Despite the fact that Shiraz and Syrah sound very different, believe it or not, there is no exact answer as to why we have these two names for the same grape. Varying interpretations are based around the origins of the grape, and of course where it has predominantly been grown and styled.

As happens in the world of wine, urban legends have sprung up, like that of it being from the ancient Persian city, Shiraz. But how much of a difference actually exists? The simplest answer would likely be location, but it is more complex than that, as it is rather down to a question of style that has evolved over time. So an interesting etymology - there's another mouthful of peppery spice!

Syrah has been widely recognised as the Old World name and depicts a ‘French' style. The story goes that it was brought into France by a returning crusader, who became a hermit and developed a vineyard on a steep hill in the Rhône River Valley. This became known as Hermitage. Syrah is now essential to that region, and vital to the production of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is generally a slightly leaner style than that of the robust, fruity New World wines, yet more complex at times with pepper and spice aromas, cherries, smokiness, cassis, and plum.

Shiraz is associated with wines made in the modern, big-boy styles, originally best known from Australia. Introduced by James Bushby in 1832, the Australians are pretty proud of Shiraz, as it became one of their most popular and widely planted varieties. And now it's synonymous with a certain New World ‘fruit-forward' style.

In warmer climates the grape produce wines that are a bit sweeter and riper tasting. It appears producers use the name to define the style and, perhaps, segment a market with this particular desired taste. California also went the route of a modern take on a classic style: during the 1980s young California winemakers formed a unit called the Rhône Rangers to promote this grape and style.

In the world of food and wine it's not that uncommon, this issue of having different names for one entity; think, for example, of eggplant. It's also known as aubergine or brinjal. From the family of the ‘nightshades', closely related to tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, the fruit of the plant is used as a vegetable in cooking and is rich in history as well as colour. Eggplant is an essential ingredient in many cuisines, including Greek, Roman, African and Asian. It is called eggplant by Americans and Australians, but the British dubbed it aubergine, adopting the name from the French, while Indians, Persians and South Africans named it brinjal. But before digressing too much, in terms of actual food pairing, Shiraz/Syrah is capable of covering a fairly broad spectrum, all the way from pizza to pot roast, grilled meats or vegetables, lamb and wild game.

Some of the great wines in this style do tend to have a bit of French flair, while retaining a modern, upfront edge. It's quite a feather in our cap that, here in SA, both styles are recognised, and we are enjoying some international limelight.

Dewaldt Heyns of Saronsberg remarks that Shiraz is adaptable across climates, "with the onus on the producer to keep to the style his area allows him to do best". Another reason to celebrate diversity; read all about the winning wines from the Global Trader Shiraz Challenge on page 78.

So, wherever it is, this grape has shown it can create some spectacular wines in the right conditions. It's about finding the appropriate site and then restricting the growth of the vine and crop to achieve optimum results. A case in point that a rose by any other name can smell as sweet.