned for more information about these regions including lists of wineries and specific terroir information per AVA as well as links for area food, lodging and points of interest.
| Yolo County | Madera County |
| Sacramento County |
The Delta region is not an AVA but we have collected the following counties geographically into this category. This is an area that contains some of the most fertile soils in the world. The Delta region is located east of San Francisco Bay and the Coastal Ranges and west of the Sierra Nevada Foothills in the west. The San Joaquin Valley is cooled by ocean breezes and fogs filtering through the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most widely grown grapes.
Stay tuned for information about these sub-AVAs.
| San Joaquin County | Siskiyou County |
| Stanislaus County |
The Bay Area AVA is marked by great diversity in geography and microclimates influenced by mountains, by the ocean and by valleys. Each region produces equal diversity in the character of the wines. The upper elevations of of the Santa Cruz Mountains, combined with the cool ocean breezes create dense, spicy fruitful wines. Valley regions have climates moderated by ocean fog that is blown into them.
Stay tuned for more information about the Bay Area AVAs.
| Ben Lamond Mountain | Livermore |
| San Francisco Bay | San Ysidro District |
| Santa Clara Valley | Santa Cruz Mountains |
The Central Coast AVA is one of the largest and stretches from San Francisco County south to Santa Barbara County. That is 250 miles long and 25 miles wide. This region mostly features Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all of which favor the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay. Paso Robles is distinct within the region being 20 miles inland which allows for warm days but the topography brings ocean filtered air to cool the nights. This is an area of diverse topography creating the magical microclimates that allow for a diversity of varietals to thrive.
These pages will be available soon.
| Alameda | Contra Costa |
| Monterey | San Benito |
| San Francisco | San Luis Obispo |
| San Mateo | Santa Barbara |
| Santa Clara | Santa Cruz |
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