It is time for another edition of “Random Samples”–I occasionally get samples from marketing agencies and/or producers. These can often be grouped together into some sort of over-arching theme: Drink Them and It Will Come, Summer is Here, So That Means (More) Rosé, If It Doesn’t Sparkle, It Doesn’t Matter.

Other times, I get just a bottle or two that do not have any apparent connection or link. Instead of holding on to those bottles until the “right” combination comes along, I decided to link all these “random” bottles together, making their own category (and, being the math geek that I am, “random sample” has a bit of a double entendre).

NV Almare Spritz Classico, Treviso, Italy: Retail $15. Screw cap. “Ingredients: 100% Glera and infused with bitter orange and botanicals.” Along with a Kir, the Aperol Spritz is probably the easiest cocktail to make in the world. So why “pre-make” it as one has done here? I have no idea. While the brand “Aperol” is never mentioned, this tastes just like its eponymous spritz. Bitter, just a tad sweet, with a good sparkle, this has all the requisite elements in one of the more refreshing cocktails on the planet. More good news? The sparkle lasts at least two days in the bottle thanks to the screw cap. Excellent. 90 Points.

NV Almare Spritz Hugo, Treviso, Italy: Retail $15. Under screw cap. “Ingredients: Glera grapes with elderflowers, mint and lemon infusions.” 8% ABV. I get offered a bunch of ready-made cocktails to sample and since I really don’t drink a ton of cocktails, I tend to pass. I do, however, enjoy a spritz from time to time. One of the reasons (other than being quite refreshing) is that they are exceedingly easy to make. This Hugo spritz from Almare Spritz seems to be a bit more complicated, however, since it contains elderflowers which I would not recognize if they walked right up to me and slapped me in the face. As for the spritz, it checks all of the boxes: refreshing, tasty, and bubbly. Loads of citrus and floral notes with plenty of fruit and a touch of sweetness on the palate. Excellent. 91 Points.

NV Almare Spritz Rosa, Treviso, Italy: Retail $15. Under screw cap. “Ingredients: 100% Glera and infused with grapefruit and botanicals.” This was perhaps my favorite of the three spritzes (sp?) that I received from Almare, but it was the one that my wife liked the least. Go figure. As with the others, nice citrus and floral notes, but this one is a bit of a Goldilocks Spritz; I found the Classic too bitter and the Hugo too sweet. This one was just about right. Excellent. 92 Points.

2020 Graffigna Malbec Glorious Selection, Valle de Uco, Argentina: Retail $20. Really Heavy Bottle. DIAM5 closure. 100% Malbec. This is a relatively new brand to me, but I have more than my fair share of Argentinian Malbec, and this is a particularly fun one. Oodles of fruit up front (ripe plum, black raspberry) followed by plenty of spice (cardamom, black pepper, anise). The palate delivers what the nose portends with plenty of fruit, particularly upfront, but this is not a one-trick pony by any means: earth, spice, tartness, and just a kiss of tannin, this wine is ready and raring to go right now. Excellent. 90 Points.

2022 Pisoni Family Vineyards “Lucy” Pico Blanco, Monterey County, CA: Retail $26. Heavy Bottle. 85% Pinot Gris, 15% Pinot Blanc. This is the second generation of this wine that I have sampled and before I pulled the cork, I had high hopes for this wine; the 2021 was stellar. And this one did not disappoint. Quite tropical in the glass with guava, papaya, and even some banana. Add in a bit of honey and a mineral aspect round out the nose. The palate is initially fruity and round, but the acidity comes roaring in on the mid-palate and balances the wine out nicely. I am no marketing genius, but I would imagine that a Pinot Grigio/Pinot Blanc blend is a risk; I applaud this effort on so many levels, except the bottle, which is way too heavy. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2022 Pisoni Family Vineyards “Lucy” Gamay Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $30. Wax seal. 100% Gamay. There is not a lot of Gamay in the U.S., particularly outside of the Willamette Valley. In fact, I would be hard-pressed to name another producer in California of the main red grape in Beaujolais. While this is not a full-blown carbonic maceration wine, the 60% whole-cluster does produce a semi-carbonic fermentation, resulting in some of the classic bubblegum aroma on the nose along with plenty of juicy fruit and a bit of earth. The palate, though is all about that fruit, particularly upfront, but there is also an intense tartness that works well with all that fruit. It is tough to beat the Pisoni family on the Central Coast, and this is a perfect example of why. Outstanding. 94 Points.