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| Does Shiraz wine come from Iran? | Does Shiraz wine come from Iran? |
| (3 days later) | |
| Until the Islamic revolution, Iran had a tradition of wine-making which stretched back centuries. It centred on the ancient city of Shiraz - but is there a connection between the place and the wine of the same name now produced and drunk across the world? | Until the Islamic revolution, Iran had a tradition of wine-making which stretched back centuries. It centred on the ancient city of Shiraz - but is there a connection between the place and the wine of the same name now produced and drunk across the world? |
| "I remember my father bringing in the grapes and putting them in a big clay vat," says California-based wine-maker Darioush Khaledi, recalling his childhood in pre-revolutionary Iran. | "I remember my father bringing in the grapes and putting them in a big clay vat," says California-based wine-maker Darioush Khaledi, recalling his childhood in pre-revolutionary Iran. |
| "I would climb on top and smell and enjoy the wine." | "I would climb on top and smell and enjoy the wine." |
| Darioush's family was from Shiraz, a fabled city in south-western Iran, whose name was once synonymous with viticulture and the poetry and culture of wine. | Darioush's family was from Shiraz, a fabled city in south-western Iran, whose name was once synonymous with viticulture and the poetry and culture of wine. |
| He remembers happy evenings when the family would gather, sipping wine from clay cups, and reciting lines from the 14th Century Persian poet Hafez. | He remembers happy evenings when the family would gather, sipping wine from clay cups, and reciting lines from the 14th Century Persian poet Hafez. |
| "It wasn't just about drinking wine," he says. "It was an adventure." | "It wasn't just about drinking wine," he says. "It was an adventure." |
| The world Darioush remembers came to an end in 1979 when Iran's new Islamic rulers banned alcohol. | The world Darioush remembers came to an end in 1979 when Iran's new Islamic rulers banned alcohol. |
| They shut down wineries, ripped up commercial vineyards and consigned to history a culture stretching back thousands of years. | They shut down wineries, ripped up commercial vineyards and consigned to history a culture stretching back thousands of years. |
| Ancient residue | Ancient residue |
| An ancient clay jar has pride of place at the University of Pennsylvania museum in Philadelphia in the US. | An ancient clay jar has pride of place at the University of Pennsylvania museum in Philadelphia in the US. |
| It was one of six discovered by a team of American archaeologists at a site in the Zagros mountains in northern Iran in 1968. | It was one of six discovered by a team of American archaeologists at a site in the Zagros mountains in northern Iran in 1968. |
| The jars date back to the Neolithic period more than 7,000 years ago, and provide the first scientific proof of the ancient nature of Iranian wine production. | The jars date back to the Neolithic period more than 7,000 years ago, and provide the first scientific proof of the ancient nature of Iranian wine production. |
| Chemical analysis on one of them revealed that a dark stain at the bottom was actually wine residue. | Chemical analysis on one of them revealed that a dark stain at the bottom was actually wine residue. |
| "This is the oldest chemically-identified wine jar in the world," says Prof Patrick McGovern. | "This is the oldest chemically-identified wine jar in the world," says Prof Patrick McGovern. |
| The first evidence of grape cultivation in Shiraz came around 2,500 BC, when vines were brought down from the mountains to the plains of south-west Iran, the professor says. | The first evidence of grape cultivation in Shiraz came around 2,500 BC, when vines were brought down from the mountains to the plains of south-west Iran, the professor says. |
| By the 14th Century, Shiraz wine was immortalised in the poetry of Hafez, whose tomb in the city is still venerated today. | By the 14th Century, Shiraz wine was immortalised in the poetry of Hafez, whose tomb in the city is still venerated today. |
| "Last night, the wise tavern master deciphered the enigma," he wrote. "Gazing at the lines traced in the cup of wine, he unravelled our awaiting fate." | "Last night, the wise tavern master deciphered the enigma," he wrote. "Gazing at the lines traced in the cup of wine, he unravelled our awaiting fate." |
| In the 1680s, a French diamond merchant, Jean Chardin, travelled to Persia to the court of Shah Abbas. | In the 1680s, a French diamond merchant, Jean Chardin, travelled to Persia to the court of Shah Abbas. |
| He attended elaborate banquets and recorded the first European account of what Shiraz wine actually tasted like. | He attended elaborate banquets and recorded the first European account of what Shiraz wine actually tasted like. |
| "It was a very specific red," says French historian and Chardin expert Francis Richards. "It was a wine with good conservation because generally the local wines very quickly turned to vinegar." | "It was a very specific red," says French historian and Chardin expert Francis Richards. "It was a wine with good conservation because generally the local wines very quickly turned to vinegar." |
| But is there a connection between the "dark red wine that smells like musk" immortalised by Hafez, and the Shiraz wine drunk across the world today? | But is there a connection between the "dark red wine that smells like musk" immortalised by Hafez, and the Shiraz wine drunk across the world today? |
| The first stop in my research is one of France's most famous vineyards in the Rhone valley in the south and home to the Syrah vine. | The first stop in my research is one of France's most famous vineyards in the Rhone valley in the south and home to the Syrah vine. |
