The 2005 Shiraz “Oscar Semmler” was aged for 22 month in new and 1 year French oak. It offers a superb perfume of toasty oak, spice box, bacon, truffle, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Velvety-textured, seamless, and ripe, it has layers of spicy black fruits, soft tannins, and a long, pure finish. It will benefit from several years of cellaring and drink well through 2025. Importer: Michael Opdahl, Joshua Tree Imports, Duarte, CA; www.dutschkewines.com

This is terrifically lush and easy to drink now, but don’t be fooled into thinking this won’t age—there’s plenty of structure lurking underneath the layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit and veneer of toasty, vanilla-marked oak. Plus, there’s spicy complexity as well, lending savory, meaty notes to the compelling mix. Drink now–2020.——J.C.(11/1/2007)—— 94