Shiraz/Syrah food pairing?!
Shiraz/Syrah food pairing?
What food pairs well with Shiraz/Syrah? I need to bring an appetizer type dish to a wine tasting tonight...
Answers:
it goes very well with barbeque stuff actually. Shiraz is also great for grilled meats or veggies, wild game, richly flavored red meats, beef stew and meat lover's pizza.
I drink shiraz a lot in the summer time when I am grilling anything from hot dogs, to chicken. It hold up well to most foods.
Keep in mind that there is also a significant difference amongst syrahs/shiraz. Depending on the terroir, the yield, and various other factors, you can buy an inexpensive Syrah that is rather light and fruity vs. a high quality one which can go into the hundreds a bottle, (Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Cornas, from France and Grange Hermitage from Australia, for example).
The more expensive ones are far more full bodied, complex, tannic, and age-worthy wines.
Generally speaking, the fuller bodied and richer the Shiraz the richer the food I would serve it with.
Thus, while I agree wiuth Lisa H that a simpler Syrah or Shiraz would make a great barbeque wine, a more serious syrah should be paired with red meat, roasts, game, and opulent cheeses.