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:

2005 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Estate Reserve: Retail $45. Very dark. Really un-Pinot dark. The nose did not really remind me of Pinot either–dark red fruit–no cherry, no earth just deep brooding fruit. On the palate, the fruit has really mellowed but still a stewed nature that also screamed Syrah instead of Pinot. A perplexing wine. Still Very Good, but not what I had expected or hoped. 86-88 Points.

1992 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve: Retail $45. Not as enthralled this time around with this wine. Still quite good and enjoyable, but I picked up a lot of green pepper this time and not necessarily a good thing here. Still very enjoyable and well balanced  acidity. Very Good. 87-89 Points.

2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Meiomi: Retail $20-25. I was really surprised by this wine–great cherry fruit and good balance. There was not a whole lot on the back end, but at this price point, I would certainly seek it out. Very Good. 88-90 Points.

1995 De Loach Zinfandel Gambogi Ranch: Retail ???. Perhaps not as good as the Papera Ranch, but still fantastic. Sour cherry and a bit of anise with a tiny bit of heat coming through on the nose. On the palate, initially a bit thin, but the sour cherry then came through in spades. Great acidity on the finish. I love well made, old zins. A lot. Very Good to Outstanding. 89-91 Points.

2004 E. Guigal Gigondas: Retail ~$25. I popped this open with Korean barbecue and it was a near perfect pairing. Rich red fruit, with meat and spice. The wine was impeccably balanced and really surprised me. It held up very well to the sugar and spicy heat in the Korean food (at least as well as the other 500+ wines that I have tried in vain to find a decent pairing, but I refuse to admit defeat and just drink beer). Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

NV Charles de Monrency Champagne Brut Réserve: Retail $30. A very nice Champagne for the price ($20 from WTSO). Not very complex, but great citrus and apple with the vibrant acidity you expect from a Champagne. This would work perfectly with milder Asian fare or even popcorn on the couch, watching a movie–as long as the movie was not animated and you were not surrounded by 9 screaming kids on a sleep-over for your son’s birthday party. Very Good. 86-88 Points.

2007 Domaine de la Perrière Sancerre: Retail ~$22. A little dark in color, which caused a little concern, but on the nose, no signs of trouble just some lemon zest and ‘minerality’ (you know what I mean). On the palate, a rich, unctuous feel but also plenty of acidity. Very nice, long finish. Very good as an apéritif or with your first foray into Meatless Monday (if you ever decide to go that route). Very Good to Outstanding. 88-90 Points.

2006 Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti Classico: Retail $18? Solid, yet uncomplicated wine that is perfect for pizza or pasta. There is some unmistakable age on it, but it has yet to reach the “stewed fruit” stage that I have seen in quite a few Chianti. Just enough acidity to help the food, but not enough fruit to be consumed on its own. Good. 84-86 Points.

1999 Les Vignobles Champenois Champagne Autréau de Champillon Les Perles de la Dhuy: Retail $55. I have had this for quite some time and I was honestly a bit worried that I had waited a bit too long. I worry far too much. This was as bright and lively as a wine half its age. Perky citrus initially with a powerful effervescence that danced through the mid-palate. On the finish, apple and freshly baked bread. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2011 Viña Almirante Rías Baixas Vanidade: Retail $15. Just what I expected–a bunch of citrus and a ton of acidity, this is really a pleasant drinker. The only problem tonight was that my wife did not cook the chicken dish she planned, but came home with Thai that was on the spicy side. Chicken? Seafood? No problem. Heat? Not such a great pairing. Still, Very Good. 86-88 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: There were certainly a lot of contenders for WOTW this time around: the Gigondas, the Sancerre, the Zin. There was also a solid effort from Champagne, the region that I really started with in wine appreciation. In fact, I often refer to my bottles of Champagne as my “babies” since I care for them like no other wine and really like to see them mature.

(OK, I don’t actually refer to them as my “babies” since that would be rather strange, to say the least, but it helps with the next anecdote).

I used to coach high school basketball and I once was at a basketball clinic with Bobby Knight, the enigmatic former coach of Indiana. At the time, his son was playing for him and I asked if he would ever choose to start another player instead of his son. He replied “I always play the best players I have on the team, but you would have to be a pretty fantastic player to beat out my own son.”

(He actually used much more colorful language, but I’ll leave that up to your imagination.)

Similarly, for a wine to edge out an outstanding Champagne, it would have to be really, really outstanding. Thus this week’s WOTW: 1999 Les Vignobles Champenois Champagne Autréau de Champillon Les Perles de la Dhuy.

What was your Wine of the Week?