Some note-worthy bottles from the last few weeks:
Grosjean 2013 Valle d'Aoste Petite Arvine. Terrific stuff, taut and structured minerally white with a long, spicy finish, balanced by the barest suggestion of honeyed richness up front, though totally dry. I wish this weren't $35.00, but even at that price I might get it again, once in a while. Great with seafood.
Château Bouscassé 2011 Pacherenc du Vic Bihl "Jardins." Thought this was going to be another dry Manseng wine but it turns out this particular bottling is 100% Petit Courbu, and while it's perfectly well-made and pleasant enough, I find it much less interesting than the Jurançon Sec we had a few weeks back (and it's $24 compared to $16); a little austere and fruitless, though perhaps only compared to expectations.
San Salvatore 1988 -- that's the full name of the azienda, not the vintage -- 2014 IGT Paestum Fiano, "Pian di Stio." In a squat 500ml bottle (at $29), this Campanian white was recommended to me as I was trying to fill out a case, and it's a winner. Juicy and dry, focused and penetrating minerality and acid, but enlivened by stone fruit and citrus oil. [[A much different beast from the sea-salty Etna Biancos I've had, but every bit as good.]] <-- this sentence from when I thought the wine was Sicilian!
Acústic Celler 2015 Montsant Rosat. A Catalunyan blend of Carignan and Grenache and apparently barrel-aged, at least a little, this is an electric pink wine that just didn't do it for me; while it's dry (somehow the kool-aid color made me fear otherwise) and the fruit is pleasant enough, it has a bottom-heavy mouthfeel that pulls you down instead of lifting you up, the way a pink wine should. $20.
San Vincenti 2012 Chianto Classico. The last in a series of three experiments with new-to-us Chianti labels; this one, while perfectly fine, is also the least interesting of the three, perfectly serviceable middle-weight table wine but nothing more, though perhaps fairly priced at $14. (The winner was Casaloste.)
Hauner 2013 IGT Terre Siciliane "Hierà." A blend of Alicante, Nocera, and Nero d'Avola. We had had this by the glass at a Sicilian-themed dinner a while back and thought it was good enough to try a whole bottle. Lives up to the memory. Some rich dark fruit walled off by a border of tannins; juicy and slightly grapey but mouth-wateringly structured too. Nice deal at $22.
Borgogno 2012 Langhe Freisa. Lighter than the Vajra Freisa from several months back; restrained red and black fruit also showing a lot of herbaceousness, tobacco, and a slight bit of violet. Very good, not exceptional.
Artesa 2006 Napa Valley Merlot "Limited Release." The last bottle of Artesa from the handful we bought, with modest expectations and more or less as souvenirs, several years ago; according to my cellar spreadsheet this was supposed to be a Cab, but, hey, Merlot is good too. Except this one isn't. Not exactly lifeless, just dull and insipid, like a mediocre remake of a good movie.
Merryvale 1998 Napa Valley "Profile." We have a handful of Merryvales left, some that we've cellared ourselves, some of which came out of my father's never-terribly-warm San Francisco garage. This one was ours, and it showed beautifully. Smooth, rounded edges, but lively with blackberry liqueur, opening out into mushroom and tobacco notes. Medium-long finish. Just what I was hoping it would be.
Wind Gap 2013 Sonoma Coast Syrah. One of the most Pinot-esque Syrahs I've ever had, this is beautifully light on its toes without quite becoming ethereal. It might be that the floral elements in the nose are, uncharacteristically, more rosy than violet, though the fruit darkens and becomes more savory in the mouth in a way that confirms it's Syrah. Drinking well now, but I think this has both the balance and the structure to age gracefully in the medium term. I'll be interested to try some of WG's single-vineyard wines.
I'll correct the note...