wine made in the district of Shiraz, city in Persia, 1630s. As the name for a red wine made from a type of grape grown in the Rhône valley of France, it is recorded from 1908, from French syrah, the name apparently altered in English on mistaken notion that the grape was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Crusaders. The place name is said to be from Elamite sher "good" + raz "grape."