# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In-Depth Knowledge

Take a deep dive into understanding the complex nature of Pinot Noir.

Sparkling Backbone

When it comes to the prestigious world of sparkling wine, particularly Champagne, Pinot Noir is the unsung hero. As one of the triumvirate of grapes in traditional Champagne, alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, it's the muscular backbone providing structure and depth. However, it isn't just brute force. Pinot Noir contributes a complex array of red fruit characteristics, intermingling notes of strawberry and raspberry that weave through the sparkling wine's tapestry. Additionally, it augments Champagne's potential for aging, allowing the wine to mature and evolve complex secondary and tertiary aromas over time. Look for Blanc de Noirs Champagne to really taste Pinot's influence.

Clone Wars

Venture into the realm of Pinot Noir genetics and you'll find yourself in a kaleidoscope of clones. Thanks to its inherent genetic instability, Pinot Noir has birthed a dizzying number of clones, each variant capturing a different expression of the grape's persona. It's a viticultural cornucopia, with over 1000 identified clones that present an extensive array of attributes to explore. This genetic capriciousness extends further, with mutations such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. These grapes are essentially Pinot Noir in disguise, color mutations that have ventured down their own viticultural paths but link back to the Pinot Noir family tree.

Old Timer

Plunge into the history books and Pinot Noir appears as one of the most ancient grape varieties, its roots entwining with the beginnings of viticulture itself. This vinous veteran, originating from Burgundy, has spread its vines across the globe, but not without challenges. Its propensity for early budding, coupled with thin skins, makes it a capricious cultivar that demands constant attention and care. Yet, it's the grape's idiosyncrasies that endear it to winemakers. Its transparent expression of terroir, a trait unrivaled in the wine world, has the power to transform the humble grape juice into wines of astounding complexity and sublime elegance. Pinot Noir's history and future lie in this paradox, a grape variety that continually tests the limits of winemakers while offering unparalleled rewards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Comprehensive Guide to Pinot Noir | Wine Folly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pinot Noir is a red wine grape now dominant in Burgundy and popular around the world. Pinot Noir wine aroma is cherries, red berries, and stewed fruit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Handling

SERVE
60-68°F / 15-20°C

GLASS TYPE
Universal

DECANT
1 Hour

CELLAR
10+ Years

Food Pairing

Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with Lamb Shawarma, Gyros, Asian 5-spice pork, and even Indian tandoori meats.

Fun Facts About Syrah Wine

1. Called Syrah in most of the world, the name "Shiraz" became the typical name for this grape in Australia.

2. DNA profiling confirmed that this grape originated along the Rhône in France.

3. From the 1980s to the mid-2000s, Syrah increased in planted hectares from approximately 10,000 ha. to over 450,000 ha.

4. Syrah makes some of the darkest red wine in the world.

5. Syrah has extremely tough skin, prompting winemakers to to soak the grapes in gold water for days or even weeks.

What To Look for in Syrah Wine

When you taste Syrah you'll be greeted with a punch of flavor that tapers off and then has a spicy peppery note in the aftertaste.

Because of its front-loaded style, Syrah is often blended with grapes that add more mid-palate, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to help make the wine taste more complete.

Syrahs from Italy and France tend to have more acidity and earthy-herbaceous aromas. Syrah wines from Australia, The U.S. and South America usually have more fruit-driven characteristics with lots of spice.

How Much Should You Expect to Spend?

Good value for Syrah exists around the $50 mark, and great examples of the wine can range into the hundreds of dollars. The most important part is considering where the wine comes from and what characteristics you should expect.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Comprehensive Guide to Syrah | Wine Folly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Syrah is a dark red wine grape currently popular with growers in France and the U.S. Syrah wines make many styles and blends.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes

Wine drinkers today can find many Cabernet Sauvignon options in the market. Some Cabernet Sauvignon wines are sumptuous and fruity, others are savory and smoky. It all depends on where the Cabernet Sauvignon grows and how it's made into wine.

Here are some of the top Cabernet regions and how they taste:

Bordeaux, France

TASTING NOTES: Black Currant, Anise, Tobacco Leaf, Plum Sauce, Pencil Lead

Bordeaux is very much the "OG" Cabernet Sauvignon growing region. It's here where you'll find some of the most savory and age-worthy expressions of the grape. Still, you won't find a lot of single-varietal Cab here - most are blended into the region's eponymous "Bordeaux Blend."

