I would be remiss in speaking of pepperiness without mentioning the Rhône Valley, particularly the northern reaches, where syrah is king. Make that a chessboard king, the kind shaped like a pepper mill. This is not blow-your-socks-off Crozes-Hermitage, but it offers a decent snapshot of how satisfyingly tense and spicy syrah can be when grown in a relatively cool climate. Medium-full-bodied and very dry, it's soft on entry but cranks up the licorice and pepper in the second act. Available in Ontario.