What is the difference between syrah and shiraz? As far as the grapes used, not a thing.
Syrah and shiraz wines are made with the same grape, but conventional wisdom holds that they’re two very different styles. Syrah has a reputation as a drier, more restrained wine while shiraz is thought to be jammier and fruitier.
People associate syrah with the “Old World” and shiraz with the “New World," although this neat division has been thrown out of whack by globalism. Now, some French wines from the heart of syrah country in the northern Rhone are being marketed as shiraz for export, while Chile produces syrah whose flavor profile better fits shiraz and vice versa.
Yerba mate is the green tea of South America.
A grassy tasting infusion made from the dried leaves (and sometimes twigs) of the yerba mate plant, it has less caffeine than coffee but is easier on the stomach. Devotees swear by it for creating alertness without the jittery effects of coffee.
In South America, yerba mate is traditionally sweetened with sugar substitute stevia and drunk from decorated gourd cups with a straw.
