by Bob Ross » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:08 am
Sue, since you've looked into this subject already, let me share a bit more with you -- researches are continuing of course.
The Shiraz/Scyras connection dates from 1833; it appears first as far as I know in History and Description of Modern Wines
By Cyrus Redding 1833
Hermitage is now produced from the Scyras, or Shiraz grape, supposed to have been originally Persian, the grape of Shiraz being the finest in the world. Page 20.
Red Hermitage is produced from two varieties of plants
named the little and great Scyras. A tradition is current
that this grape was brought from Schiraz, in Persia, by
one of the hermits of Bessas. Page 115.
Redding was the major writer on wine and grapes in England for at least 20 years; his 1851 edition of the same book contains the same connection:
Sometimes chance, but oftener design, effected these changes which wrought novelties in the product. Thus a few slips of vines from Candrieu, of the Scyras grape, transferred to the granite declivities of Tain, gave, as the result, the generous
white and red Hermitage. Page 30.
the Vionnier, grown at Condrieu with the Shiraz, or Scyras grape, said to have been brought from Persia, from whence the hermitage vines are taken. Page 47
Hermitage, as before observed, is produced from the Scyras, or Shiraz grape. Page 48.
Tradition says that an inhabitant of the town of Condrieu
determined to turn hermit, and established his cell on an
uncultivated hill near Tain. He amused his leisure hours by
breaking the stones and rocks to pieces which surrounded his
dwelling, and planting among them some vine-slips of the
vionnier species, from Condrieu. The shiraz, or scyras vine,
was afterwards introduced. It succeeded to admiration. The
hermit-s example was copied by others, and the sterile hillside
was soon converted into a vineyard.
Hermitage, a church wine in name, strength, and paternity, is grown on a hill near the town of Tain, in the arrondisse- ment of Valence, situated on the left bank of the Ehoue, with a southern aspect. It is a celebrated variety. The vines are grown upon slopes ; the principal elevation, of no great height, is called Bessas. It is part of a chain of granitic mountains which extend from St. Vallier to Tain. On the summit of Bessas may yet be seen the ruins of the retreat of the hermits, of whom the last died above a hundred years ago. Portions of the granite seem to be in a state of decomposition. This granite is crossed by veins of a gravelly texture, by one of a calcareous character, and by some of pure sand. Hermitage wine is divided into five classes. ..... Page 134.
My hero, Thomas George Shaw, writing ten years later, used the name "Hermitage" to describe both the grape and the wine.
In any event, the OED traces the history of "Syrah" as follows:
[< French syrah (20th cent.), earlier sirrah, {dag}sirac, {dag}syras (1845 or earlier), {dag}scyras (1827 or earlier), of unknown origin. Cf. earlier PETITE SIRAH n. Cf. also slightly earlier SHIRAZ n. 2 and discussion at that entry.]
The OED can push that 1827 date back one year to 1826, relying on Busby and the Enologie Franfaise he cites.
I'm intrigued that Syrah is a 20th century French creation; the first English appearance of "Syrah" I've found so far is:
WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CHICAGO, ILL., 1893.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON AWARDS OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN COMMISSION.
SPECIAL REPORTS UPON SPECIAL SUBJECTS OE GEOUPS. IN TWO VOLUMES.
Vol. II.
WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1901.
The Grosse Syrah or Hermitage grape, the Pir.eau, and Cabernet are made into dry red wines which are not without a certain pleasant flavor and possess a beautiful color, but are rough, strong in alcohol, and lacking in freshness.
The OED's support for the relatively recent appearance of Syrah is as follows:
The French name for the grape is syrah (scyras, sirrah are also found). The Eng. form is app. an alteration of this, influenced by the belief that the vine was brought (by Crusaders) from Iran and is therefore to be identified with that from which Shiraz (sense 1a) is made.
[1908 E. & A. VIZETELLY Wines of France 140 For red Hermitage the vine..is the Ciras, Scyras, or Sirrah, a corruption, it is alleged, of Shiraz, the tradition being that the hermit of the mount brought some vine cuttings with him from the East. The Ciras is, at any rate, a distinct variety.]
****
So, based on what I've found so far:
Redding was the first to use Shiraz/Scyras in 1833.
Busby used Scyras, and I haven't found any Australian or New Zealand sources that use Shiraz -- only Scyras uses until the 1860s.
I'm searching for early Shiraz uses in Australia, but my working hypothesis is that Redding is the source of the Shiraz name.
And, incidentally, I would love to know when and how Scyras became Syrah in France.
Regards, Bob
Incidentally, Macarthur used Scyras in 1840; no sign of Shiraz:
Letters on a Vine, published in 1840, Sir William Macarthur wrote:
"Scyras (No.45 of the private collection, but is no longer to be found in the Botanic Garden, although its name is in the catalogue). An excellent grape, and promises to be at least equally as valuable as the Verdelho is for white. This is the sort said to be chiefly cultivated on the celebrated hill of the Hermitage. It is a very hardy plant, produces well and seems to be liable to no accident or disease."
B.
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