Comparison
Shiraz vs Zinfandel
How Shiraz and Zinfandel differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Zinfandel has more sweetness; Shiraz has more tannin; Shiraz has more body.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Zinfandel is sweeter: low-medium against low.
Tannin
Clear differencePhenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak. The principal structural axis of red wine.
Shiraz is more tannic and structured: medium-plus against medium.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Shiraz is fuller and richer: high against medium-plus.
Oak influence
Clear differencePerceptible impact of barrel or alternative oak contact — vanilla, toast, coconut, smoke, cedar and added texture.
Shiraz is more oaky: medium-plus against medium.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Shiraz is more savoury: medium against low-medium.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Zinfandel is spicier: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Acidity: Similar — both medium.
- Alcohol: Similar — both high.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both high.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Floral character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Shiraz | Zinfandel |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Body | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | low-medium (2/5) |
| Spice | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Alcohol | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Serve at | 16–18°C | 15–17°C |
| Typical flavours | blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, licorice, vanilla | blackberry, raspberry jam, black pepper, cinnamon, raisin |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Shiraz
The Australian name for Syrah, used to signal the riper, fuller, sweeter-fruited style the country made famous.
Grape
Zinfandel
The Californian name for the variety known in Puglia as Primitivo — brambly, high in alcohol, and the basis of white Zinfandel.
Comparison
Malbec vs Shiraz
Two full-bodied crowd-pleasers — which is smoother, and which is bigger?
Comparison
Syrah vs Shiraz
Are they the same grape, and if so why do the wines taste so different?
Comparison
Merlot vs Shiraz
Two soft, approachable reds — which is bigger, and which is smoother?