Q. What's the difference (if any) between syrah and petite sirah?

A. Big difference. Syrah (also called shiraz) is a peppery red wine grape that provides the core of most great wines from the Rhone Valley of France. It's widely grown in Australia and has also made a name for itself in California and Washington.

Petite sirah (sometimes confusingly spelled petite syrah) is another name for durif, which is a French cross between syrah and peloursin. Petite sirah is quite popular in California, where it produces dark, tannic, somewhat rustic red wines. Among the top producers are Peachy Canyon, Ursa, La Filice, Eaglepoint Ranch, Parducci and Concannon.

* Paul Gregutt answers questions weekly. He can be reached at e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com.