Sablet "Les Deux Anges" Côtes du Rhône Villages, 2007

Not much to say about this wine, but not because it lacks in anything. The 2007 Sablet "Les Deux Anges" Côtes du Rhône Villages is an excellent example of this appellation and vintage, especially considering what a terrific year it was in the Rhône, with consistent high quality across the board. Wines from this vintage tend towards chewy tannic structure, highly aromatic liveliness in the glass, and great robustness. This wine proved no exception.

A disclaimer: I love Syrah. I might love Syrah even more than Cabernet Sauvignon. It's the most heady wine I've ever had the pleasure of drinking, with such intensity, such profound wildness, that I can't helped but love it. This wine is predominantly Grenache, and as such presents a wonderful ruby color in the glass, with a nose of generous dark fruits, mostly briar-patch blackberries and plums, lightly tinged with spice. In the mouth, more black fruits are balanced to great silky tannins - courtesy of Syrah - with hints of pepper and integrated oak. Good complexity, tasty finish. Great with herbed roast lamb, beef stew, or pepper-crusted pork loin. $15.

Fetish The Watcher, 2004

One thing I love about Australian wines is their consistent intensity, but the real essence of Australian wine goes deeper than that. Something about the terroir, the essence of the landscape and its climate, lends bold and blustering aspects of flavor to Australian wine, reds especially, which I find irresistible. And here is one reason why: The 2004 Fetish showcase, The Watcher. This is 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz, a proprietary brand by Joshua Tree Imports, with Rolf Binder as the winemaker. The wine has complex blue-black fruit and pepper aromas on the nose, with more jammy blueberries, violets, and plums on the palate. It has soft tannins and a long finish, featuring interesting cinnamon notes. A damn steal at $20 a bottle. Pair with any powerfully-seasoned grilled red meat.

Mollydooker Two Left Feet, 2005

The other Mollydooker I've encountered. Two Left Feet, like its companion The Boxer, is just packed with fruit; in fact, it has even more, primarily cherry and cassis, and has almost as much spice, about as much body, and almost overwhelms (in a good way) with the massive finish. A blend of Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Serious oak character, showing as a deep smoky quality. It also has a definite cedary element. Don't drink this alone. Be brave! $24. This needed decanting when I tried it, but by now should be drinking very well. Enjoy with rare peppered or seasoned steak.