The red grape Syrah, or Shiraz, takes its name from the ancient Persian city of Shiraz, now a thriving metropolis in present day Iran, where the process of winemaking possibly originated some 7,000 years ago.

Syrah rose to fame however in the Rhône valley in France, where it features with other grape varieties in the production of such celebrated wines as Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Since the beginning of the last century it has spread to many parts of Australia, such as the Hunter River Valley near Sydney. Syrah has been grown successfully in the Province of Latina ever since Casale del Giglio’s first experiments with the variety in 1985.