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:

[This is the first WWHBD in the last couple weeks, due to #MWWC8 (remember to vote HERE) and these past few days I have been in bed for the last three days with nary a drop of wine.]

2006 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley: Retail $25. We have had a bunch of older BVs over the last few years and my wife was less than enthused when I pulled this out of the cellar. Pretty good, actually. Raspberry, mocha, and a bit of depth. Very Good, maybe more. 87-89 Points.

2010 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel: Retail $45? I was expecting a bigger, oaky, full-malo wine. Um. Wrong. First, it started with a wax seal concealing a composite cork (still do not know the point of the composite cork) and a bright tartness that proved there was neither much oak nor malolactic fermentation. Once it warmed a bit, I became more enamored, but I would have liked a bit more creaminess. It seems this was looking to appeal to the “ABC” (anything but chardonnay) crowd. Very Good, but, well…  87-89 Points.

2006 Campion Pinot Noir: Retail $30. Another wine that I am sad to see go. Although it is cliché, I see this as more “Burgundian” than Carneros–ample but restrained fruit, acidity perfectly in balance, and a lingering finish. I got this for $15 from WTSO and if any Campion comes up again, I will buy it. Period. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

2003 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon: Retail $35. A bit subdued initially, but then the flavors came out. Strawberry and raspberry, surprising fruit for the age. A bit of interesting depth and a lingering finish. Very Good to Outstanding. 88-90 Points.

2009 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc: Retail $15. The more I think about it, the more I kick myself in the pants for not getting more of this for $5. Decent fruit with surprising acidity, this rally did well with my fish tacos. Alas, this is the last bottle, but it was likely time for it to go. I doubt this gets any better, but it was Very (very) Good. 88-90 Points.

1995 Pommery Champagne Brut Grand Cru: Retail $60. I bought several of these many years ago, and have worked through them episodically. The problem? I love older champagnes, but there are few that share my passion. This was not ancient, but it was clearly a senior citizen. A bit of citrus, pineapple, and even pear on the nose. On the palate, there is that older champagne aspect–a hint of oxidation and tons of creamy bread. I was less impressed initially, but it certainly came around in spades. Outstanding. 90-92 Points.

2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla’s Vineyard: Retail $30? Another older Zin that is just fantastic–great dark berry fruit of blackberry and cassis. On the palate, completely integrated tannins and balanced acidity. The finish rounds out this truly fantastic wine. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard: Retail $45. Dare I say a ‘classic’ Sonoma Pinot? Big, ripe fruit with depth. Lacking a bit of acidity, I guess, but this was fantastic–exactly what I was wanting. Adam Lee does a great job–now only if I could get him to follow me on Twitter… Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK(s): Last Monday was the first time in a long time (ever?) that I neglected to post a “What We Have Been Drinking” and it is probably a good thing since this past week was rather low in the area of consumption in our house. First, there was the opening of Philly Wine Week, which I attended on Monday. Tuesday, I met up with some winery owners downtown for a glass of wine (which was really not worth reviewing). So I did not dip into the cellar on either one of those nights. Friday, I took my son to a Philles game for his birthday, where I had a [gasp] beer. That ended up being a very bad idea since I was already feeling ill, and that clearly sent me over the edge–I was in bed all weekend, not touching any wine at all (OK, I had a little wine on Sunday night, but don’t tell my wife). Last week, though, I certainly went through a few good bottles, most notably the 1995 Pommery Champagne Brut Grand Cru and the 2000 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Carla’s Vineyard. This week, between the social events and my deathbed, I popped open a bottle of 2006 L’Angevin Pinot Noir, but I only got through a glass before I needed to go to bed (and did not “officially” review the wine, but it was outstanding). To borrow a phrase, “for one shinning moment” [Bonus question: why did I choose that phrase at this time of year?], however, I was able to enjoy some wine after attempting to be a social butterfly and before succumbing to what I was sure was the bubonic plague. On Wednesday night, we popped open the 2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard to celebrate our older son’s birthday and it was utterly fantastic. It seems like such a long time ago, but the impression remains (and so does another bottle in the cellar!).

[ed. note: Adam Lee is now following me on Twitter.]

What was your Wine of the Week?