Leira Albariño, 2009, Rias Baixas

Albariño is Spain's greatest white wine. Rias Baixas is the DO. Galicia in the Northwest of Spain is the region. Very unique wine. Medium to full bodied. Some of them are almost creamy in texture, with intense aromas of citrus, stone fruit, flowers and mouth-watering acidity that brings to mind wet Atlantic coastal rocks. These wines are both delicious and singular, mainly because Albariños manage to bring together many of the best things of various white-wine styles. It's one of those wines I can see Chardonnay drinkers enjoying as easily as Aromatic lovers. The result? Explosion in the culinary world. The question is how a rainy, green corner of Spain manages to produce a varietal able to harness all of these sensations in a single glass. The nose, so reminiscent of Viognier and Alsace riesling, has led more than a few to wonder if the grape was brought to Galicia from France.

Pirramimma Shiraz, 2006, McLaren Vale, Australia

Longing. Hankering. Ache. Need. Lust. Call it what you like. I've been craving a big Australian shiraz alongside fillet mignon for about a week. I've made a point of ignoring this caveman call. I've staged rational internal point-by-point dialogues along the following lines: 1) You have enjoyed many of Australia's shiraz specimens. Try something else. 2) You're palate is supposed to be evolving - flowing from the jammy black fruit, chocolate, vanilla and pepper highlands to the quiet valley floor where subtle flavours of earth, fungi, barnyard and dry-aged meat frolic about in huge Burgundy glasses. 3) Look to your left, on the Blog List Bubble thing: the two largest words are BEEF and SYRAH. Don't be a wine heathen. People will question your character. I don't know about my character, but I believe my palate is a touch slow or maybe dyslexic. It could require professional tutoring.