Syrah 1830s. So while the name or spelling "Shiraz" may be an effect of the English language on a French name, there is no evidence that it actually originated in Australia, although it was definitely the Australian usage and the Australian wines that made the use of this name popular. Another legend of the grape variety's origin, based on the name Syrah, is that it was brought from Syracuse by the legions of Roman Emperor Probus sometime after AD 280. This legend also lacks documentary evidence and is inconsistent with ampelographic findings. The wines that made Syrah famous were those from
Moroccan wine grapes planted in Morocco are Carignan (which once dominated), Cinsaut (almost 40 per cent in 2005), Alicante, and Grenache. Plantations of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah have increased rapidly, and together make up around 15 per cent. Traditional white grape varieties include Clairette blanche and Muscat. There has also been smaller experimentation with Chardonnay, Chenin blanc and Sauvignon blanc, where there is a need to pick early in order to produce white wines with sufficient freshness. Morocco is divided into five wine regions. Within these wine regions are a total of 14 areas with "Appellation d'Origine Garantie" (AOG) status. In