Originally, Shiraz was called 'Syrah' and was cultivated in the Rhone valley in France. Locked away in the Old World, it failed to meet much potential. As a varietal, the French Syrah was a dense, syrupy affair; French Syrahs were called 'monsters' because they had to be "tamed" by extended cellar aging before they were drinkable. Otherwise, Syrah had to be blended with large amounts of another grape, usually Grenache , to tone it down.

But move it to the Southern Hemisphere and change its name to Shiraz , and look what a difference it makes! In the climate and terroirs of Australia, Shiraz becomes a milder, lighter, much more well-behaved wine. And then while we're blazing a daring new path through the Outback brush, lets just try making a sparkling wine with it. The result, Sparkling Shiraz, produces a royal burgundy potion with a fleecy bubbly layer of maroon on top, and has the flavor of a fruity claret combined with the joyful fizz of French Champagne. International wine critics have remarked upon this surprising discovery. And if it was left up to the French, we'd never get to experience it.

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