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California Syrah

Details: Syrah is a noble grape variety that can produce some serious, long-lived red wines. The usual aroma and flavor descriptors include blackberry, cassis, black pepper, smoke, as well as dry, dark and tannic.

The Syrah Grape

Through DNA testing, Syrah has shown to be a cross of a black variety, Dureza, and a white variety, Mondeuse, both with origins in France's Rhône region and earlier fabled origins in the Middle East. The grape is also known as Sirah, and in Australia and South Africa, it is called Shiraz. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, which is altogether a different grape variety, identified more recently as Durif through DNA testing. Although Syrah acreage has existed in California for some time, such as the pre-Prohibition plantings in Mendocino County, substantial plantings have occurred in the 1990s. Today, as of 2016, the most acreage is in San Luis Obispo County with 2,346 acres, followed by San Joaquin County, 1,852 acres, and Sonoma County, 1,691 acres. Syrah’s grape crush of 108,355 tons in 2016 accounted for 2.6 percent of the total state winegrape crush.

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Top 10 California Counties for Syrah Acreage, 2016

County	2016 Total Acres
San Luis Obispo	2,346
San Joaquin	1,852
Sonoma	1,691
Madera	1,562
Monterey	1,426
Fresno	1,352
Santa Barbara	1,307
Sacramento	1,014
Napa	890
Mendocino	658
Other	3063
STATE TOTAL	17,161

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

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California Syrah Grape Crush Tonnage

Year	Tons Crushed
2016	108,355
2015	93,260
2014	114,298
2013	132,538
2012	132,486
2011	109,423
2010	127,630
2009	133,003
2008	102,231
2007	126,945
2006	118,241
2005	147,312
2004	101,249
2003	110,249
2002	101,538
2001	89,144
2000	72,787
1999	44,099
1998	22,017
1997	9,983
1996	5,099
1995	3,444
1994	2,570
1993	1,975
1992	1,191
1991	865
1990	586

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.