International Syrah Day
February 16 · Level 2 · #1880 of 2238
This is a day for syrah, the dark-skinned grape, and the bold, peppery wines made from it. In Australia and South Africa the same grape is usually called shiraz.
How it is celebrated: wine lovers hold tastings, compare bottles from different countries and pair them with grilled meat, hard cheese or slow-cooked stews. Plenty of people simply open a bottle at home and share their notes online.
For a long time the grape was said to have come from the East, but DNA analysis showed it was born in south-eastern France, as a cross between two local varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.