The Syrahs produced in southern France’s Pays d'Oc IGP are distinguished not only by their quality and diversity, but also by the value for money that they represent – hence the large selection of exceptional wines that follows.
Despite its popularity, Syrah is not an easy grape to grow, demanding just the right amount of sunlight to ripen to perfection
Once believed to be an ancient import from Persia (as suggested by its synonym Shiraz), Syrah is in fact indigenous to south-eastern France, the offspring of the obscure Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza grapes. It made its home on the hillsides of the northern Rhône Valley, like the mythical Hermitage and Côte-Rotie, before conquering Languedoc-Roussillon, where it found perfect growing conditions.
In Languedoc-Roussillon, Syrah has traditionally been blended with other varieties, such as Grenache and Carignan, but following the creation of Vin de Pays d'Oc, now IGP Pays d'Oc, in 1987, Syrah rediscovered its original vocation as a single varietal. This is because an unique feature of the IGP Pays d’Oc designation is that it allows winemakers the opportunity to choose from 58 different grape varieties permitted as single varietals or blends… in fact you could say that varietal wines is the DNA of the designation.
From that point, the popularity of Syrah exploded in Pays d'Oc, as growers rushed to grub up other varieties, especially Carignan, to replant their vineyards with Syrah to keep up with demand. Although this tendency has to some extent been reversed, Syrah is still the most planted variety in Languedoc-Roussillon, amounting to a whopping 46% of all the Syrah planted in France.
Despite its popularity, Syrah is not an easy grape to grow, demanding just the right amount of sunlight to ripen to perfection, and suffering from hydric stress in drought years.
So, in Pays d'Oc, Syrah is often planted in the various river valleys that snake down from the Massif Central and Pyrenees, where the added influence of altitude gives wines a distinctively mineral profile, with violet aromas and supple tannins. The variety also likes the rocky, free-draining soils in these areas.
With such a diverse range of soil types and micro-climates in the region the possibilities here are enormous
Grapes grown in the plains have riper flavours and are generally more robust, although micro-climate is key and vineyards near the Mediterranean benefit from the freshening influence of cooling sea breezes and north-westerly rain clouds. This combination leads to more fruit-driven wines where aromas of red fruits (Morello cherry, raspberry and plum) and black fruits (blackberry and blackcurrant) leap from the glass.
You will also find fresh violets in the glass and spices such as crushed black pepper and cinnamon. If the Syrah has been aged in wood you can detect vanilla and, if the wine is aged for three or more years the aromas will become more complex with hints of earth, undergrowth, nutmeg and cooked meats. With such a diverse range of soil types and micro-climates in the region the possibilities here are enormous with secondary aromas also including dried black fruits such as prune, tapenade, wild garlic and black cardamon.
In such a vast growing area, following France's Mediterranean coast from the mouth of the Rhône to the foothills of the Pyrenees, the range of flavours offered by Pays d'Oc IGP Syrah is also seemingly endless, but the wines always stand out as essentially classy, with complex aromas, a refined mouth-feel and grainy yet ripe tannins – a combination which, it seems, never ceases to win wine drinkers' hearts.
A selection of top Pays d'Oc IGP Syrah wines
To show off the sheer quality and diversity of Pays d'Oc IGP Syrah, we have selected 17 top wines to consider for your buying list.
Syrah 2022, Coccinelles, 13.5% (organic)
In the far east of Pays d'Oc, a stone's throw from the Pont du Gard and the southernmost stretch of the Rhône, this relatively pale, bright Syrah is grown on clay-limestone soils, giving a fresh, floral scented wine, with vivid violet, cherry and plum aromas. It's plump and generous on the palate – a real Mediterranean Syrah – with juicy fruit and velvety tannins. Delicate finish with a hint of spice. Pure and soft enough to be drunk on its own or with hors d'oeuvres.
RRP €10 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
La Petite Syrah 2023, Domaine Les Yeuses, 13.5%
From the shores of the Mediterranean, near Mèze, this excellent value Syrah is grown on clay-limestone soils that benefit from cooling sea breezes. The wine is macerated for 20 days on its skins, giving a fairly deep purplish colour, with vibrant red fruit and blackberry aromas. The palate shows just the right degree of ripeness, with juicy raspberry and blackberry flavours. Try with vegetarian curry or ratatouille.
