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).

2005 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner Hollerin, Wachau, Austria: Retail $55? Very Responsible Bottle (449g; 15.8 oz). I bought three bottles of this wine from the PLCB and while this was the best bottle of the three, all three were clearly “past”. This was close to amber (many beers are lighter) in the glass and it displayed many of the characteristics I mentioned in the last two notes. So why is it “better”? Good question. I guess it just seemed more harmonious in the glass, better balanced, with a more pronounced acidity, and a certain amount of of gravitas that the other two just missed. It almost seemed as though this bottle was just hanging on until I could pop it, determined to make one last effort. And it did? I like to think so. Excellent. 91 Points.

2019 Brault Frères Chateau de Mauny Cremant de Loire, Loire Valley, France: Retail $18. Chenin Blanc, Grolleau. I was in Tacoma with my son, looking at colleges when he decided he wanted to order a pizza for dinner. So I spent a bit of time trying to find the best pie in town. I also found a tiny wine shop the specialized in affordable bottles. Perfect. Then he decided he wanted a cheesesteak. In Tacoma. Yeesh (he was born in Philadelphia). So I let him get his steak and I opted for a salad and this Crémant Rosé. And it wasn’t bad. In fact, good red berry fruit, a bit of minerality, and a nice tartness. No, this is not the best Crémant I’ve had from the region, but it scratched an itch tonight and it would have gone quite well with the best pizza in Tacoma. Just sayin’. Very Good. 89 Points.

2020 Domaine Faury St. Joseph (Hedonism), Rhone Valley, France: Retail $45. 100% Syrah. Imported by Kermit Lynch. I was in Walla Walla with my 16-year-old son looking at Whitman College. After trying a couple of other restaurants (and failing to get a table), we went to my old standby, Brasserie Four. Shortly after getting a table, I headed to the back wall to peruse a bit. I ended up with this St. Joseph at about sixty bucks. Yum. Dark, even inky dark, magenta with some dark berry fruit, a touch of oak, and plenty of spice on the nose. The palate is spicy, fruity, and even gamey with a touch of that “Rhone funk” that I love so much. I paired this with B-4’s Bœuf Bourguignon and although the region was off slightly, it was a wonderful pairing. Now, if only I could pair my son with Whitman, I will be coming back to this spot on the regular. Excellent. 92 Points.

2012 Weingut Knoll Chardonnay Smaragd Loibner, Wachau, Austria: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (614g; 21.6oz). Under cork. 100% Chardonnay. It has been nearly six and a half years since I tried this wine and the notes are remarkably consistent. It is perhaps a bit darker and slightly more oxidized, suggesting I get to the final bottle soon, but this is a killer Chard, there is no doubt about it. Aromas of baked pear, a bit of earthiness, and just a hint of smoke. The palate? Holy goodness. Subtle fruit, perfectly balanced with the acidity, and a finish that lasts forever. Whoa. The others at dinner assumed it was a Riesling. Nope. It is one of the best Chardonnays I have had in a while. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2009 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea’s Selection, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $40. Really Heavy Bottle (722g; 25.4oz). Under cork. I bought six bottles of this wine way back in 2011 from J.J. Buckley, an online retailer where I used to buy wine “back in the day”. I think they are still around, but their presence is not was it once was, at least for me. This is the last of those bottles, and it just might be the best. Solid to above solid fruit: black and red berries, expressive and vibrant, with plenty of acidity for balance and depth. Look, I realize that I have the propensity to romanticize wine, particularly its fleeting nature, and with this being the last bottle (no, not that Last Bottle Wines), I figured I might have convinced myself to like it more. Or maybe I have been watching waaaay too many Netflix limited series. Yeah. Whatever. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Kent Ritchie Vineyard, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $50. Heavy Bottle (604g; 21.2oz). Under Cork. I bought three bottles of this wine on a bit of a flyer, but I was exited to try this near-iconic brand. And. It. Was. Corked. Hopefully, WineSlash will do the right thing and at least credit me? But who knows? It is a new world order out there where no one gives two cents about anyone else… CORKED.

2020 Pierre Sparr Riesling Schoenenbourg, Alsace Grand Cru, France: Retail $55. Under cork. I was in Walla Walla, Washington, meeting with a few folks that I have met over the years and they asked me what I thought of the wine list. To me, at $49? This was a no-brainer. I studied in Alsace and I have long considered the region my home-away-from-home. And this wine is a huge reason why. Straw, close to golden in the glass with oodles of peach and apricot on the nose, whoa. The palate is rich and viscous, laden with fruit and marzipan but also a distinct zinginess that defines the best wines from the region, and this certainly is in contention. Whoa. Great balance, depth, and complexity, this is a wine to either celebrate or conserve as it is just beginning to shine. Yowza. Outstanding. 95 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: The next month and a half are going to be tough, I will be traveling quite a bit and, well, I have a lot to do before I leave as well as while I am gone. It all started this month when I took my son to visit a handful of schools on the West Coast. One of those schools was in Walla Walla, Washington, a town I have visited several times; so much so that it is beginning to feel a bit like “home”. One of the reasons is that the people there are so incredibly inviting and engaging. I shared this 2020 Pierre Sparr Riesling Schoenenbourg, this week’s Wine of the Week, with one of Walla Walla’s residents, whose job it is to promote the wines of the region. But we both agreed that this was a wine we both needed to try and it did not disappoint.

What was your Wine of the Week?