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 ACORN Acorn Hill Alegría Vineyards, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $55. Responsible Bottle (535g; 18.8oz). 49% Syrah, 49% Sangiovese, 1% Viognier, 0.5% Mammolo, 0.5% Canaiolo. I was looking for something a little special for some friends who were in town for a visit so I grabbed this. As I did, I realized that many of the wines I have amassed over the years are no longer being made; either the winery had gone out of business, the winemakers have retired, or, sadly, died. The Nachbaurs “retired” a couple of years ago (and, I noticed this week, sold their brand, but still own and farm their vineyard–so are they really “retired”?) and this was perhaps their flagship wine, which is doing quite well. Dark in color as well as aromas (blackberry, cassis, plum, along with dark earth and pencil shavings), this is a wine to contemplate (albeit with dinner). Fruity, yes, but in a reserved way on the palate, with earth, plenty of acidity, and a surprising level of tannins (with the better part of a decade of age), this wine is simply scrumptious. Whoa. While the notes are similar to the last bottle I tried about two years ago, it also seems to have improved a bit, with the tannins a bit softer and more integrated. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2014 Clos Pepe Estate Chardonnay Barrel Fermented, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $35. Under screwcap. I bought half a case of this final vintage from the winery when they were closing up shop, and this is the fifth bottle we have cracked. Light yellow in the glass with lemon curd, a bit of green apple, and slight hints of vanilla and oak. The palate is quite tart, but also full-bodied (13.9%) and rich with multiple layers of flavor. Opening a bottle of Clos Pepe these days is always bittersweet–I love the wines, but my supply is finite as Wes Hagen will not be making any more. Sure, the vineyard still exists, but those making a Clos Pepe today are a far cry from the passionate, ebullient, and, at times, mercurial Wes Hagen. Excellent. 92 Points.

2005 Cosentino Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $80. What A Stupid Freaking Bottle (1223g; 2lbs 11.1oz). 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the last vintages that were solely under the direction of Mitch Cosentino at his eponymous winery in Napa Valley. I originally gave this to my father-in-law as a gift back in 2009(ish), but recently reclaimed it after I purged his “cellar” after his health scare. And it is doing quite well, thank you very much. Originally receiving a score of 84 from the Wine Enthusiast, I now contest that they got it very wrong, the wine has improved considerably, or, perhaps both. Medium to dark color with oodles of red and black fruit on the nose. Throw in some anise, a bit of cardamom and tobacco, and a touch of forest floor and you arrive at a solid Whoa. The palate is surprisingly fruity, nearly twenty years out, with impressive acidity and a richness that screams “Napa”. This is why I love Mitch’s wines: they embrace the opulence that is Napa Valley without sacrificing balance, finesse, and a certain je ne sais quoi. Outstanding. 96 Points.

NV Mailly Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve, France: From Magnum. Retail $100 (magnum). Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (1780g; 3 lbs 14.8oz). 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. 100% Grand Cru. Our connection to this wine has been well chronicled, but most of the experience has been with 750ml bottles. We have started buying more magnums, particularly when they occasionally go on sale. There is no doubt that the tasting experience with magnums is different, as was the case here. Richer, more concentrated, even, with greater depth and breadth than the standard 750ml. Sure, it could all be psychological, but there is nothing wrong with that, is there?  Outstanding. 94 Points.

2010 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, Savennières, Loire Valley, France: Retail $125. Responsible Bottle (513g; 18.1oz). 100% Chenin Blanc. As many have noted, Joly’s wines can have considerable bottle variation and most of them have an intense oxidative note, which can be off-putting to many. Also, my experience, although limited, with Clos de la Coulée de Serrant is that the wine tends to show better after having been brought close to room temperature and allowed to sit open for quite some time. All of the above was certainly true here. But Whoa. Close to amber in color with intense notes of beeswax, lanolin, walnut, quince, and just a touch of lemon rind. Whoa. The palate is much the same with intense acidity and impeccable balance, weight, and depth. Again, this wine is not for everybody, but for those who appreciate Joly, this is an incredible example. Holy cow. Extraordinary. 98 Points.

1997 Penfolds Grange, South Australia: Retail $800(?). Very Responsible Bottle (498g; 17.5oz). 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Good friends of ours were moving to Malaysia and rather than transport this around the world to a Muslim country (where it would possibly be confiscated), they left it with us for consumption at a later date. Well, that day was today as they were in town for a few days. Blackberry à la mode on the nose of this fairly dark wine with some mocha as well. The palate is tart and somewhat reserved with zippy dark fruit and wonderful balance. I expected a fairly big wine here (although I think this is my first time tasting Grange) but this is certainly old-world in approach. Fantastic, but started to fade rather quickly. I would venture to guess that it might be reaching or (more likely) past its apex. Outstanding. 94 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: Wow, what a week of fantastic bottles! Each one, consumed in virtually any other week, would likely have been the Wine of the Week, but that is not how this works (and I make up the rules here). So I had to choose one. While I thought that it would have been the 1997 Penfolds Grange as I was opening it (I mean, a wine that would sell for ~$800 today you would expect to be pretty good), and while it was fantastic, it did not reach the heights of the 2010 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, one of the more memorable wines I have had in a while. It was also a wine that I purchased from the Pennsylvanian Liquor Control Board before we left Philadelphia. While the PLCB is an abomination, it occasionally offers up gems like this at prices that are certainly more affordable (I paid $50).

What was your Wine of the Week?