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).

2007 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $60. Heavy Bottle (677g; 23.8oz). Under cork. My wife wanted Pinot. I knew what she meant–she wanted an American wine, on the young side (read: no older than 2022), and something with a bit of gravitas. Well, with this wine I got at least two out of three. Sure, it is a bit “older” but by most accounts from those in the know, 2007 was a “classic” Willamette Valley Pinot, a bit light in color, slightly reserved, but still fantastic fruit–more dark than red–and my wife nailed it: clove. Spicy, fruity, complex, this is winemaker Isabelle Dutartre at her best as this wine, 18 years out, is absolutely amazing. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2008 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $48. Heavy Bottle (671g; 23.6oz). Under cork. I bought three bottles of this wine back when I attended my first International Pinot Noir Celebration in 2010. I was the guest of De Ponte Cellars in the Dundee Hills and I spent a bit of time with the winemaker Isabelle Duarté who also had me taste wines from her own brand, including this one. Whoa. She is a talented winemaker and that is evident here. A bit on the dark side in color, but shows mostly red berry fruit on the nose: Bing cherry, red raspberry, and even a bit of red currant. Whoa. Throw in some earth and spice, and there we are. The palate is remarkably harmonious with great fruit, balancing tartness, and integrated tannins. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2013 Caldwell Platinum, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $350(?). Stupidly Heavy Bottle (884g; 31.1oz). 51% Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec? Ok, all cards on the table, I don’t remember the composition here, but I am certain that it is a Cab Franc (majority) blend. For Napa? Whoa. Inky dark, on the verge of brooding with tons of fruit (even given its age), a greenness that I attribute to Franc (and which I fully embrace), and a richness that is perhaps unique to Napa, this is gorgeous and more. Rich, layered, inky, and complex, this screams “Napa!” from the first sip to the last. Holy goodness. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2015 Firriato Le Sabbie Dell’Etna, Etna Rosso DOC, Italy: Retail $25(?). Responsible Bottle (594g; 20.9oz). 100% Nerello Mascalese. I brought a couple of bottles of this wine back from Sicily in 2017 and this is the first that I have cracked. Yowza. I have never hidden my love for the isle of Sicily and this is, perhaps, the epitome of why. Juicy, even a decade out, with spice, a touch of earth, and oodles of verve, this is why you go to Sicily (OK, there are a ton of reasons to visit, but I digress). Yowza and a Whoa, do yourself a favor and buy the bejesus out of this wine and producer. Outstanding. 93 Points.

NV Brigitte Delmotte Rosé de Saignée, Champagne, France: Retail $45. Extremely Heavy Bottle (845g; 29.7oz). 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay. Another nine months along and this rosé seems to be doing quite well, thank you very much. It is still far from a hallmark rosé in Champagne, but there is plenty of fruit, a fervent sparkle, and nice tartness. Still, I feel it lacks the finesse and complexity that defines the best wines from my favorite appellation. Nonetheless, it is very good, Excellent, even, and quite a fun way to start the weekend. 90 Points.

NV Pommery Champagne Brut Royal, Champagne, France: Retail $55. Extremely Heavy Bottle (837g; 29.4oz). 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Meunier. My wife (I think) picked up a few (I think) of these bottles from Total Wine (I think) a few weeks (I think) ago. I can’t believe that it has been five years since I last posted a note about this cuvée. Pale straw with oodles and oodles of tree fruit: yellow apple, ripe pear, and a hint of peach with plenty of yeasty goodness on the nose. The palate is much the same with a jolly sparkle and plenty of depth. There are a lot of “big house” champagnes out there and I would put this Pommery near the top of the list. Excellent. 92 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: This week’s Wine of the Week, the 2007 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard, brought back a few great memories. First, I purchased these way back in 2010 when I attended my first International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), which is (was?) one of the premier Pinot showcases in the world. I had recently defended my dissertation and the trip was a bit of a reward for all the hard work. It was also my first of several trips to the region, the most recent being just a few months ago. While all that is positive, this week I polished off the remaining two bottles of 1789 Wines (named for the year of the French Revolution) in my cellar. I guess that means another trip to the Willamette will soon need to be on the docket?

What was your Wine of the Week?