Wines of the Week: Oct. 8-14

Everyday: OK, it’s shameless crossover self-promotion week: When I waxed ineloquent at my day job on what a great time it is to be buying Burgundy, the 2010 Joseph Drouhin Macon-Villages ($15) was exactly the kind of bottle I had in mind. Crisp and juicy, smooth but firm, with slate-y goodness and fab fruit, this lovely white is an ideal weeknight staple. The finish is long and unusually clean for a chardonnay. Try it with fish tacos in particular or any seafood in general, or with autumnal salads that include apples.

Occasion: Two days before it was being bottled, I had a chance to taste Adam LaZarre’s albarino and was, as my way better half likes to say, wowed and dazzled. Last week, I was delighted to see that the 2011 LaZarre Edna Valley Albarino is every bit as delicious as I had remembered. Gorgeous green fruit (as in apple, kiwi and pear) jolt the palate, but this is as sleek as it is powerful. I love it when someone shows that swell European varieties can find a home on these shores, and as I wrote last week, I love white wines like this in autumn. Shrimp scampi and Rick Bayless’ fabulous chicken tortilla soup lead the list of great pairings.