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 over the past few weeks. These are wines that were not sent as samples—in most cases, I actually paid for these wines (although a few have been given as gifts).

2014 Domaine Adrien Besson Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu, France: Retail $45. Heavy bottle. Under cork. 100% Chardonnay. I purchased this back in 2017 from Last Bottle Wines and after four solid to stellar bottles, I land on a bit of a stinker. A bit golden in the glass with not much fruit, but an oxidative note and a hint of TCA (corked?). Neither is “offensive” but both contribute to the sentiment that something is not quite right here. Is it “flawed”? Perhaps. but not enough to claim (but perhaps enough to send it back in a restaurant). In the end? I drank it, but it was while I was watching the news, so I really was not paying attention to much of anything. Good. 86 Points.

NV Antoine Derigny Champagne Grand Cru Brut, France: Retail $50. 100% Chardonnay. This comes from the second case of this wine that I bought from Last Bubbles since we were so enthralled with the first few bottles we bought. I used to be firmly in the “Blanc de Noirs” camp when it comes to styles of champagne, but I am certainly coming around to the Blanc de Blancs side of things. Slightly golden in the glass with all kinds of baked goodness and golden delicious apples on the nose. The palate is tart and clean with apple, brioche, and verve. Excellent. 92 Points.

2021 Belles d’Eguilles Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France: Retail $13. Under screw cap. From WTSO. Cinsault , Grenache , Syrah. This is our second go-around with this wine and while the first bottle was Very Good and serviceable, this wine is a bit more: more fruit, more tartness, more balance. It’s surprising how different the two bottles can be. Barely pink in the glass with tree fruit, floral notes, and a bit of minerality. The palate is quite fruity, in fact, with just a hint of sweetness, and plenty of acidity. Excellent. 90 Points.

2014 B Kosuge Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $48. Heavy bottle. Under cork. The last bottle we popped of this wine was, well, regrettable, so I decided to pop the last bottle (no, not *that* Last Bottle Wines). Well, this might actually be the *best* bottle of them all. Slightly golden in the glass with a rich, unctuous nose of lemon curd, a hint of pear, a subtle oakiness, and a fervent verve. The palate? Holy mother of god. Off the charts. It initially reminded me of a 1er Cru Meursault, but as it warmed, it lost a bit of that luscious fat and morphed into more of a warm-vintage Chassagne-Montrachet. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2020 Mettler Family Vineyards Albariño Estate Grown, Lodi, CA: Retail $20. Under screw cap. Almost precisely two years ago, I first tasted this wine, and I really liked it. A lot. Two years later? I still do, perhaps even more. While most consider Albariño to be a wine to be consumed fairly young, the added bottle time in this wine seems to have done it a world of good. Sure, the main points in my previous note remain accurate, but this wine is richer, even a bit honeyed (though far from oxidized), rendering it a full two points higher. Excellent. 92 Points.

NV Damien Pinon Vouvray Le Brut de Brut, Loire Valley, France: Real $25. Retail $25? 100% Chenin Blanc. I picked these up from Last Bubbles, another site from Last Bottle Wines, my favorite online retailer. Vouvray in general and sparkling Chenin in particular has a warm spot in my heart as I have led more cycling trips through the Loire Valley than any other region. After a sweaty ride, it is tough to beat a hot shower and a cold Vouvray. Sweet, honeyed Asian pear on the nose with a bit of minerality (limestone), the palate is dry, with balanced fruit and tartness. Not a wine for intense introspection, but one to share and enjoy. Very Good. 88 Points

WINE OF THE WEEK: Well, this week I did not take any pictures of wine bottles. Not a single one. I hesitate to mention that the photos I do take can often influence my choice for Wine of the Week. So today, I am in a bit of a quandary. Clearly, the 2014 B Kosuge Chardonnay Sonoma Coast was the best wine of the week, but what to do about a photo? I have no idea. How about this one?

Loaded up with, not loaded on, champagne.

What was/were your Wine(s) of the Week?