The week so far:
2006 Arcadian Syrah Stolpman Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley
At peak for current drinking, no decant required. Very happy with the evolved fruit, bottle age benefits and soft tannins. Can probably hold here thru 2019 but I'd max the opportunity and drink sooner than later.
2009 Château de Sours Bordeaux Rosé La Source Red Bordeaux Blend
Interesting and unique--a sparkling rose of cabernet and merlot from Bordeaux, who wouldn't want to try that?--but it would be even more interesting without the ripe RS.
2013 Lange Pinot Noir Reserve Willamette Valley
Medium bodied, old world style pinot with plummy fruit, mushrooms and that forest-floor thing Oregon pinots are good at. Nice.
2012 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Destiny Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend
Brought to dinner by another guest. Simplistic red table wine with a kick of toasty vanilla oak in the finish. Decent but not compelling.
2005 Inglenook / Rubicon Estate / Niebaum-Coppola Cabernet Sauvignon Cask Rutherford
Took this to that same dinner party where I knew steak was on the menu. It threw off a bit of heat at first, but decanting quickly helped (no silt, just a few small solids). Gloriously at peak for my tastes with harmonious black cherry fruit, soft tannins and seductive leathery aromatics and probably all the more beguiling since it was the only bottle on the table with any age at all.
2015 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley VQA
A friend's wine. Surprisingly higher RS than expected or welcome, and I'm generally a fan of this winery's stuff. Didn't win me over but it was better than:
2015 Quails' Gate Estate Winery Pinot Gris The Bench Okanagan Valley VQA
Don't like it. Awkwardly ample RS took all the refreshment out of an opening white wine. Seemed flabby and alcoholic (as did the Tinhorn, but this was the more overt of the two.) Just their taste or vintage problems? Not sure. So I asked our host to open a bottle I brought, the 2014 Ropiteau Chardonnay:
2014 Ropiteau Chardonnay, Volnay, France
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Bliss. Dry, bright, balanced, refreshing. I actually visited Ropiteau last May and was delighted to find their stuff at Total Wine. Was interesting to in fact put a face on that "Winery Direct" ploy and realize there was a very real small winery (with an extraordinarily handsome and earnest winemaker) behind the talk. This little export chard is just $15.
2015 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
After a month's rest in the cellar, this was a bit waxier and less green than remembered and slanted more toward the Semillon character. Excellent with a saffron-intense paella.