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:

2009 CapaBlanca Pinot Noir Reserve Sueno Profondo: Retail ~$20. A decided difference from our last bottle of this wine–this one seemed to be both tired and lacking fruit. The finish was weak and short. I have bought a few wines through Wine Access and I have not been all that impressed. Average to Good. 83-85 Points.

NV André Clouet Champagne Brut Grande Réserve: Retail ~$40. This is one of my favorite everyday champagnes, from my favorite town in Champagne, Bouzy, which is known for its Pinot Noir. It has great heft and body, ample mousse, golden color. For me, the Pinot of Bouzy comes through in spades. A Very Good, even Excellent champagne. 89-91 Points.

2006 Dutton-Goldfield Chardonnay Dutton Ranch: Retail ~$40. I am a huge fan of Dan Goldfield ever since I met him at IPNC a few years ago. He is originally from the Philly area, and still has that Philly attitude. This Chard is outstanding, but a bit of Dan’s antithesis–it is reserved and refined, delicate and discriminating. Great fruit and acidity, all in balance. A hint of oak, but by no means is this a big, boisterous, Cali chard. One of the better Chards I have had in a while. Excellent. 90-92 Points.

2004 Leonard de Saint-Aubin Meursault: Retail ~$30. I was a bit worried about this wine, since our own CT users claim that it should have been consumed a few years ago. No need to worry yet. Great lemon and a hint of pineapple with just the right amount of oak. This is a wonderful wine that reminds you of why Burgundy is a standard. Excellent. 89-91 Points.

2010 Melini Chianti Borghi d’Elsa: Retail ~$12. I bought a case of this several months ago to have with pizza or pasta or when I did not feel like thinking too much about what I was drinking. The wine seems to have improved since the last go around, with a nice classic Chianti nose of black cherry and a bit of earthiness. There is also a bit of heat (an indicator of the alcohol being out of balance a bit). On the palate, certainly thin and the alcohol does indeed stand out. Short finish. Not horrible, by any means, especially given the price. Good to Very Good. 85-87 Points.

2005 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Beaune: Retail ~$30. I last had this wine a couple of years ago and the extra time is doing this wine some favors. Typical Burgundian restrained fruit and acidity. This Beaune is a bit on the brutish side—more muscle than finesse, but that was fine with me. Medium finish, Very Good to Excellent. 89-91 Points.

1996 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley: Retail ~$40. I bought several of these six (!) years ago from the PLCB and this was our last. It was also the best. I had had a few rough days and I was craving a little beef. I saw a mean looking ribeye at the store, so on the way home I was thinking about a cabernet. The last few bottles of these we either decanted, Vinturi-ed, or both. This one was just a pop and pour. Great red fruit (with a little funk) and complexity with a finish that lingered for quite a while. This wine seduced me instantly and left me craving more. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2006 Page Cellars Syrah Lick My Lips: Retail ~$25. We bought this several years ago on a trip to Woodinville and I pulled it out of the cellar to have after dinner. Good choice, even though this is clearly not my style of wine. Big, fleshy fruit and oak, and despite no residual sugar, this was practically a dessert on its own. Well balanced with some nice chocolate on the finish. In fact, even though I don’t really get the wine with chocolate thing, this one would actually work very well. Excellent to Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

2006 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile: Retail ~$30. I do not have a lot of experience with Turley, and I was expecting a big, bombastic Zin. It wasn’t and I was pleasantly surprised. There was plenty of fruit, but in no way over the top. Great balance and complexity, a bit of mocha on the lingering finish. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

WINES OF THE WEEK: There were a lot of good wines, but few ‘great’ wines this week. One of the exceptions was the 2006 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile. I was certainly surprised that this was a pretty reserved Zin, with mellow fruit, great balance and some nice tannin on the back end. It also helps that the wine was made by one of my favorite winemakers, Ehren Jordan. The other wine of the week was the Mondavi. It was refined and supple and proved beyond a doubt that California wines need not be loud and brutish to be enjoyed.

What was your Wine of the Week?