Cabernet Sauvignon performs best on the gravelly soils in Bordeaux. So, if you're looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine, look to the sub-regions of the Médoc, Graves, and gravelly areas within Côtes de Bourg and Blaye.
Read more about Bordeaux wine.
North Coast, California

TASTING NOTES: Black Currant, Blackberry, Pencil Lead, Tobacco, Mint

The North Coast AVA ( American Viticulture Area) includes Napa Valley, Sonoma, and some lesser-known regions that produce outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon.

The area became known for Cabernet when in 1976, an English wine merchant held a blind-tasting featuring French and Californian wines with France's top wine critics. Later dubbed "The Judgement of Paris," the Californian wines won, proving that great wine could be made outside of France!

(BTW, a great documentary on the Judgement of Paris and blind tasting is Somm III)
Read more about Napa Cabernet.
South Australia

TASTING NOTES: Black Plum, White Pepper, Currant Candy, Chocolate, Bay Leaf

The Coonawarra region in South Australia is typified by its warm climate and red clay soils (called "terra rossa") with high iron-oxide content. This region, along with Langhorne Creek are famous for their exceptional (and unique) expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wines have ample depth and powerful tannins with distinct notes of white pepper or bay leaf. It's common to find exceptional quality Australian Cabernet wines bottled under screw cap. So, don't be deterred by the bottle top!
Read more about South Australian wine.
Chile

TASTING NOTES: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Fig Paste, Baking Spices, Green Peppercorn

Chile offers some of the best values for exceptional quality Cabernet Sauvignon. While there is plenty of wine exported from the vast Central Valley in Chile, the best Cabernet comes from the Aconcagua, Maipo, Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys.

The location of Maipo Valley between the cooling Pacific Ocean breezes and hot, inland Andes Mountains produces one of the most ideal Mediterranean climates for Cabernet Sauvignon. You'll find top quality Maipo wines from the sub-region, Alto Maipo.
Read more about Chilean Cabernet.
Unlikely Origins

Cabernet Sauvignon means "wild Cabernet" and the grape originated in the Aquitaine Department of France (includes Bordeaux).

In 1997, researchers at UC Davis (Carole Meredith and John Bowers) shocked the world. They discovered Cabernet Sauvignon was a child of Sauvignon Blanc (and Cabernet Franc).

It's true that Sauvignon Blanc leaves look very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon vines. That said, no one ever thought that a white grape could parent such a world class red. Who woulda thunk!

Cabernet Sauvignon's "Green" Flavors

Cabernet Sauvignon is related to a slew of other grapes in Bordeaux that people generally refer to as "the Bordeaux varieties." These grapes include Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Carménère, and Sauvignon Blanc.

One of the intriguing similarities shared amongst the Bordeaux varieties is the presence of an aromatic compound group also found in green bell pepper (called methoxypyrazine).

When sniffing Cabernet Sauvignon, you may note subtle smells of green peppercorn, graphite, dark chocolate, or even bell pepper.

For many years, the bell pepper compound was considered a negative "green" component in Bordeaux wines. As it happens, many consumers prefer their wines to taste fruity! So, viticulturists learned how to reduce "greenness" in wine with special pruning methods.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cabernet Sauvignon: Everything You Need To Know | Wine Folly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cabernet Sauvignon - The world's most popular red wine grape is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, France.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TL; DR
Syrah (AKA Shiraz) is known around the world for its power and spice. Cooler climates produce a much more savoury and peppery expression than the typical rich Aussie blockbuster.

Shiraz may well be the poster boy for wine. Even our non-wine friends (we don't have very many of those) know what it is and that it packs a punch. Full of fruit, but savoury too, it has smoky overtones with plenty of pepper. Handles oak well and ages splendidly.

Shiraz is native to the northern Rhône Valley in eastern France.

Though you may sometimes hear previously held theories that this grape was native to either the Greek island of Syrah or the city of Shiraz in Iran, there just isn't much evidence to back these ideas up.

Syrah is without a doubt most famously from France and Australia (where it's better known as Shiraz).

