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).

2008 Ayres Vineyard Pinot Noir Pioneer, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Heavy Bottle (609g; 21.4oz). Under cork. It has been a little over two years since the last time that I tasted this wine and, well, the extra time has not served it well. Dark and brooding in both color and aromas with tons of stewed fruit, primarily raspberry and plum. The palate is a continuation of the theme, with that stewed, dark fruit at the fore, touches of acidity and earth. I loved the previous bottle of this wine (95 points), but this one is clearly tired and, well, old. Sure, there are markers of its previous stellar life, but only markers. Very Good. 88 Points.

NV Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut, France: Retail $60. Retail $60. Extremely Heavy Bottle (884g; 31.1oz). 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus. My wife was leaving for the week and even though it was a Monday, which normally means that we only open samples, she felt she had the authority to venture into the cellar and pick anything she damned-well pleased. And she chose this. I forgave her. Always one of the best NV Bruts from the larger houses, this particular bottle is, well, fantastic. Great fruit, brilliant acidity, lengthy finish, and plenty of that brioche-like goodness that is key with champagne. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2005 Villa Erbice Vigneto TREMENEL, Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy: Retail $65. Very Heavy Bottle (708g; 24.9oz). Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Corvina Grossa. I have had a few of these now and while I am no expert when it comes to Amarone, this seems to be doing fairly well. Sure, there is some stewed fruit and a bit of earth on the nose–both making me pause. On the palate though, the fruit is fresher, the acidity is lively, and the depth is considerable. Yeah, this likely should have been consumed a few years ago, but this is pretty darned tasty right now and I am in no way complaining. Excellent. 90 Points.

NV Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut, France: Retail $60. Exceedingly Heavy Bottle (838g; 1lb 13.5oz). 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier. This was one of the 200(+?) wines at the Wine Spectator Wine Experience in New Orleans and the winery’s representatives suggested that I take a couple bottles of this wine home. Um. OK? Quite nutty in the glass: macadamia, almond, and perhaps walnut on the nose with a touch of citrus and pear. Lovely. The palate is tart, rich, and quite yeasty. Excellent. 92 Points.

NV Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Essentiel Extra Brut, France: Retail $65. Extremely Heavy Bottle (860g; 30.2oz). Based on 2018 vintage. 44% Pinot Noir, 34% Pinot Meunier, 22% Chardonnay. 27% reserve wine. There was a bit of a sale at my local H-E-B (I love my H-E-B) and I bought a few bottles of this champers to hold onto for a while. Well, my wife popped one while I was at basketball practice; I adore her but… Straw to light yellow in color with tons of tree fruit (green apple, pear, a bit of peach) with oodles of brioche and fresh croissant. The palate is tart, even quite tart, with a slight savory component and a fervent sparkle. I think I was right: this could use a little time, but it is Outstanding right now. 94 Points.

NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé, France: Retail $60. Exceedingly Heavy Bottle (845g; 29.7oz). 44 to 48 % Pinot Noir, 25 to 29 % Chardonnay, 13 to 18 % Meunier. I am not a stranger to Veuve Clicquot. I have visited the winery a number of times (they have, or at least had, a great tour) and I have consumed more than my fair share of the “Yellow Label” Brut. There are many detractors to the brand, many people who are decidedly anti-Veuve (particularly regarding the Yellow Label), but hear me clearly: this is a quality wine. Sure, it is overly hyped, overly available, overly present. But. That does not make it “bad”. In fact, this rosé, were it more affordable would be our go-to rosé in this house. But at sixty bucks? There are less expensive options available. Outstanding. 93 points.

NV Villebois Crémant de Loire Brut, Loire Valley, France: Retail $20. Very Heavy Bottle (763g; 26.8oz). 60% Chenin Blanc, 35% Chardonnay, 5% Cabernet Franc. I picked up a few bottles of this wine when the were on sale for about fifteen bucks at my local H-E-B (I love my H-E-B) to serve to my father-in-law when he comes over demanding “Champagne!” And this does the trick. I have no idea if he realizes that it is not, indeed “the real stuff” but this is quite tasty in its own right, light and lively with plenty of tree fruit and tartness, this is a fantastic go-to for when her parents drop in (often unannounced–they live about 200 feet away). Very Good. 88 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: As I have mentioned countless times in this space, we drink a lot of champagne, a lot. We certainly have some that we open often (Mailly comes to mind), but we are always looking for new wines that we can add to our repertoire. While Piper-Heidsieck is far from a “new brand” for us (we have had a ton of the Brut), this Essentiel cuvée is indeed a new wine for us (at least relatively). It is a good $15-20 more than the standard Brut, but is “worth” it? Good question. I think so, but that’s just me. I am certain, however, that the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Essentiel Extra Brut is this week’s Wine of the Week.

What was your Wine of the Week?