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 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $60. Responsible Bottle (571g; 1lb 4.1oz). Under cork. It has been nearly nine years since I popped a bottle of this wine; I stated back then that I was in “no hurry” to drink the remaining two bottles I had in the cellar. Well, I should not wait another nine years to crack the last one. Sure, this is delightful, but it is certainly starting to show its age. The fruit is somewhat stewed and reserved and while the acidity is still vibrant and expressive, it seems to overpower, if ever so slightly. Do not get me wrong, this is an elegant, wonderfully aged California Pinot, but don’t wait any longer to drink them. Excellent. 90 Points.

2009 Argyle Pinot Noir Cowhouse, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Very Responsible Bottle (491g; 17.3oz). Under screw cap. I have no idea why I decided to grab the last bottle of this wine tonight (no, not that Last Bottle), but I did, and it was fabulous. Light crimson in the glass with some orangish bricking at the rim, this wine is still singing nearly a seventeen years past its vintage. An alluring nose of vanilla cola, sarsaparilla, and even ginger. Whoa. The palate is loaded with dark cherry even though the nose was mostly lacking in fruit, but there is also an intense tartness, some leathery characteristics, and a finish that lasts for several minutes. Yeah, I have a scant few of these wines left, but this final Cowhouse bodes well for the others. Yowza. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2009 Argyle Pinot Noir Spirithouse, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Very Responsible Bottle (499g; 17.6oz). Under screw cap. This is another Argyle that was made while Rollin Soles, a friend (?) of mine, was still the head winemaker there, and this is, well, gorgeous. The 2009 vintage in the Willamette Valley was neither hedonistic (2008) nor austere (2007), but rather right in between. In other words, this wine is right in my wheel house. Light in color but rich in aromas, this wine exudes dark, brooding cherry in the glass. The palate is, well, decadent, with rich cherry fruit, a viscous unctuousness, and a balancing acidity that identifies the best Pinots. And this is one of those. Yowza. Outstanding. 95 Points.

2022 Chemistry Chardonnay, Oregon: Retail $22. Very Responsible Bottle (466g; 16.4oz). Under screw cap. Well. I had bought a bottle of this wine so that I could write an article about the wines available at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Garden (full disclosure: I am a judge for the competition). Chemistry is the second label for Stoller, one of the largest producers in the Willamette Valley, generally a bit more affordable than the mother ship. Another reviewer on CellarTracker.com gave this wine 50 Points. 50. He included it in his “top 20 worst wines of the year” (there is a lot to unpack there, including “top worst” huh?), which I just can’t understand. At. All. Fairly light in color, but with plenty of tree fruit on the nose (pear, peach, a touch of green apple) with touches of salinity and minerality. Nice. The palate is perhaps on the subdued side, but as it warmed, it’s loaded with fruit (add in some citrus to those witnessed on the nose), with a healthy dose of acidity, a touch of creaminess, and certainly some verve. While this is no Chassagne Montrachet, it is pretty darned tasty. And for twenty bucks? 50 Points? Come on. Very Good. 89 Points.

2005 Château Dauzac La Bastide Dauzac, Margaux, Bordeaux, France: Retail $75(?). Responsible Bottle (570g; 20.1oz). This is the second wine of Château Dauzac, a Fifth Growth from Margaux that usually garners around $100-120. I looked for a while for the varietal composition here, to no avail. I assume, given its appellation, that it is majority Cabernet Sauvignon with a healthy dose of Merlot (and maybe some Cab Franc, Verdot, and Malbec). Regardless? I did not have very high expectations here, but this is fantastic, maybe more. Quite dark in the glass with some fruit (mostly blackberry and cassis), yes, but the secondary (and tertiary) aromas dominate here. Black pepper, leather, a touch of oregano, and even some holiday spice. The palate is subdued, but glorious, with that subtle fruit, healthy spice, a bit of earth, and oodles of tartness. Yeah, I am loving this wine and quite happy that I have another two (!) bottles. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2005 Domaine Vincent Girardin 1er Cru La Comme, Santenay, Burgundy, France: Retail $80? Responsible Bottle (568g; 20.0oz). 100% Pinot Noir. I can’t believe it has been eight years to the day since I opened one of these. Even more improbable is that this wine is still completely delicious. Sure, the fruit has faded, but it is not stewed in any way, with amazing acidity, racing all the way through the finish. Yeah, this is on the downward slope, but it is oh so tasty. I have a long-term love affair with Santenay, always one of my favorite towns in Burgundy. I doubt any others hold the region in such high esteem, but going back to my days as a cycling tour guide, Santenay has always been special (and affordable) for me. Enough blathering. Outstanding. 93 Points.

WINE OF THE WEEK: Another easy week in choosing the Wine of the Week. I had two fantastic bottles of 2009 Argyle this week and I would have to give the (ever-so-slight) nod to the 2009 Argyle Spirithouse Reserve Pinot Noir as this week’s top wine. It also opens up the debate about the use of the screwtop closure for top-end age-worthy wines. While I am not all that sure about how much this wine has evolved over the last sixteen plus years, it does not seem to have devolved even one iota.

What was your Wine of the Week?