Some of the most famous French examples of Syrah are from the northern Rhône Valley, where it is the exclusive red grape. But when it comes to reading the wine label, you won't see "Syrah" on the bottle. Instead, the sub-region will be mentioned. So look for Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Joseph.

Syrah is also an important player in the southern Rhône, though not as often as a single varietal but as a blending partner with Grenache and Mouvedre, making the famous "GSM" blend (Grenache - Syrah- Mourvedre). And further south still, Syrah is an important grape in the Languedoc- Roussilon where it is used with other local red grapes to make delicious red blends.

In Australia, the grape has a cult following for wines from the Barossa Valley. However, it's found home all across the country making a range of styles, both as a single varietal expression (most commonly) and contributing to GSM blends.

This grape loves temperate to warm climates and has also found great success in the USA, particularly in eastern Washington and California, as well as Spain, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. It's one of those grapes that can really travel!

There can be quite a range of flavours here depending on the region this grape is from. French expressions are often more savoury and tend towards flavours of lavender, black cherry, pepper and olives. The best of these is at once floral, smoky, spicy and balanced - quite elegant.

On the other hand, Australian Shiraz tends to be much more weighty and bold. Think luscious and fruity, loaded with plum, raisin and plenty of oaky richness which brings extra spice and notes of vanilla. This is also similar to the style from other New World producers, ensuring that the power of these wines is not in doubt.

Both are equally delicious, and are simply a matter of taste!

The climate the grapes were grown in has a big impact on the final style. That is, warmer climates typically result in a wine with a generous load of fruit, weight, and often a fair hit of oak (like in Australia). And cooler climates translate to more lavender, olive, pepper and earthiness (like in France).

It's important to note that in New World regions the wine can be labelled either "Syrah" or "Shiraz". This is up to the producer. Typically the choice to use "Syrah" indicates that the winemaker has intended it to resemble the more floral and savoury French style. Whereas the choice to use "Shiraz" indicates the wine was made in a bolder more powerful, Australian style.

The best food pairings with Syrah will be able to match Syrah's robust structure and bold, savoury flavours. So go for big, intense and richer dishes. You can never go wrong with anything that comes off the BBQ - think steak, burgers, and eggplant! It's also a real champ paired with braised meat, stews, grilled mushrooms, roast lamb and eggplant lasagne.

When Syrah first came to Australia, it was called exactly that, Syrah. But the Australians nick-named it "Shiraz" and now the name has spread across the world!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shiraz: Taste, Styles & Food Pairings | Good Pair Days

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TL; DR Syrah (AKA Shiraz) is known around the world for its power and spice. Cooler climates produce a much more savoury and peppery expression than the typical rich Aussie blockbuster. Shiraz may well be the poster boy for wine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TL; DR
Sometimes called the 'King of Grapes', Cab Sav is a red powerhouse that is known for its capacity to age.

Cabernet is a really complex grape that takes some taming. It has huge ageing potential thanks to its strong acidity and plentiful tannins. The fruit of the wine is generally balanced out by herbal 'green' flavours, which can be off-putting for some, and for others magnetizing!

When done well the powerful attributes of the wine are well balanced and in harmony with the oak ageing.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape child result of a secret French love affair between the red grape Cabernet Franc and white grape Sauvignon Blanc. Well sort of. In the 17th century, the two grapes "accidentally" bred, creating a natural crossing of the two. The result? Cabernet Sauvignon! We'll never tell Cab Sauv they were an accident though ;)

Cabernet Sauvignon is a true globetrotter. In fact it's one of the most widely planted grapes in the world! Having its home in Bordeaux certainly helped its rapid expansion, as the Bordelaise (those coming from Bordeaux) are excellent marketers of their own product!

It's most famously from France (especially in the well-draining gravelly soils of the "Left Bank") where it's bottled as a single varietal, but more often than not, with Merlot.

It's also built a particularly strong reputation in Chile, the USA, Australia, Italy and South Africa.

In Australia, Cab Sauv is recognized by a unique menthol note, often thought to be attributed due to the local eucalyptus trees. In Italy, it's most often used in Super Tuscan blends. Meanwhile in the USA, the Napa Valley region of California has elevated Cab Sauv to "Cult bottle" status nearly parallel to Bordeaux ($$$$$), though in a much richer and fruit-forward style. South Africa also has made a name of fame for the grape, particularly in the Paarl and Setllenbosch regions.

