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:

A good night’s work….

2004 Domaine des Baumard Savennières: Retail $20. This is the first Savennières that I have had in a while—classic Chenin nose of lemon, a bit of minerality, and a little funk (in a good way). On the palate it lacked a little depth, but still reminded me that I need to drink more Chenin. Very Good. 86-88 Points.

2005 Campion Pinot Noir:  Retail $25. I have done a complete 180 on this wine. The nose is a bit muted and a bit hot, but the palate is wonderful. Great cherry and earth balanced with vibrant acidity. This was fantastic. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

1990 Château Le Chrisly Monbazillac Clos la Selmonie:  Retail $20. Dark golden color, notes of honey and citrus on the nose. Sweet, but not overly so. Botrytis is evident, but is well integrated. Full, balanced mouth feel. Very, very good. Outstanding. 92-94 Points.

2004 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir: Retail $45. This is the reason that I love Clos Pepe so much. Even 8-9 years out, the fruit is still ripe and plentiful (cherry, cola, and a bit of cinnamon). Great acidity and balance. Wonderful. Outstanding. 92-94 Points.

2008 Freeman Chardonnay Ryo-fu:  Retail $42. We had this at the end of the meal since, well, it was cold. Very nice nose of pineapple, lemon, and a bit of oak, on the palate a bit of vanilla also came through. I would have liked to see a tad bit more acidity, but I am really just splitting hairs here. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

2005 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Rully Vieilles Vignes:  Retail $30. Wow. It has been several years since I had a bottle of this and it is fantastic! Lemon zest and a hint of tangerine on the nose with explosive acidity on the palate. No sign of oak or malolactic fermentation, I would have guessed this was a 2010 if served blind. This wine simply rocked. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

2004 Littorai Pinot Noir The Haven:  Retail $65. I was smart enough to read my previous tasting note and decanted this puppy first. After about 45 minutes in the decanter, we finally tore into this and my last note still rings true: “the dark cherry fruit really started to show. This is one of the more intensely dark red fruit Pinots that I have ever had. By the end, this was truly singing and had a depth and complexity for which Ted Lemon is known.” Fantastic. Outstanding. 94-96 Points.

2003 Matrot-Wittersheim Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce-sous-le-Bois: Retail $35. 2003 was an extremely hot year across France, causing winemakers all kinds of difficulty, particularly in Burgundy. This wine was made more in the “new world” style of big fruit up front with not as much acidity holding it all together. An enjoyable quaff, but in no way is it a “typical” Burgundy. Very Good. 86-88 Points.

1993 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon:  Retail $125. Bottle was oxidized and there were only a few bubbles. Ugh.

2002 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque: Retail $100. I am usually not a huge fan of the Perrier, but after the oxidized Dom, this was more like it. Green apple and citrus with tons of bubbles, the acidity on the finish served to sufficiently whet the appetite for the meal. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2009 Domaine Pignier Côtes du Jura:  Retail $25. Nose a bit funky with mushroom and stewed raspberry, but the palate is inviting: tart cherry, that raspberry and plenty of acid. Good on its own, but likely great with a bit of pork chop. Very Good. 87-89 Points.

NV Soutiran Champagne Blanc Perle Noir Grand Cru: Retail $45. This wine had all the elements that I look for in a Champagne: a yeasty nose, hints of bright fruit, extended finish. The only thing that was missing was a vibrant mousse, making this wine seem a bit tired. Still Very Good. 87-89 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: I figured that I would have a lot of different wines battling for top honors this week since we had my yearly celebration over the weekend. I pulled out a few bottles that I thought were ripe for the harvesting and I thought it would be tough to chose just one for WOTW. After the 1993 Dom Pérignon came up oxidized, the field was thinned (and sent me scrambling to find a quick replacement for the arriving guests). In the end, the WOTW was actually rather easy to pick: the 2004 Littorai The Haven Pinot Noir was transcendent: intense yet balanced, fruity yet earthy, rich yet refined. A wonderful bottle of wine.

What was your Wine of the Week?