Syrah

Originating in Isère (F) from a natural cross between Dureza from Ardèche and Mondeuse Blanche from Savoie, Syrah gets its name from the Latin serus (meaning late), in reference to its late ripening. Recorded in 1781 in the Hermitage vineyard in the Rhone valley, it was introduced from there to Valais (Switzerland) in 1921, at the Domaine de l'Etat in Leytron. Most of the vines are still found in Valais, where Syrah produces wines of international stature that are spicy, with a note of blond tobacco, a silky flavour and great volume.