Interesting enough, China and Spain, are not far behind in terms of hectares planted.

Cabernet is traditionally full-bodied, loaded with plenty of dark fruit (think blueberry and blackberry) and backed up by a zing of herbal/grassy kind of flavours. It's also known for its strong backbone of tannin - that furry, drying sensation you sometimes get with red wines. Cabernet has plenty of it! This grape also doesn't mind a bit of oak either, adding extra weight, vanilla and spicy flavours to the finished wine.

Cabernet shows rich sometimes even jammy dark fruits when from warmer regions. Whereas its inherent herbal tones will come out to play more in examples from cooler regions.

It's rare to see a 'light-bodied Cabernet', but some are more elegant than others. The Napa Valley in California produces the richest styles with the densest fruit flavours, and then Australia and Chile are just a step-down. Often Chilean Cabernet will have a more elevated herbal tone to them.

Bordeaux from France offers more earthy and spicy notes, with firmer tannins, and still packs a ton of power. Here it is famously blended with Merlot, though you often won't see it mentioned on the label!

Rich robust meats are classic, but there's so much more out there!

Bold and big Cabernets work with all varieties of red meat - grilled steak, roast pork etc, whilst more elegant versions are great with roasted vegetables, especially things like capsicum, spinach and eggplant. You can never go wrong with peppercorn sauce too!

Australia is home to the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world! There are vineyards in both the Barossa Valley and Langhorne creek that date back to 1888... incredible history!

Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo
About the Author & Artist Alex is a certified sommelier that spends more time running in old-growth forests than any other somm - impulsively training her nose while at it! A talented illustrator with a unique style, her doodling works are inspired by the world of wine - and somehow, seem to improve after a glass or two.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cabernet Sauvignon: Tastes, Food Matches & More | Good Pair Days

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TL; DR Sometimes called the 'King of Grapes', Cab Sav is a red powerhouse that is known for its capacity to age. Cabernet is a really complex grape that takes some taming. It has huge ageing potential thanks to its strong acidity and plentiful tannins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TL; DR

One of the greats. Light on its feet, but filled with flavour, this is a legendary red grape.

Dare we say it, but the greatest grape of all? The seductive one. A medium-bodied red that originated in Burgundy, in France. Pretty much the gateway drug for red wine - soft, silky and approachable, and very easy to drink!

Like most good grapes, it comes from France. The little region of Burgundy in the east of the country is home to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the worlds wildest and most expensive wines from both of these grapes come from here.

Germany also loves a good Pinot, where it is known as Spatburgunder.

The warmer countries like our own backyard, as well as the USA, also produce fantastic examples, filled with ripe fruit.

France - Burgundy

Australia - Yarra Valley, Macedon, Gippsland

New Zealand - Martinborough, Central Otago

USA - Oregon, Northern California

Germany - Baden, Ahr

If we had to pick one word to define Pinot Noir, we'd probably go for DELICIOUS.

In all seriousness though, silky could be the one. The texture of theses wines is just divine - very fine tannins and a lightness of touch. This is married to bright red fruits - think cherries and strawberries - plus lovely lifted floral characters, and in some wines a savoury earthiness.

The wines age very well, thanks to their juicy acidity and relatively low alcohol.

Probably most easily split into Fruity v Earthy, but this is simplifying a bit.

Some wines can do both (they're the ones to look out for) Australia & New Zealand nail the bright fruity ones, and there seem to be a greater proportion of earth, spicy wines from Burgundy.

Soft cheeses are heavenly here, as is richer poultry (duck & pinot is pretty much the best thing imaginable). Try BBQ quail, roast chicken or even roast salmon.

Want to learn more classic pairings with Pinot Noir? Check out these 5 Easy Pairings for Pinot Noir Lovers!

As their name suggests, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are related to Pinot Noir. In fact they are different-coloured clones of Pinot Noir!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pinot Noir: Taste, Styles, Food Pairings & More! | Good Pair Days

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TL; DR One of the greats. Light on its feet, but filled with flavour, this is a legendary red grape. Dare we say it, but the greatest grape of all? The seductive one. A medium-bodied red that originated in Burgundy, in France.