Shiraz - Wine Rookie Question

The Aussies, who came up with the term, say sheer (like what you do to a sheep) raz (rhymes with has). Or at least the winemakers I know from down under say it that way. Bob Foster, San Diego

Same goes here in the U.S. as far as I know.

That sounds about right to me, except it wasn't the Aussies who came up with the name. Quite likely they don't pronounce it correctly either! Shiraz is a city in Iran, and close to where wine originated. Ironic that it isn't the local beverage there anymore, isn't it? :^(

BTW, Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape. I don't know why we spell and pronounce it differently here in the US, but we do.

Tom S

"Tom S" skrev i melding news:Xgtgc.52757$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr25.news.prodigy.com...

I once asked an Iranian colleague for the "right" pronounciation which turned out to be close to the usual continental European "sheerahs".

Tom, You are correct that Shiraz (pronounced "Sheer-AHZ" as Anders said) is a large city in S. Iran, there is no certainty that the Syrah/Shiraz grape has any connection to it. It *is* true that there was a famous wine made in that city prior to the ascendency of Islam, but research has established only that it was a red wine. Meanwhile, the best genetic evidence suggests that the Syrah cultivar was developed in France. The adoption of the name "Shiraz" for the grape in Oz was likely just a matter of the similarity in names.

Mark Lipton

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I didn't :-) - your version is better, of course, pointing out the stressed last syllable! Anders

LOL! Isn't that poo-ee-fwee-say?

Tom S

If I may tiptoe in here for a bit. I thought we were heading in the right direction earlier in the thread but now I've become a bit confused. If this pronunciation means that the "AHZ" is pronounced like 'Oz' then I think we're on the wrong track. The second syllable should rhyme with 'jazz' and can be slightly emphasized, but definitely not a lot.

My business takes me to Oz a couple times a year and in direct and personal contact with hundreds of Aussies, and every single one pronounces it the same way - sh-'razz. Can 19 millions Aussies be wrong? Probably, but just don't tell them that. They consider it THEIR wine.

Paul

On this topic (kinda) any suggestions for Bourgeuil?

I love that wine but I hate not being able to name it ;)

Thanks, Dan

Dan Gravell wrote in news:4084d40e$0 $26196$ snipped-for-privacy@news-text.dial.pipex.com:

you are not alone on either count, lol

You're correct in reference to the wine, but the city in Iran is pronounced as I described. Sorry for the confusion!

Mark Lipton

Swooper wrote......

From a Kiwi perspective - Shir AZZ does it for me. (Syrah = cir AHH)

Yes, but we say daRnce while you say dAnce! We say shit - you say shEEt!

Actually, my pet peeve is the way some people crassly abbreviate "Savvy" meaning Sauvignon.

Hell's teeth man, your accent is a piece of cake compared to some of the "English" I heard in rural Norfolk (England)

I had absolutely no idea what was being said - I literally needed an interpreter!!!!

??? I've never heard anyone pronounce tomato with an "r" in it. I've only heard toMAYto and toMAHto. Isn't that the way that song goes?

My sympathies from us, the totally _accentless_ folks here on the West Coast of the USA.

...well, except for all the New Yawkers and other immigrants that is... ;^D

S moT

As the person who started this thread, may I say this was fascinating? I am tacking my comments (and yeah, top posting...) to this response because it related to my thoughts.

I SWEAR I thought it was sher AZ as in jazz, but many in Pittsburgh, Pa seem to try an AH me to death and imply I don't know what I am saying. I also am wondering if 19 million Aussies might not know the way to say it? What I have learned, and why I like learning about wine here, is that no one really knows the right answer, so I can be more comfortable with my general lack of knowledge....

PattyC