Wines of the Week: Aug. 8-14

Everyday: Greece is at or near the top of my list of destinations to (re)visit (it’s been nigh onto four decades). When that happens, it will be interesting to see if wines such as the 2012 Domaine Skouras Moscofilero ($14) taste even fresher than they do here. Hard to imagine, because this gorgeous white, while rich and ripe, has such great purity and life. The sweet and tart sides, the juicy stone-fruit flavors and spot-on acidity, perform a lovely pas de deux on the palate. That’s my kind of mouthfeel, with a fab finish to follow. Whole fish, broiled or grilled, would be the perfect accompaniment, but most any fruit of the sea will do. The harmonic nature of this wine is justly reflected in the music of the fantastic new trio Case/Lang/Viers.

Occasion: It has been almost a year since I journeyed to the Douro Valley in Portugal, and the taste of the incredible juice at Wine & Soul lingers indelibly (thanks, Ryan Opaz!). The 2012 Wine & Soul Pintas “Character” is one of the best $40 wines I’ve sampled in recent years, robust but smooth with a markedly refined finish. This is one of those “terroir” wines, which for me means that it “tastes like the ground that it came from,” at least figuratively. Pintas is the original vineyard of the winery, which now has several choice plots nearby, and many of the vines are 80 years old. This truly rocked with a chorizo-like sausage during my visit, and would play well with most any sausage. Or steak. Or chop. The rustic, riveting work of Hubert Sumlin is just as swell a pairing.