Shiraz wine refers to two different beverages. Historically, it was wine from the Iranian city of Shiraz, while today it refers to the Syrah grape, primarily used in Australia and South Africa.
History
By the 9th century, Shiraz was known as Iran's wine capital, producing some of the world's finest wines. European merchants exported Shiraz wine in the 17th century. The best wines came from terraced vineyards near Khollar village, available as dry white wines for immediate consumption or sweet wines meant for aging, similar to sherry.
Modern era
In modern Iran, Shiraz wine cannot be produced legally due to alcohol prohibition. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran had up to 300 wineries, but none exist today. Despite the name similarity, there is no proven connection between the Iranian city and the modern Shiraz/Syrah grape variety, which was brought to Australia by James Busby and originated in southeast France.