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).

2016 Argyle Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $30. Responsible Bottle (467g; 16.4oz). Under screw cap. I am not sure how I acquired this bottle, but I am fairly certain it was a “second”. Many times, when receiving samples, a producer will send a couple of bottles (in case the first is off), and I am pretty sure this is the second of those bottles as it pertains to this wine. Dark, even brooding color in the glass, with plenty of older wine characteristics: muted fruit (though plenty of black and red fruit), a boatload of herbal notes (dried oregano, dill, menthol). Yeah. Whoa. The palate is much more austere than I had imagined, but it still has oodles of fruit, a zingy zestiness, and a finish that well outlasts expectation. While my life loves younger, fruity wines, this showcases how a wine can age. Beautifully. Excellent. 90 Points.

2012 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo Lodi, CA: Retail $25. Responsible Bottle (522g; 18.4oz). 90% Duero clone Tempranillo, 10% Graciano. I acquired a few bottles of this wine for a tasting in Philadelphia almost a decade ago, and, apparently, had two bottles left over. Still above-average fruit and brilliant acidity. This is doing surprisingly well at this point. I just hope I get to the remaining bottle before another decade passes. Excellent. 91 Points.

2015 Camlow Cellars Pinot Noir Magna Porcum Big Pig, Green Valley of Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $45. Responsible Bottle (593g; 20.9oz). Under cork. When I popped this cork, my impeccable partner in crime (my incredible wife), asked: Yeah, whatever happened to him? The “him” she referenced was Adam Campbell, one of the owners of Camlow Cellars, who once visited us here in Houston and led a wine tasting of his wines for our neighbors. As to my wife’s query? I have no idea. I searched the inerwebs to no avail (the website has not been updated since the 2014 vintage). The wine, though? Yowza. Stellar at all levels with juicy fruit, killer acidity, and a finish that lasts for several episodes (I was going to say “of Emily in Paris,” but I feared being judged). Excellent. 92 Points.

NV Guy de Chassey Champagne Grand Cru Brut Cuvée de Buretel, Champagne, France: Retail $55. Exceedingly Heavy bottle (857g; 30.1oz). Paid $36 at Vivino. 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. Another stellar bottle. I don’t know, maybe it’s a conditioned response, but anytime I see “Grand Cru” on a bottle of champagne, I just know it is going to be better. That was certainly the case here once again. Pale straw in the glass with Granny Smith and Golden apple bursting through the nose along with a touch of caramel and fresh baked croissant. Yowza. The palate is bright, tart, ebullient, and, well, fantastic. Great fruit, appropriate tartness, tons of the autolytic, yeasty goodness, and a lengthy finish. I got a case and a half of this stuff two years ago and apparently have seven bottles left. I need to buy more! Outstanding. 93 points.

2013 McCay Cellars Grenache Abba Vineyard, Lodi, CA: Retail $35. Heavy Bottle. 100% Grenache. Medium color for a Grenache, with oodles of ripe cherry on the nose, even a dozen+ years out. Touches of violet, a hint of tobacco leaf, and plenty of earth round out the nose. The palate is also surprisingly fruity (cherry), but there is also a dominant herbal, almost savory note of basil, mint, and even oregano that is over-the-top compelling. Yowza. And then there is the acidity; it immediately presents itself, but takes a back seat until the mid-palate when it asserts its dominance and escorts the fruit all the way through the finish. I was not sure what to expect from this wine, but boy, did it deliver. And then some. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2009 Paul Michel Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Champagne, France: Retail $60. Extremely Heavy Bottle (883g; 31.1oz). 100% Chardonnay. When I saw this on the shelf of my local Total Wine for $45, I bought all that was remaining; a vintage champagne for under $50? Giddy-the-you-know-what-up. While the first two bottles were stellar (94-95), this bottle was not quite in that range, as it was slightly more tired. Golden in the glass with a slight sparkle and notes of lemon rind, lime zest, and just a touch of baked brie on the nose. The palate is surprisingly tart with still ample fruit and a more pronounced yeasty, fresh-baked croissant aspect that I adore. Yeah. This is good, but maybe not to the level of previous bottles. Excellent. 92 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: It seems like a lifetime ago at this point, but there was a time when I visited Lodi, California regularly. My in-laws lived in the extreme East Bay and Lodi was closer than Napa/Sonoma. Well, my wife’s parents moved here to Houston about eight years ago and that made a trip to Lodi much less likely (I have not been there since). I do, however, have a few bottles of wine from the region still in the cellar and the 2013 McCay Cellars Grenache Abba Vineyard, this week’s Wine of the Week, was a stellar, much-welcomed surprise. I did not remember to take a photo, however, so the above picture is your’s truly in my once-favorite cap.

What was your Wine of the Week?