Are you one of the many confused wine drinkers that doesn’t understand why some wines are labeled Shiraz yet some are labeled Syrah? Lets do some myth busting and work this out!

Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, just different styles. Syrah has been around for…let’s just say forever; and then comes this Shiraz character, first appearing in the early Nineties. It was a new, exciting and cool-sounding grape type that burst onto the scene, and people have been talking about it ever since.

Let’s look at Syrah first. Syrah traditionally comes from the Rhone Valley in France (due south of Burgundy). The Northern Rhone Valley in France is where Syrah has it’s spiritual home. You may not know it, but when you pick up a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages or up the dollar amount and get a Saint-Joseph or Hermitage, these wines are made from of the Syrah grape (not traditionally 100%, but most wines aren’t–they just don’t say it on most labels). These names are all regions in the Northern Rhone in France. Just like most places in the old world (France, Italy, Germany, Spain), the Rhone Valley names their wines after the area it comes from; the grape type is not as important as the wine’s origin.

If you pick up a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone or Villages (typically ranges from $15-$25), you can most likely expect a medium-bodied Syrah with mainly red fruit characteristics with a smoky, black peppery spice. It’s a great every day drinking wine and goes great with lamb dishes. If you decide to pick up a bottle of the more expensive and rare Hermitage or Cote-Rotie, then you will experience something completely different. These regions are known for the best Syrahs in the world–and have the price to match. The Hermitage region produces Syrah that is probably the most “manly” wine of France. These are a much deeper, darker, leathery, gamey, earthy, tannic Syrah with a spice box in between all that goodness. These wines should be aged to get the most out of your purchase, or decant them for a couple of hours before you drink them to calm them down. Think teenager with a brand new Corvette–all over the place and pretty wild. Decanting will turn this teenager into a more refined adult that knows how to express themselves with much more direction. Syrah also is wonderful when grown in the Central Coast, California region and in Washington State. A different expression, of course, but Paso Robles or Santa Barbara are probably the closest you can get to those earthy meaty Syrahs of the Northern Rhone.

Now, the Aussies! Sure they have been growing “Shiraz” since the early 1800’s, but we never really saw any of their wine in the U.S. till the late Eighties. There are a couple myths on how the name Shiraz came about; one is from the ancient city of Shiraz in Persia, where the famous Shirazi wine was produced; but Shiraz as we know it today cannot actually be traced to this. There are documents of other countries calling the grape “Shiraz,” but it was the Aussies that made it famous. Australia, being a much hotter climate then the Northern Rhone and even the Californian Central Coast, creates a much different style of this grape type. It is commonplace now to call your wine Syrah or Shiraz, to let the consumer know what style of wine you are getting. Australian Shiraz is a very diferent animal then what is described above. It’s a much more jammy, rounder, plumper, blackberry-filled, plummy, chocolatey–but still peppery–style of wine. So when you are shopping around town, pay attention to what the winery labels the Syrah/Shiraz you are about to purchase; they are giving you hints to what style of Syrah/Shiraz is in the bottle.

And hello root vegetables, spices and venison at Cafe des Architectes in the Hotel Sofitel Chicago, where French Chef Noguier took over as executive chef when he left one sixtyblue in August.

Green is gone, and turnips, rutabaga, cinnamon, cloves and other fall flavors now dominate Chef Noguier’s palette. His foods are a little more heavy and warm in contrast to the chill off the lake. And to pair, his restaurant is pouring richer, spicier wines.

One of Noguier’s favorite matches is a venison dish cozied up to Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete, Sierra Foothills. The 2005 is a blend of 56 percent Syrah, 28 percent Mourvedre and 16 percent Grenache. This California wine spent 16 months in French oak. Looking for something similar on the shelf? Try Bennet Lane Maximus, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Or, for that gamey component that Mourvedre provides, check out El Seque, which is 100 percent Monastrell/Mourvedre. It’s big and bold, with quite a bit of oak and yet still plenty of ripe, plummy fruit, according to Rob Mosher, wine buyer at Just Grapes. Slightly lighter but still with that nice gamey-ness to hang with the venison is Domaine Ligneres Aric, with Carignan and Mourvedre. This one has good dark fruit and a leathery edge, Rob says.

This fall Chef Noguier also suggests a delish 2006 Easton Amador County Zinfandel, perfect with short ribs. It’s a dry California red with smooth tannins, tons of big fruit and a bit of creaminess from 10 months in French oak. The 2006 Di Arie Zinfandel, another from Amador County, also works well with fall foods, Rob says, particularly the warm spices Chef Noguier is incorporating.

I suppose that surrounded by smells and tastes such as these in the kitchen, it’s a little easier for Chef Noguier to say goodbye to summer without a heavy sigh. Cinnamon, rich red wine…Cheers to Chef Noguier for reminding this friend of fair weather that there is something to look forward to as the leaves fall!

Literally, grand cru is French for “great growth.” In some regions, the use of the phrase is strictly controlled. Anything labeled such must be the best compared with the quality of the other wines from that year.

In other regions, winemakers can stick the designation on willy-nilly, counting on a sale to some unknowing poor soul too embarrassed to ask.

As The Oxford Companion to Wine explains, 34 vineyards in Burgundy (in the communes of Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune) may apply this classification, which is above even premier cru. Most were awarded this standing back in the 1930s, before which they were known as the first of three classes.

Several dozen vineyards in Alsace have earned this appelation. It can only be applied to wine from a single vineyard, from a single vintage, and that wine must be a Riesling, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer or Pinot Gris. The amount of grapes per hectare is lower, and the sugar is higher. Take this all with a grain of salt—the vineyards were selected back in 1983, boundaries have wiggled, and there’s no guarantee that everyone using this phrase is consistently performing.

Finally, in Bordeaux, this label might apply to a specific property or chateau, depending on the region. Some of the world’s best reds come out of Bordeaux, so if you see this name on the label, you’ll likely do all right.

Beyond these three areas of France, “grand cru” holds little regulated value. You can look up the specific vineyards in the designated French regions, or you can ask your friendly sommelier at your neighborhood wine store. Just Grapes offers a wide selection: You might find a bottle for more than $100, or a taste for $3.

And really, it’s a matter of taste. You might order an exceedingly pricey grand cru in your best French accent and still like it less than your $30 bottle of Syrah from the Rhone. It’s all about the wine you like best. And if the wine you like best is the best wine, now you know how to find it.

New York-based author Tyler Colman is a wine pro by any other name. But he happens to write the award-winning wine blog DrVino.com. He also authored Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink, a compelling title if ever there was one. (Throw in “religion,” and he’s covered all the cocktail-party taboos in one fell swoop.)

Colman is coming to Chicago to tell us about the place where wine’s heart beats loudest: France. In the Old World, change can cause palpitations. But Colman has identified some winemakers who are daring to make wines so different, so natural that they don’t even qualify for the appellation.

Taste wines from several of these rule breakers and learn what’s ailing France with Dr. Vino at Just Grapes, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, September 18. Call 1-312-627-WINE (9463) to sign up. Participants also will receive a signed copy of Colman’s book. Don’t miss this doctor’s house call!