I have unique and fond memories of Port-au-Prince and it was there in Haiti, in the early 1500s, that the Spanish discovered a method of roasting meat over an open fire that the natives called “barabicu” that translates as “framework of sticks set upon posts”.

Since I have recently been persuaded, by a wily sales clerk, to spend rather more than I intended on the latest in stainless steel outdoor grills I am thinking of appropriate wines. Syrah (Shiraz if you are from the country of hopping marsupials) comes to mind.

With the family name of Jacuzzi you may understand where the money came from to own Cline Cellars in the beautiful Carneros region of Sonoma County.

Their mission was to bring Rhone varietals to the American public and so I turn to them for the best known of them all, which is arguably Syrah. I should mention that they feel that they go beyond organic as they not only avoid toxic chemicals, but also enhance the soil with compost teas, crushed minerals and ground up oyster shells. Friendly insects are introduced to control harmful ones and hungry sheep control weeds. All is in harmony.

We presently stock the Cline Cellars Sonoma County 2012 Syrah which sells for $17.65. Carneros, which is the Spanish word for sheep, is cool (ideal for wool farming) and produces a wine that is similar in style to those from the Rhone Valley. This deeply purple offering has black cherry fruit and cracked pepper which is typical and not a quaff for the meek among us. It is just simply delicious.

It would be difficult to find a better example than the Luca 2010 Syrah from Uco Valley in Argentina.

I am of the opinion that if I tell you that this is Argentina’s first Syrah vineyard to be planted through “double massal selection” I may cause a puzzled look. Let me explain. Most vineyards are planted from clones of a single vine with matching DNA. Massal selection selects vines that are similar, but not copies and it adds subtle diversity and complexity of flavours in the finished wine.

Laura Catena, owner of Luca, has selected this ten-acre vineyard for her Syrah source and the 48-year-old vines grow ungrafted on their own root stocks. A massal selection of vines from the Rhone Valley was first brought to Argentina and planted.

Then a selection was taken from them, so hence “double massal selection”. Well known Canadian critic Natalie Maclean awarded it 93/100 and wrote of “a seductive nose of coffee and brooding black fleshy fruit opening up to mouth-filling richness on the palate” [and] “velvet layers of dark fruit, tanned leather and cigar box aromas”. $28.10. I am thinking beef steak for sure.

When I am asked for the difference between Syrah and Shiraz my stock answer is “the same difference that there is between a German Sheppard and an Alsatian, same dog, different name”. As the first wine grapes probably came from a region near the city of Shiraz in Iran about 7,000 years ago, those Australian folks have good reason to name their most popular grape in this way.

I am so thrilled that we represent Mollydooker (left-handed person) wines and here is what left-handed owners Sarah and Sparky Marquis have to say about their 2013 “The Boxer” Shiraz: “A knockout for sure. This wine continues to be a fan favourite and our friends keep asking for more. Once in a glass, the room fills with the aromas of red berry fruit, fresh plum, dark chocolate and hints of Christmas cake.

“Once in the mouth an explosion of blueberry fruit, coffee, toasty oak layer with a chocolate cream finish.” As you share a bottle with friends please let them know that this is the most awarded Australian winery and their limited wines are on very tight allocation. The fact is that we have to buy our allocation for Bermuda when the new wines are released, or we may not find any available at a later date. $30.25.

• This column is a paid for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson is Director of Wine at Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm or 295-0176. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East. 295-1554), Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355) and St George’s (York Street, 297-0409). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits are available online at www.wineonline.bm.