Why This Symposium?

Syrah is a rapidly expanding varietal in all areas of the world. Syrah vineyard plantings have grown from less than 10,000 hectares world-wide in the early 1980s to more than 150,000 hectares in 2006. Syrah is now amongst the top six varietals grown and marketed world-wide, along with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Syrah is a highly distinctive varietal that yields wines with unique character. Syrah makes rich, complex wines with great aroma potential, as a function of terroir, climate and winemaking style. It is used in some of the world's greatest red wines.

Syrah is a varietal with many specificities that must be taken into account in order to obtain the highest quality: grapevine physiology, vineyard practices, aroma composition and phenolics.

Syrah-based wines have a strong image. Consumers have specific perceptions and expectations that need to be taken into account thanks to thorough knowledge of Syrah's development, its world-wide specificities and its special strengths.

Organisation

Organised by Forum Œnologie and ISARA-Lyon, along with main sponsors Inter Rhône and the Revue des Œnologues, ISS will be held in the heart of Lyon's biotech hub. It will make use of the modern facilities at ISARA, an agricultural and food engineering school: videoconferencing, multiplexing and simultaneous translation, in order to present speakers from all over the world.

This conference will also enjoy an international audience, thanks to publication of the proceedings by the journal Revue des Œnologues and on the Web site, www.syrah.symposium.tv