Syrah, also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. It is a dry, full-bodied, opaque wine with brisk acidity, moderate-to-high alcohol levels (13–14.5%), and firm tannins. Syrah has a range of flavors, from smoke, bacon, herbs, red and black fruits, white and black pepper, to floral violet notes. When aged in oak, Syrah takes on flavors of vanilla and baking spice. Syrah is used as a single varietal or as a blend, and it is often blended with grapes that add more mid-palate, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to help make the wine taste more complete. Syrah is responsible for some of the darkest full-bodied red wines in the world, and it has dark fruit flavors from sweet blueberry to savory black olive. Syrah is typically paired with darker meats and exotic spices, such as lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian 5-spice pork, and even Indian tandoori meats.