There’s no shortage of creative minds who’ve sworn red wines to be the primal trigger for their best works.  How about letting one of the red ferments jog something lost in your creative recesses and give the senses a real treat. Shiraz is an ideal varietal to begin with. The Southern French grape is veritably omnipresent, dominating the Rhone Valley and the Barossa, Australia’s finest wine region as well as most of the new world including India. Much like Chardonnay, Shiraz is widely grown so one can expect distinct styles from medium bodied wines abounding with dark fruit and violets to bold and full bodied ones with flavours of blackberry, chocolate and smoke. Hopping immediately to Pinot Noir is an interesting exercise in contrast. Instantly recognisable for its elegant bouquet of cherries, strawberries and cinnamon when its well made, Pinot Noir was originally grown in the French region of Burgundy. Pinot Noir merits appreciation as do its producers because it’s not an easy grape to grow. Burgundy and New Zealand’s Central Otago and Marlborough regions will yield ample choice to school and floor the palate in equal measure. The Italian star Sangiovese that can build from fruit forward easy drinking to a barrel aged complexity laden with leather and meat, should make the wish list as should Spain’s most famous variety, Tempranillo which yields big ripe fruit and silky tannins.