TB wrote:

<SNIP useful info>

> I have seen, bought, tasted Shiraz at various occassions from South
> African (never had a chance to taste a truly impressive one
> unfortunately) and even from Chile and the US quite naturally, without
> wondering why they have chosen the name Shiraz and not Syrah. But
> coming to think of it, this may just be an attempt to position
> themselves distinctly from European products, or just to piggyback on
> the reputation built by the Australians.

I think that this latter is probably the driving force. It's fair to
say, IMO, that in the American marketplace at least Shiraz is now a more
familiar name to consumers than Syrah is. Purists will still call it
Syrah, but more than a few CA wineries have begun to label it Shiraz.

Mark Lipton