Say it With Shiraz

Australia's fave red grape for a reason!

Shiraz may be the poster boy for red wine. Even our newby wine friends know what it is and that it packs a punch. Full of fruit but savoury too, it has smoky overtones with plenty of pepper; it handles oak well and ages splendidly. The grape is, without a doubt, most famously from France and Australia. It’s named Shiraz in Australia, and Syrah in France - and the rest of the world too (and confusingly, it can also be in Australia too, when the winemaker wants to label it as a more elegant, fragrant white pepper-and-violet, savoury style!).

3 super Shiraz to try

In this special pack you'll enjoy: Bondar 'Lito' Shiraz 2022 Bondar is the brainchild of Andre Bondar, who spent many of his younger years trotting the globe, figuring out what he liked when it came to wines, and checking out how things were done in some of the best wine locations on earth. He worked as a winemaker in both McLaren Vale and France’s Rhône Valley, and while the wines he makes today have clear influences from both sides of the planet, he and his winemaking family give his collection of bottles a character that is entirely their own. Opaque purple in the glass, this conjures up chilly weather and flame-cooked proteins! Plenty to taste here - black plum, currant and underripe fig, with olive and rose petal floating around in there. It has a salty finish with very soft tannins - it doesn’t feel heavy, but is gentle, with long trails of flavour. Generous and fresh at the same time. Boots & All 'Endless Yarn' Shiraz 2020 For Cathy and Neil who make Boots & All, the name is never more apt with their roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and honest approach. Cathy is the winemaker, and Neil handles the logistics of day-to-day winery operations, and they certainly give it their boots and all. Their main operation is for their main winery, Whicher Ridge, yet this label has been made in partnership with the Good Paid Days team. So, to people like Cathy and Neil who give it their all and at least at the end of the day, they don’t have to go searching too hard for a good glass of wine.The ‘Endless Yarn’ sure has some personality, just like any old mate at a pub chewing your ear off. The Shiraz has plenty of bright red plums working their way across the bar, and then there is a waft of spice, like the pasta at the salad bar. The finish is as loud as the publican for a call of last drinks with a touch of vanilla and tannin grip. Sunshine & Spur Shiraz 2024 We love being just slightly ahead of the curve here at Good Pair Days, so when the opportunity came to collaborate with Aaron Mercer on a range of preservative-free wines, we jumped at the chance! Crammed with an array of juicy blueberry, blackberry and redcurrant aromas alongside pretty violets and notes of vanilla, clove, milk chocolate and pepper, this Shiraz is vibrant and plush with a textural, almost creamy mouthfeel. Medium-bodied with soft tannins, it’s a great way to end your day. No added preservatives, sunshine in a bottle!

Interesting to note

Shiraz first came into use largely from a simple Australianising of the grape name when the first cuttings were imported back in the 19th century.