Not all foods can go well with all wines, with a full bodied, richly flavored wine like Syrah or Shiraz, you will need to pay proper attention to your food selection. Whether you want to enjoy your Syrah at your dinner table or want to host a party that serves the Syrah, your food choice will make or break your dinner or party. So here are few food suggestions that can be combined in your menu to match the wine. You can also decide vice-versa, see the menu and select the wine that matches it. So here are foods that go with Syrah:

1. Grilled or roast meats: Syrah is known for its strong bold taste and rich tannins, therefore it complements the smoky flavors and savory taste of meats like the lamb, beef and venison. Here are a few examples of the grilled and roasted meats, roast beef, grilled chicken skewers, rack of lamb, beef or pork rib, grilled or roasted pork tenderloin, grilled or roasted steak, roasted turkey, grilled salmon are just some of the dishes that could pair well with the Syrah.
2. Strong Cheeses: Strong cheeses have pungent, bold and complex flavors just like the Syrah wines. Strong aged cheeses like the blue cheeses eg. Gorgonzola, smoke gouda, Limburger, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roquefort, Stilton, etc. Most of these cheeses have been made from cow’s milk. Syrah’s acidity cuts through richness of the cheese giving a very satisfying taste.
3. Charcuterie: This is a collection of meats and cheeses on a single board where in guests can choose and pick what they like, creating a charcuterie board for Syrah is simple enough. Here are some foods that could go on your charcuterie board, prosciutto that is salty and delicate like the San Daniele or Parma, smoky spicy chorizo, a range of blue cheeses, nutty flavors of roasted almonds and pistachios, Kalamata or Castelvetrano salty olives, bread and crackers, etc.
4. Dark Chocolate: Bitter taste of dark chocolate complements and adds more richness to both the wine and the chocolate. You can also choose equally complementing dark chocolate. Here are some dark chocolate varieties that go well with the Syrah wine – dark chocolate with sea salt, dark chocolate with chili, dark chocolate with orange, dark chocolate with espresso, 70% dark chocolate with roasted nuts and fruits to add flavor to combination.
5. Spicy Dishes: Spice cuts across all tastes, Indian and Mexican spicy dishes are amazing combination with the Syrah wine. These Indian dishes could do the trick, chicken tikka masala, chana masala, lamn vindaloo, rogan josh, tandoori chicken, etc.

With above food pairings and a Syrah wine, you will find your guests complimenting not just the food but also your choice of wine. Prepare yourself to have a fulfilling and happy evening.