Over the course of a week, I taste a bunch of wine, usually with friends, and almost always with my wife. Here are some of the wines we tasted this last week that stood out:

2001 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley: Retail ~$40. The owner/winemaker at Au Bon Climat, Jim Clenenden is a legend. I have only had a few of his wines, but have never been disappointed. This was no exception. Clearly, the fruit has faded a bit, but the tart cherries and subtle vanilla remain. A tad on the austere side, but that is how I prefer my pinot. This was a great choice for the salmon and only would have been better if my wife had been there to share it. Excellent. 87-89 points. Write-up HERE.

2008 Hopper Creek Chardonnay Sangiacomo Vineyards: Retail ~$25. The first bottle of this was completely horrible. In fact I tweeted this: “I think this might be one of the worst chards I’ve had in a while.” The wine was a scary golden color, smelled of feet, and tasted just as bad. So bad that I emailed the retailer (Wines Til Sold Out [WTSO]) to let them know how awful it was. After my interaction with WTSO, I was completely satisfied, they took care of the problem, no questions asked. The second bottle was still not ‘outstanding’, but it was much better. Even Very good–pineapple and lemon, but still fat and lacking acidity. Good to Very Good. 84-86 points.

2007 Demuth Winery Pinot Noir Limited Reserve: Retail $40. I have reviewed Demuth on this blog a before (see HERE). Well, as I went to the cellar to grab another bottle, I noticed that despite the Pennsylvania Control Board (PLCB) website, and my receipt from buying the wine, this was not the 2006 Demuth Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Estate Bottled. First, it was a 2007, but I could handle a ‘mere’ vintage discrepancy (although with some wines, it could make a HUGE difference). It was more than that, however, it was an entirely different wine! You go, PLCB! Who says you’re not ‘awesome’?!? This one was equally impressive as the 2006 Anderson Valley Estate (and perhaps more so), with rich cherry nose and palate and a long, balanced finish. Excellent. 89-91 points.

2005 Bodega Victoria Carineña Longus: Retail ~$80? This was an intriguing wine and not just because of its blend (Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah). I bought it from Last Bottle, one of my favorite online retailers, who claimed it is a $80 wine at retail. Cellar Tracker, however, suggests this wine sells for considerably less (about $25). Who knows what to believe? I do know that the wine comes in a BAB (a Big A*s Bottle) which to me is complete idiocy—it does nothing for the wine and only serves to add cost (both for the glass and for subsequent shipping costs). The wine? Quite dark in the glass, with strawberry and vanilla on the nose. The palate was quite nice with juicy fruit and balance. Long finish. Excellent to Outstanding. 90-92 points.

2005 Mommessin Fleurie Les Roches: Retail ~$20. (100% Gamay) This was my backup bottle when I had the worst wine of the year a few days ago (see above). This wine exhibits why I am a huge fan of Beaujolais—in its youth, Beaujolais can be pleasantly fruity and delightful.  As it ages, it can develop secondary earthy characteristics and can become an almost burgundian style food wine. I certainly prefer this latter description, which is what was going on here—dried cherries and a hint of smoke, this wine was a bit austere and paired very well with my pork chop. Very Good to Excellent. 87-89 points.

2007 Row Eleven Vinas 3 Pinot Noir: Retail ~$18-20.  I bought a bunch of these a while ago for an everyday pinot. I was really surprised that they turned out to be much more than that. Sadly, this was the last bottle, but it was also the best! Nice ripe cherries on the nose and the palate with fine balance and structure throughout. Strong finish highlighted by a bit of cassis. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 points. Write up HERE.

2008 Domaine Vindemio Côtes du Ventoux Regain: Retail ~$15 (60% Grenache, 40% Syrah). I bought a case of this on a whim from Last Bottle, one of my favorite flash sites out there, for about half of retail. I was not disappointed. This is a great mid-week wine, with tons of fruit throughout. This is a great pizza/pasta wine, or something for the back porch as you enjoy a cool fall evening. Very Good. 86-88 points.

WINE OF THE WEEK:

This was certainly a difficult choice this week as none of the wines really stood out. The Longus was certainly the best wine, but that is not enough to make it wine of the week. Often, I opt for the wine that was the biggest surprise (in a good way, of course) and that is the path I am taking this week in choosing the Vindemio Côtes du Ventoux. This is a really fun wine and helped restore faith in the Côtes du Ventoux appellation (my absolute worst day ever on a bike was when I climbed Mount Ventoux several years ago when I contemplated homocide, suicide, verbicide, and ‘velocide’). it also helps that I have another 11 bottles!