Cabernet Sauvignon often gets the spotlight, especially in Bordeaux, but Syrah, called Shiraz in Australia, tends to sit just outside of the limelight. It’s quietly powerful, and yet it's the grape behind two of the most iconic wines from opposite ends of the world: Hermitage La Chapelle and Penfolds Grange.

Syrah is a cross of two lesser-known French varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche, from southern France, near the Northern Rhône Valley, home to Hermitage La Chapelle. There are two theories about how Syrah arrived in France: one links it to crusaders returning from the Persian city of Shiraz around 600BC, the other to the Romans in 300AD. The first is the more romantic version, and today, it also reminds us of a city shaped by history and touched by present-day conflict.

Shiraz made its way to Australia in 1832 when viticulturist James Busby brought vine cuttings from Europe. They were first planted in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, and eventually took root in the Hunter Valley. Over time, the name morphed, cuttings labelled as “Scyras” or “Ciras” became simply “Shiraz” in their new home.

While both grapes share the same genetic lineage, they’ve developed distinct identities and heritage shaped by their respective terroirs. And now, for the first time, Penfolds and Domaine de la Chapelle have brought their flagship wines together in a bold cross-hemisphere collaboration: the Grange La Chapelle.

From left: Caroline Frey, Chief Winemaker and vigneron at La Chapelle and Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker Peter Gago [Photo: Penfolds]

The idea had been in conversation for some time between Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Caroline Frey, Chief Winemaker and vigneron at La Chapelle. It wasn’t just talk, the two have been friends for years, and when the stars aligned, so did their grapes.

Because of French regulations that prohibit the blending of non-French wines on French soil, the process had to happen in Australia. Grapes were harvested and juiced in the Rhône, then shipped in temperature-controlled tanks to Adelaide. There, they were blended with freshly harvested juice from South Australia so that both could ferment and mature together from the beginning.

The result is a 50/50 blend, always equal parts from each winery, no exceptions. “It is a completely different wine that defies expectation. It is like to create a new terroir in its broader sense and symbolically, represents the equal partnership,” said Gago.

It’s worth noting that while France and the US have battled phylloxera over the centuries, South Australia has never been affected. Penfolds' Shiraz was sourced from old vines in Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley, some of which predate the global phylloxera plague. Meanwhile, La Chapelle’s Syrah comes from the granite-rich slopes of the Hill of Hermitage.

At the time of the tasting, the 2022 vintage had already been bottled, the 2023 was in the process of being bottled, and the 2024 was still in barrel. “This isn’t a one-off, this is not a gimmick. This is a real project with a vision,” Gago added.

Grange La Chapelle was first launched in Paris, where the crowd at Monnaie de Paris reportedly got emotional over the wine. The next stop was the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, and then Singapore, at the Fairmont Hotel, where I had the chance to taste the 2021 vintage.

The wine had a deep purple hue, something you’d expect from Shiraz, with a soft pine note on the nose. The first sip was like biting into a blackberry, releasing a gentle sweetness with light, fine tannins. As it warmed in the glass, a scent that reminded me of forest floor started to come through. Dipping my nose into the glass just before the next sip, the fruit profile had shifted, it now tasted more like blackcurrant. The flavour lingered for a moment before fading, inviting me to go back for another sip.

La Chapelle on the Hill of Hermitage [Photo: Penfolds]

Delphine Frey, co-owner of Domaine de la Chapelle and daughter of Caroline Frey, had been travelling for the launch events and brought along a special bottle: the 2005 Hermitage La Chapelle. It was still labelled as Paul Jaboulet Aîné La Chapelle, the branding used before the 2021 vintage. The wine showed how lively and age-worthy it still was. It tasted of plum and cherry, full-bodied but soft, with a velvety texture that left an impression.

The wine is a confluence of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. If you manage to get your hands on a bottle of Grange La Chapelle, take a moment to look at the cork. Roll it across the table and you’ll see the names of the two vineyards alternate as it moves. Like a legal partnership, each side is the other’s agent – equal in risk, equal in glory.

La Chapelle, named after the chapel perched on the Hill of Hermitage, is revered for its legacy Syrah, some of the most sought-after wines from the Rhône. Penfolds Grange, created in 1951 by a visionary winemaker who broke with tradition, has become a benchmark of Australian wine. Both labels have produced prized vintages still enjoyed decades on.

Grange La Chapelle 2021
Grape variety: Shiraz
Vineyard origin:

• 50% – 2021 La Chapelle, Hill of Hermitage, Rhône Valley, France
• 50% – 2021 Grange, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Australia
• Alc/Vol: 14%, Acidity: 6.3 g/L, pH: 3.70
• Maturation: Grange – 100% new oak; La Chapelle – 20% new oak

Grange La Chapelle 2021 is available in very limited quantities and is priced at S$3,200 per 750ml bottle. Purchases can be made through the Grange La Chapelle website.

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