Heritage Shiraz

Shiraz / Syrah – A Storied History

There are those who insist—usually over a second glass—that Syrah began its life some 5,000 years ago in the Persian city of Shiraz, a place of sun, spice, and ancient intrigue.

From there, so the story goes, it was spirited westward by the adventurous Phocaeans, who planted it near their seaside outpost of Massilia, now known as Marseille, sometime around 600 BC. One imagines amphorae sloshing gently in the hull, the beginnings of something rather wonderful tucked among the cargo.

Then, as all good stories require, a touch of romance arrives.

In 1224, a certain Sir Gaspard de Stérimberg—wounded, no doubt heroically, during the Albigensian Crusade—returned to France and sought a quieter life. Granted permission by Queen Blanche of Castile to recover, he climbed a hill in the Rhône, built himself a modest hermitage, and planted vines. There, in solitude, he tended both his injuries and his grapes, producing wine of such character that the place took on his name: Hermitage—the hermit’s hill.

It is said that Gaspard introduced the Shiraz grape to this corner of France, where it flourished and, over time, became known more formally as Syrah. The Australians, practical as ever, kept the name Shiraz when cuttings made their way to Parramatta in 1831, courtesy of the indefatigable James Busby. Eventually, the longer “Hermitage Shiraz” was trimmed down—much like a well-pruned vine—to the simpler, sturdier Shiraz.

Of course, modern science has stepped in with its test tubes and tidy conclusions, informing us that Syrah is the offspring of two rather less romantic varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche, both from southeastern France. Sensible, no doubt. Accurate, even.

And yet, it lacks a certain charm.

Because when one is sitting in the late afternoon with a glass of Shiraz in hand, watching the light soften over the vineyard, it is far more pleasing to imagine a wounded knight on a lonely hill, coaxing life from the soil and finding solace in the quiet rhythm of the vines.

Heritage ~ possessed as a natural result of birth.

We named the wine Heritage, celebrating both the heritage of these vines and our own Australian roots. Visitors from Australia seem to agree, often making Heritage Shiraz a favorite—proof that tradition, care, and a little ingenuity go a long way.

Rhône varieties are exacting by nature, thriving only where drainage is swift and the soils are laced with gravel. At our Home Ranch, centuries of flowing water have shaped just such a place—a gentle bench beside a stony rise, where vines are forced to root deep, drawing character and complexity from the earth below. It is an ideal setting for crafting Shiraz of depth and distinction.

In our pursuit of authenticity, we went beyond nurseries and returned to the source itself. Cuttings were taken directly from revered vineyards in McLaren Vale—the heart of Australian Shiraz—and Hermitage, the spiritual home of Rhône Syrah.

These are not simply descendants, but living extensions of those storied vines, now rooted in the soils of Dry Creek Valley, carrying their heritage forward with remarkable clarity.

To complete the expression, we embrace a time-honored Rhône tradition: co-fermenting a small portion of Viognier with the Shiraz. This subtle addition lifts the aromatics, refines the structure, and weaves a seamless elegance through the wine—transforming power into grace, and intensity into harmony.