Les Deux Rives, Corbieres (Languedoc, France) 2008

 Although this wine ultimately lacks the length to earn a higher score, it is most interested and a pleasure to sip, and at the price could well be your everyday house red, especially suitable with grilled meats and hearty stews. The red and black fruit aromas are bright and juicy, the acidity firm (all the better with food) and the hint of white pepper a beguiling accent. The blend is Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan. The fact that it comes in at 12.5 percent alcohol is a real plus, too, for this is the sort of wine that inspires quaffing over good food and conversation.