Syrah is one of the ultimate terroir hunting grapes, and has made a home in several distinctive terroirs in South America. As we celebrate Syrah Day this 16th February, we wanted to bring you the ultimate guide to Syrah in South America and the best wines to try from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil.
Ever since its introduction into the continent over a hundred years ago, it has found a home and quite unique expressions in the coastal regions of Chile, the Andes and mountainous wine regions of Argentina and Chile, and also in the coastal wine regions of Uruguay and some new high-altitude expressions in Brazil.
Guide to Syrah in Chile
Hectares planted: 7,400 hectares
Key descriptors
Deep ruby/violet colour. Aromas of black olives, violets, black pepper & cassis. Dry with lively acidity (high), fine, spicy tannins (medium +), and full body.
Chilean Syrah can be incredibly exciting. It comes from widely diverse wine regions, so you can taste cool-coast Syrah with tightrope acidity and meaty, black olive flavours from the likes of Limarí or Leyda, or plush Syrah filled to the brim with juicy black fruit from the warmth of the central valleys such as Apalta, or spicy mountain Syrah from the heights of the Andes in Elqui and Aconcagua. As a variety that really transmits terroir, Syrah in Chile can offer a thrilling journey through its wine regions.
Being incredibly versatile as a variety means that Syrah is widely planted around the different wine regions and, of course, there are some less exciting Syrah wines at the lower end — often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon — but it always offers great value at every price point. An emerging trend of Mediterranean-style blends with Garnacha, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah is also very exciting. If you taste some of the wines at the top end, you get some wonderfully diverse expressions from the different regions.
See our favourite Chilean Syrah wines below!
Favourite Chilean Syrah producers
