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:

2011 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir: Retail $20. A friend brought this over to dinner one night and she claimed that one of the magazines gave it a 90. Well, it just goes to show you that you can’t trust anyone’s assessment but your own. (I realize that the last statement calls into question my own ratings and reviews, but, well…) The fruit here was thin but there were some hints of complexity. This wine supports my theory that it is difficult to make a great Pinot on a mass scale. Good. 84-86 Points.

2008 Amelle Zinfandel Buck Hill Sonoma County: Retail $25. I love this wine, a lot. Tonight, it did not show all that well since I did not decant it first. There was heat (and a lot of it) initially, but we drank it so fast that I did not really get another chance to try it after it had more air. Unrated.

2011 Argyle Riesling: Retail $20. Much better than the last bottle–tart and fruity with some nice depth in the mid-palate. This will not be confused with a German or Alsatian version, but that is certainly more than “OK”. Particularly considering what I paid for it. Very Good. 88-90 Points.

2011 Domaine Pascal Aufranc Chénas Vieilles Vignes de 1939 (Gamay): Retail $20.One word: Brett (Brettanomyces). I am not adverse to Brett, but boy is there a bunch here. There is a bit of fruit, but it is rather hard to find. After some time in the glass, the Brett burned off a tad (but only a tad). In the end, I guess I liked it (like I said, Brett does not bother me all that much). Good? Not Rated.

2004 Copain Syrah Madder Lake: Retail $30? Rich and full with a bit of spice on the end, this was wonderful. Good fruit and structure with just the right amount of acidity, but virtually no tannins to speak of here. I certainly did not drink this one too early… Outstanding. 89-91 Points.

2007 Flowers Chardonnay Andreen-Gale Sonoma Coast: Retail $50. Full disclosure: we had this shortly after the Lewis Chard, but this really held its own. Great tropical fruit and kick, this was a great choice for the cheese plate (if I do say so myself). The really stinky Epoisses was a challenge, but this wine came out swinging. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

NV Jaffelin Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs Brut: Retail $20?. Decent, but nothing to get overly excited over. Good on its own, but I will likely use these for Kir Royales. Good to Very Good. 85-87 Points.

2008 Jermann Vinnaioli Sauvignon Blanc Venezia Giulia IGT: Retail $35. My last note rings true, even a year and a half later: “This was unlike most SB I have experienced. When I think SB I think grassy, herbal, bright acidity. This one had plenty of acidity and some herbal notes, but it also had a roundness that I don’t associate with the variety. Also some lemon curd that was fantastic.” There is a little nuttiness on the finish this time around, though, and it melds right in. Nice wine. Outstanding. 89-91 Points.

2004 Littorai Pinot Noir One Acre: Retail $70? Ted Lemon (owner and winemaker) rocks. I know that is a bit cliché, but it is certainly true. Great fruit. Really great fruit, but the complexity was incredible. My theory is that Mr. Lemon is the great winemaker he is because he is (or was) fluent in French. Just a theory…. Outstanding. 92-94 Points.

NV Mailly Grand Cru Champagne Brut Rosé: Retail $45? I am a big fan of Mailly. I am also a big fan of rosé champagnes. Therefore I thought I would really like this wine. I did. It was fantastic. Great red berry flavors and bright bubbles and spunk. There was also a bit of the yeastiness that I love. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2002 Montaudon Champagne Brut Millésimé: Retail $45.We had this after the NV Mailly Rosé, and there was no drop off–great, vibrant nose, which included considerable yeast and yumminess. On the palate, this was Outstanding–richness, depth,and a great finish. Not much more you can ask for in a champagne. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2011 Nicolas Potel Pouilly-Fuissé: Retail ~$20. Very pleasant nose with some vibrancy and promise. On the palate, great spunk, but lacking a bit in the depth department. Kind of like that girl in high school that you were initially keen on dating, but after a week or two, you were glad she dumped you. Good to Very Good. 86-88 Points.

2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard: Retail $45. I got this for a great price from the PLCB a few years ago ($25). Cherries and heat on the nose, the wine is a tad cloudy. Big fruit on the palate (a bit stewed even–over extracted?) and it is a bit fat–no tannins to speak of and just a bit of acidity. I do like it, but was hoping for more…. Very Good. 87-89 Points.

2006 Trefethen Riesling Late Harvest: Retail $60? Dark, really dark. Somewhere between ginger ale and coca-cola dark. A rich, Vin Santo-esque nose and a rich, unctuous mouthfeel. Sweetness and complexity on the palate–I do not think that this wine is over the hill, but it has started its way down the other side, certainly. Drink soon. As in today. Very Good. 88-90 Points.

WINE(S) OF THE WEEK: If I were to exclude Friday night, it would have been a difficult week to pick a Wine of the Week. I likely would have picked the Aufranc Chénas and asked: “How do you feel about Brettanomyces? Do you consider it a flaw–would you send a “Bretty” wine back?” One can’t just exclude a day of the week, however (otherwise Monday would certainly be extinct). Friday night we had some good friends over and drank some really nice wines: the two champagnes, the Flowers, Amelle, and Trefethen. We also had the 2004 Littorai One Acre and another wine not listed here: a 2009 Lewis Reserve Chardonnay. We had these two wines side by side with some breaded pork tenderloin and they were both incredible. The Lewis was rich and full–great bright fruit with incredible depth while the Littorai was perhaps a bit more shy and contemplative. Both would have been great on their own, but together they were almost magical.

What was your wine of the week?