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).

2022 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, WA: Retail $12. Very Responsible Bottle (440g; 15.5oz). This was on clearance at my local H-E-B for about half off, and I grabbed a bottle. Even though I consider Alsace my second home (I studied there in college), I don’t drink a ton of Gewurz. The main reason? I find it too floral and spicy. But I was jonesing for that combination for some reason. Well, this is not that. There are very little (any?) Gewurz characteristics here. It’s OK, I guess, but a tad too sweet (15g/l) and not quite tart enough. I imagine my mother-in-law would house this without much hesitation, and maybe that is the market they want? Very Good. 87 Points.

NV André Chemin Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne, France: Retail $45. Extremely Heavy Bottle (832g; 29.3oz). 74% Pinot Noir, 18% Chardonnay, 8% Coteaux Champenois (still) Pinot Noir. I last popped one of these in 2022, and it was fabulous. I thought I had another two bottles left, but I could only find this one. Aromas of strawberry and watermelon, a decent sparkle (the bubbles seem a little bigger than most), good tartness (I would classify this on the dry side of Brut at 6gr/l), and an overall quality effort. This is pretty fantastic, particularly given that I paid about thirty bucks from WTSO. Excellent. 92 Points.

NV Jean-Noël Haton Champagne Brut Classic, Champagne, France: Retail $45(?). Exceedingly Heavy Bottle (833g; 29.4oz). 60% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir. I bought a case of this wine from Spec’s (the Texas superstore) for $27/bottle, and I thought that I had consumed them all. But I found this in the cellar, and it was akin to finding a free bottle of champagne! Giddy-up. This is not a bottle of special occasion champagne. In fact, it may not even be a “phew, it’s the end of another long week, let’s bubble” kind of wine. But it certainly is a “my basketball team got boat-raced yet again tonight and I need to add me some sparkle” kinda wine. Pale straw in the glass with classic lemon, yeasty goodness on the nose. The palate is clean and also classic: tart with a splash of fruit, some baked goods. I hope they go on sale again (but likely will increase in price thanks to the stupid tariffs). Excellent. 92 Points.

2024 Château Miraval Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France: Retail $25. Heavy Bottle (610g; 21.4oz). Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle, Syrah. Yet another vintage and another stellar wine. Pale pink with an orange tint to it, with plenty of melon, strawberry, and a touch of citrus on the nose, while the palate is juicy, tart, and pretty fabulous. Yes, I know that those in the wine world think that it is uncool to like this wine since it is sold pretty much everywhere, it has a celebrity as an owner (it used to have two, but that was, well, ugly), and it seems to be the darling of the “in” crowd, or something like that. Well, that is a bunch of B.S., as this is beyond solid and a steal at my H-E-B for fifteen bucks. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2007 Von Hövel Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany: Retail $40. Responsible Bottle (524g; 18.4oz). I last had a bottle of this about two years ago, and at that time, I stated that I needed to get to these bottles sooner rather than later; I believe that did not mean two years, but here we are. Golden, or pretty darned close to golden, with a classic older Riesling nose of honeyed citrus and petrol. The palate is sweet but also tart, and the combination of the two works incredibly well, and the finish is off the charts. This might even be better than the previous iterations that I popped. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2024 Caves d’Esclans Whispering Angel, Côtes de Provence, France: Retail $25. Responsible Bottle (507g; 17.9oz). That bottle weight is pretty exciting; it’s 100 grams lighter than the 2023! I am trying hard not to take credit for that…. Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle (Vermentino), Syrah, Tibouren. We have been drinking the Angel for years. Years. And we have always been a fan, big fans. And this might be the best vintage that we have tried. Gorgeous red fruit on the nose and the palate, with plenty of strawberry and cherry at the helm. The palate is demure, but also luscious, quite tart, and pretty darned luxurious. Yes, this wine is everywhere, and yes, that pisses a few people off, but that does not make it a bad wine. At. All. People need to get over it. Outstanding. 94 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: While I will likely be skewered by some for my choice, this week’s Wine of the Week is the 2024 Whispering Angel. Yes, I know that it is available at Walgreens and at Walmart, but that does not make it a bad wine. In fact, those who criticize this wine’s ubiquity are part of the problem. The wine industry is experiencing a downturn right now, with many producers looking at 20% (or more) reductions in sales. Anything that puts wine in front of more people should be lauded, not lambasted. And if that means selling wine at Walmart, well, I say “bravo”.

What was your Wine of the Week?