RRP £11.95 / Available from: UK importer – Lea and Sandeman
Syrah Les Epices 2022, Domaine Les Yeuses, 14%
A serious, deeply coloured Syrah, offering complex aromas of blueberry, Marmite and liquorice, with a hint of vanilla that betrays its nine months of barrel ageing. Wonderfully spicy on the palate, great freshness for such a powerful wine, with dark fruit flavours that pull like a train towards the finish. An excellent match for boeuf bourguignon and other rich stews.
RRP £16.50 / Available from: UK importer – Champagnes & Châteaux
Syrah Cuvée Balthazar 2022, Pierrick Harang Wine, 14%
Made from Syrah grapes hand-harvested from schist slopes, this is an unoaked yet muscular red. Dark ruby in colour, the nose offers dark chocolate, nutmeg, blackberry and blackcurrant. Creamy dark fruits appear on the palate, an excellent mix of juice and structure, with grainy tannins building towards the finish. Great served with roast lamb.
RRP £11 / Available from: UK importer – Alexander Wines on-trade
Arrogant Frog "Croak Roasted" Shiraz 2023, Domaines Paul Mas, 14%
Syrah grapes were harvested from clay-limestone sites in the middle Aude valley, and a 9% share of Viognier is added to the blend à la Côte-Rotie... but this wine is fundamentally New World in ambition, from its humorous branding to the four months it spends in American oak barrels. Its profile is modern but not overbearing, with fragrant red fruits "leaping" from the glass, complemented by the inevitable touch of vanilla. Flavours are frank and straightforward, with a boisterous attack. A little tannin on the finish gives the wine a serious feel, making it a fine pairing for duck magret in fruity sauce.
RRP £9.95 / Available from: UK importer – Cheers Wine Merchants
Terroir d'Altitude Syrah 2023, Fortant de France, 14%
The wine's almost opaque purple colour sets the scene for a powerful, brooding blend. Liquorice and crushed pepper on the nose, with clear evidence of a brief passage in small French oak barrels. It's a bit-of-a-beast on the palate with concentrated dark fruits, formidable tannins and a vanilla-infused spicy finish. A great value wine for those who like their Syrah with muscles – one for the barbecue bros when the weather starts to cheer up!
RRP €6.30 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
Les Jamelles Syrah 2022, Badet Clément, 13.5%
A judicious partially oaked blend of Syrah grapes from various hillside sites, creating a subtle, well-mannered brew. Aromas are of spicy morello, blackberry and violets, while flavours are soft and mineral, with a touch of astringency on the finish. There's a juicy freshness that lends itself to sweetbreads but enough spice to sit alongside more raucous Mexican dishes too.
RRP £9.25 / Available from: UK importer – COOP
Syrah 2023, Les Caves Richemer, 13%
It is hard to find a better value Syrah than this one in 2025. The Richemer cooperative cellar sits on the banks of the Etang de Thau, near Mèze, where a mix of sandy clay and gravel soils combine with cooling winds to make fresh, fruit-driven wines. This is a deeply coloured blend with earthy blackberry and black pepper scents; spice is all over the palate, with dark fruits, great poise, and the persistency of a much pricier wine. Drink with coq au vin.
RRP €5 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
Le Versant Syrah 2023, Vignobles Foncalieu, 13.5%
From sunny south-facing chalky slopes in the Orb valley, north-west of Béziers, this is an intense, tightly grained Syrah. Spicy cassis and plum aromas become more floral with a swirl of the glass. The palate is rich and opulent, packed with plums and liquorice, offering ample complexity without the need for oak. Try with roasted rack of lamb.
RRP £9 / Available from: UK importer – Bibendum
Syrah 2023, Domaine de l'Herbe Sainte, 14%
Ancient glacial moraine soils in the hills north of Narbonne produce this inky dark Syrah, with its striking mix of freshness and complexity. Blackcurrant, liquorice, crushed pepper, cinnamon and raspberry vie to influence the nose, while the palate is butch and angular, but not brittle; disarmingly complete, with the potential to develop a degree of leathery complexity with time. One for red meats and hard cheeses.