| According to local legend, the Hermitage vineyard was founded by a 13th Century knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg, who brought back a Persian vine from the Crusades. | According to local legend, the Hermitage vineyard was founded by a 13th Century knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg, who brought back a Persian vine from the Crusades. |
| The names Syrah and Shiraz are often used interchangeably. Could Syrah be a corruption of Shiraz and prove a Persian connection? | The names Syrah and Shiraz are often used interchangeably. Could Syrah be a corruption of Shiraz and prove a Persian connection? |
| The definitive answer came in 1998 when DNA testing was carried out on the local vines to pinpoint their origin. | The definitive answer came in 1998 when DNA testing was carried out on the local vines to pinpoint their origin. |
| "Some people think it comes from Persians and others from Sicily where you have Syracuse city," says grape geneticist Jose Vouillamoz. "But today we know all of that is wrong. | "Some people think it comes from Persians and others from Sicily where you have Syracuse city," says grape geneticist Jose Vouillamoz. "But today we know all of that is wrong. |
| "Testing was done by two different labs," he continues. "And it was really a surprise to find out that Syrah is a natural spontaneous crossing between two local vines from this area." | "Testing was done by two different labs," he continues. "And it was really a surprise to find out that Syrah is a natural spontaneous crossing between two local vines from this area." |
| So wherever the name came from, it seems there is no genetic connection between Syrah grapes and the wines of ancient Shiraz. | So wherever the name came from, it seems there is no genetic connection between Syrah grapes and the wines of ancient Shiraz. |
| But the trail does not end there. | But the trail does not end there. |
| Outside of France, the biggest producer of Syrah in the world is Australia and the wine is always called Shiraz. | Outside of France, the biggest producer of Syrah in the world is Australia and the wine is always called Shiraz. |
| This can be traced back to a Scot called James Busby who exported Syrah vines from the Hermitage to Australia in the 19th Century. | This can be traced back to a Scot called James Busby who exported Syrah vines from the Hermitage to Australia in the 19th Century. |
| His first consignment of vines was labelled "scyras" which many thought was a misspelling of Syrah. | His first consignment of vines was labelled "scyras" which many thought was a misspelling of Syrah. |
| But when I re-read his journal, I came across a line which proved he knew about the Hermitage Persian vine legend. | But when I re-read his journal, I came across a line which proved he knew about the Hermitage Persian vine legend. |
| "According to the tradition of the neighbourhood," he wrote. "The plant - scyras - was originally brought from Shiraz in Persia." | "According to the tradition of the neighbourhood," he wrote. "The plant - scyras - was originally brought from Shiraz in Persia." |
| At that time European wine-makers sometimes imported wine from Persia to add sweetness and body. | At that time European wine-makers sometimes imported wine from Persia to add sweetness and body. |
| So perhaps Busby hoped the ancient name Shiraz would add some Persian mystique and flavour to his New World wine-making endeavour. | So perhaps Busby hoped the ancient name Shiraz would add some Persian mystique and flavour to his New World wine-making endeavour. |
| Echoes of Persepolis | Echoes of Persepolis |
| The United States imported Syrah vines in the 1970s and the wine is always marketed under the Syrah name - with one notable exception. | The United States imported Syrah vines in the 1970s and the wine is always marketed under the Syrah name - with one notable exception. |
| Darioush Khaledi, a son of Shiraz, is the proud owner of a 120-acre vineyard in California's Napa Valley producing what he insists on calling Shiraz wine. | Darioush Khaledi, a son of Shiraz, is the proud owner of a 120-acre vineyard in California's Napa Valley producing what he insists on calling Shiraz wine. |
| "My French friends say Shiraz/Syrah comes from the Rhone and [has] a 500-year-old history," he says. "But if you open an atlas of the world there's only one place in the whole world called Shiraz and it has a 7,000-year-old history of wine growing." | "My French friends say Shiraz/Syrah comes from the Rhone and [has] a 500-year-old history," he says. "But if you open an atlas of the world there's only one place in the whole world called Shiraz and it has a 7,000-year-old history of wine growing." |
| He highlights his Iranian heritage in the vineyard. The entrance to the main building is lined with Persian-style columns reminiscent of the ancient city of Persepolis. | He highlights his Iranian heritage in the vineyard. The entrance to the main building is lined with Persian-style columns reminiscent of the ancient city of Persepolis. |
| The day we visit, his marketing manager Dan de Polo is holding a wine tasting for a group of Chinese buyers. | The day we visit, his marketing manager Dan de Polo is holding a wine tasting for a group of Chinese buyers. |
| "What's great about Shiraz is that it's always been a very soulful wine," he tells them. | "What's great about Shiraz is that it's always been a very soulful wine," he tells them. |
| Soulfulness, spirit and poetry - words that come up time and again when talking about Shiraz wine. | Soulfulness, spirit and poetry - words that come up time and again when talking about Shiraz wine. |
| And for Darioush, and for me, I think that is what matters most. | And for Darioush, and for me, I think that is what matters most. |
| It is not about the DNA of the grapes, it is about the link Shiraz offers us to the spirit of our faraway homeland and the romance of its fabled wine. | It is not about the DNA of the grapes, it is about the link Shiraz offers us to the spirit of our faraway homeland and the romance of its fabled wine. |