Syrah comes to us by France and could be one of the darkest wines you pour into a glass. The wine’s exact origin, however, remains a little unclear due to a couple of competing myths about its birth.

Regardless, the grape is French and famous for its boldness of flavor and dark color – even darker than Cabernet Sauvignon. No wonder some of its featured flavors direct the senses to dark berries, tobacco, pepper, licorice, tart boysenberry and even smoked meat and bacon fat.

Are you thirsty yet?

If you’re hungry, let us tell you about properly pairing Syrah with food.

Such a full-bodied wine requires careful food pairing. There’s a lot of impressive and hearty flavors contained within the bottle, balance is a must. Syrah can also have high amounts of mouth-drying tannins, so that is something else to consider. Also, keep in mind that depending on where it’s grown, Syrah can also be light-bodied. Grapes grown in Northern California, for example, produce both kinds. And yes, depending on the wine’s body, pairing will be different for each type.

Foods for full-bodied wine (warmer climate)

• This is a moment for BBQ pork. Because of its boldness in flavor, Syrah will hold its own with the magnificence of a rack of smoother ribs.
• Asian cuisine flavors, pepper and cumin will also bring out the wine’s character.

Foods for light-bodied wine (cooler climate)

• Think of delicate foods such as grilled lamb or lamb gyros.
• Added spices like clove and mint may also magnify the wine’s flavors.
• For a vegetarian option, consider a well-spiced grilled eggplant.

If you’re wondering how to distinguish between light- and full-bodied wines, you can do so by looking at the alcohol level. Warmer regions tend to have levels above 14 percent whereas a cooler climate will produce levels below that.

Our 2013 BCR Syrah is made from the Monarch Mine Vineyard right here in Placer County. It is made for easy drinking, soft on the palate and grown at 2,300 ft. elevation. Not only that, it is a great wine, and a great cause – 12.5 percent of the proceeds go toward finding a cure for Breast Cancer Research (BCR). More on that here.