RRP £13.95 / Available from: UK importer – Joie de Vin
Syrah 2023, Domaine la Provenquière, 14%
La Provenquière is a stately 15th Century château-estate near Béziers, producing an excellent range of varietal Pays d’Oc IGP wines. This is a pure, unoaked Syrah, from cooler north-facing limestone slopes. It offers savoury dark fruit aromas with hints of tapenade and wild garlic. Flavours are ripe and juicy, with quite high acidity balanced by good fruit intensity – spiced blueberry and plum. Drink with lamb biryani.
RRP €8.50 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
Syrah Moon Range 2023, Domaine Ricardelle de Lautrec, 13.5% (biodynamic)
The Ricardelle de Lautrec estate has a long family history, making stylish, modern organic wines in Pays d'Oc. Syrah grapes are grown on clay-limestone soils overlaid with large pebbles, giving an intensely coloured wine with pure cherry aromas, delicately floral. On the palate, the attack is juicy with good acidity, giving way to a more angular, tannic finish. Great delicacy of flavour, adding exotic spices to ripe cherries. A perfect foil for Lebanese cuisine or grilled duck brochettes.
RRP £10 / Available from: UK importer – Superba London Wines ltd
Naked Syrah 2023, Domaine Sainte Marie des Crozes, 13.5% (biodynamic, no added sulphites)
With it's funky Zappa-esque label, this biodynamic Syrah is a recent addition to the Sainte Marie des Crozes stable. Made from grapes harvested at 400 metres altitude on the slopes of the Montagne d'Alaric, east of Carcassonne, the wine undergoes a fairly short maceration, giving a bright cherry colour and vibrant raspberry and cherry aromas – clean as a whistle. Soft and moreish on the palate, with pure red fruits and a savoury hint of dark chocolate. Best drunk slightly chilled with poultry cooked with mushrooms in a creamy white sauce.
RRP £9 / Available from: UK importer - Matthew Clark
Le Sang des Pierres 2019, Domaine Martinolle-Gasparets, 13% (organic)
An atypical choice for many reasons, this wine comes from clay, limestone and sandstone soils near the village of Boutenac, in the Aude. A few years bottle age has given it a brick red hue and interesting secondary aromas of undergrowth and cooked meat. A very ripe wine with almost New World levels of exuberance, this Syrah could easily wrong-foot a blind taster. The palate is spicy and voluptuous, with rich stewed fruits. Pair with game dishes.
RRP €8 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
Syrah Rien à Cirer 2022, Anne de Joyeuse, 13.5%
The Anne de Joyeuse cooperative cellar is situated in Limoux, at the western fringe of the Pays d’Oc vineyards, with clay-limestone vineyards and a cool sub-Pyrenean climate. Vinified using rigorous temperature control and carbonic maceration, this is a classy wine, with sweet cherry, raspberry and plum aromas; wild yet restrained. Cool understated flavours of pepper spice and berry fruits (cherry and plum), perfectly ripe with some tannin but no hard edges. A very versatile food wine, best suited to red meats in rich sauces.
RRP €12.90 at cellar door /Seeking UK distribution
Villa Blanche Syrah 2023, Calmel & Joseph, 14%
A ripe, comforting Syrah from the Calmel & Joseph house, with broad, spicy, faintly exotic aromas, with blackberry, raspberry, olive and prune notes. Juicy dark fruits on the palate, with spiced vanilla from a six-month passage in oak for 40% of the wine. 5 g/l of residual sugar still makes this a dry wine, but it's enough to help with the general impression of rich, juicy ripeness. A big, extrovert of a wine, to be enjoyed with lamb rogan josh.
RRP £10 / Available from: UK importer – Daniel Lambert
La Royale Souveraine 2023, Domaine de Medeilhan, 12.5%
A beautifully bright, deep ruby Syrah, grown on alluvial clay and gravel soils on the Mediterranean coast, near Agde. Earthy cherry, plums and liquorice on the nose; youthful and restrained. The wine is cool and refined on the palate, with a firm thread of acidity. Tannins are velvety, further softened by six months in barrel. An excellent accompaniment to duck confit.
RRP €12 at cellar door / Seeking UK distribution
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