A variety for red wines with high tannins and intense colour

Like many grape varieties Durif is making a comeback after being overlooked in the rush by vignerons to get with the strength and concentrate on mainstream varieties.

Featured wine Jaengenya Durif

But Durif is making a comeback; it is now much more widely used than in its old stronghold of Rutherglen. Some great red wines are now being made in many warmer Australian wine regions with the label proudly identifying the variety.

This red wine grape from the Rhone Valley is not highly regarded in its native France. It is named after its breeder who established the variety in the late nineteenth century. It was introduced into Australia by pionnering viticulturalist Francois de Castella in 1908.

The variety is planted in California under the name of Petite Sirah where there has been some confusion about the variety. Many vineyards have proved to have mixtures of Durif and Pelorisin. In California Petite Sirah has its own fan club PS I love you

In Australia, the CSIRO uses DNA fingerprinting to clear up confusion about similar grape varieties. They report that the clones imported to Australia are indeed Durif and not Peloursin.

Durif wines tend to have high levels of tannins and so are suitable for extended cellaring to allow the wines to come together. Modern winemakers of course aim to produce wines which will be drinkable much earlier so this may not be such a factor as it was in the past. However if you are looking for an subtle and understated red you should look elsewhere. The alcohol level in the wines is often in the 14-15% range, with flavour to match.

Enjoy them with rich stews and game dishes.

Some producers of wines from this variety include

• 919 Wines Riverland
• All Saints Estate Rutherglen
• Anderson Winery Rutherglen
• Battely Wines Beechworth
• Beelgara Estate Riverina
• Bellarine Estate Geelong
• Boyntons Feathertop Alpine Valleys
• Brown Brothers King Valley
• Brumby Wines Swan Hill
• Bullers Calliope Rutherglen
• Calais Estate Hunter Valley
• Campbells Wines Rutherglen
• Cape Horn Vineyard Goulburn Valley
• Casella Riverina
• Ciavarella King Valley
• Cofield Wines Rutherglen
• Connor Park Bendigo
• Currans Family Wines Murray Darling
• Date Brothers Swan Hill
• Dos Rios Swan Hill
• Drinkmoor Wines Rutherglen
• Eumundi Winery Queensland Coastal
• Gapsted Alpine Valleys
• Gehrig Estate Rutherglen
• Golden Grove Estate Granite Belt
• Heritage Estate Granite Belt
• Jaengenya Vineyard Goulburn Valley
• John Gehrig Wines King Valley
• Judds Warby Range Estate Glenrowan
• Kingston Estate Riverland
• Lake Moodemere Rutherglen
• Maleny Mountain Wines Queensland Coastal
• Massena Wines Barossa Valley
• Melange Wines Riverina
• Michael Unwin Wines Grampians
• Miranda Wines, Griffith Riverina
• Miranda Riverina
• Morris Rutherglen
• Mount Prior Rutherglen
• Mudgee Wines Mudgee
• Myattsfield Vineyard and Winery Perth Hills
• New Glory Goulburn Valley
• Normanby Wines Queensland Zone
• Nugan Estate King Valley
• Patrice Vineyard North east Victoria
• Petersons Glenesk Estate Mudgee
• Piako Vineyards Murray Darling
• Piromit Wines Riverina
• Pyren Vineyard Pyrenees
• Reedy Creek Northern Slopes Zone
• Renewan Swan Hill
• Riverina Estate Wines Riverina
• Rothbury Ridge Hunter Valley
• Rusticana Langhorne Creek
• Rutherglen Estates Rutherglen
• Sam Miranda Wines King Valley
• Scion Vineyard Rutherglen
• St Petrox Hunter Valley
• Stanton and Killeen Wines Rutherglen
• Taminick Cellars Glenrowan
• Tinonnee Vineyard Hunter Valley
• Toolleen Vineyard Heathcote
• Vale Vineyard Mornington Peninsula
• Vintara Rutherglen
• Warrabilla Wines Rutherglen
• Watchbox Wines Rutherglen
• Wedgetail Ridge Estate Darling Downs
• Westend Estate Riverina
• Wirruna Estate North East Victoria
• Yacca Paddock Vineyards Adelaide Hills

Surprisingly, Durif has also found its way to cool climate areas. John Vale of Vale Wines at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula has successfully pioneered the variety. You can read all about his experiences in his article Cool Climate Durif ? You must be kidding! in the Winemakers' Tales section of Vinodiversity.

Dan Crane, winemaker at All Saints Winery in the Rutherglen Region has written about how long maceration is used to bring out the best of the variety's prodigious tannins when making All Saints Durif

Smithy from Warrabilla wines has written "Confessions of a Durif tragic"

The depth of flavour and body of the wine seems to be enhanced by the bubbles. A great way to start your acquaintance with sparkling red wine is with a bottle of Morris Sparkling Durif.