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).

2020 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Red Blend, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Argentina: Retail $20. Heavy bottle. Under DIAM5. 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. You know, as much as I like (love?) the wines of Domaine Bousquet, I could use a road map or better yet, a flow chart (I love a good flow chart), so that I could better understand the myriad offerings from this Argentinian stalwart. I think that the Gaia line is mid-upper range and the wines certainly deliver from a QPR standpoint. This Malbec blend is a fantastic quaff: fruity (mostly dark), spicy (cardamom?), and a tad funky (I love the funk). The palate is fairly rich, a bit of a go-between for the Old and New Worlds. Fruity, yes, but tart, earthy, and more complex than I expected. Very nice. Excellent. 90 Points.

2019 Domaine Bousquet Malbec Gaia, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Argentina: Retail $20. Heavy bottle. Under DIAM5. 100% Malbec. I received four of the Gaia wines from Domaine Bousquet and I saved this Malbec for last. Why? While I would like to say that there was a plan or overriding concept involved, but in reality? It was just last alphabetically. Medium to dark in color but the nose is all dark: black cherry, plum, blackberry, black pepper, and a touch of dark (I had to use another word than “black”) earth. The palate is wonderful: rich, fruity, tart, layered, and, well, great. I am glad that this wine found its way to the back of the pack as it is the best of the four. Excellent. 91 Points. 

2018 Kramer Vineyards Chardonnay Stainless, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $28. DIAM5 stopper. All cards on the table: I think un-oaked Chardonnays are dumb. In my opinion, they exist due to the backlash over the over-oaked, overly buttery Chards that had become the California “standard”. Anyone who has ever tried a white Burgundy knows that when used in moderation, oak on a Chardonnay is a beautiful thing. An exceptionally beautiful thing. Having said all of that, I was surprised to find this wine in my cellar as I have no record of ever receiving it. I cringed when I saw “stainless” on the label and the website confirmed that this spent ~10 months in tank. But. This is delightful. Maybe it was the extra bottle time, but this is creamy, layered, and delicious. Pear and peach on the nose with good weight and tartness on the palate, this really is quite good. Sure, I would have liked a little wood here, but I am a French snob and own that. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2022 Texas Heritage Viognier Wildseed Farms Vineyard, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $28. Agglomerated stopper. This is my first foray into Texas Heritage Wines and this is a lovely wine but it just doesn’t remind me of any of the Viogniers I have tried. Ever. The thing is, I am not a huge fan of “typical” Viognier as I find it overly floral and spicy. This is not that. There is good fruit, good acidity, and a lovely mouthfeel. I really like it a lot, actually, but it does not taste anything like what I understand Viognier to be. What does one do with that? Very Good. 87 Points.

2020 Texas Heritage Syrah Gotneaux Creek Vineyard, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $44. Heavy bottle. Under agglomerated stopper. 100% Syrah. It is officially Texas Wine Month and I had a Zoom meeting with the fine folks of Texas Heritage Vineyard to commemorate the occasion. This Syrah is fairly light in color with bright red and blue fruit on the nose along with a bit of garrigue, which was a bit surprising. The palate is rather reserved in regards to fruit, but there is an oak presence and plenty of acidity. Honestly? If I had tasted this blind I would be hard-pressed to identify this as a Syrah, but it is a pleasant enough quaff. Very Good. 88 Points.

2019 Texas Heritage Alicante Bouschet Estate, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $48. Heavy bottle. Agglomerated stopper. 100% Alicante Bouschet. The third wine in my online tasting with Texas Heritage and this was perhaps the most interesting. First, there are few varietal Alicante Bouchets out there as the grape is usually used as a blending variety, so seeing it as a stand-alone is a treat. Having said that, I am not usually a fan of the variety as it is typically big, bold, and rather unforgiving. The dark bottle is further darkened by this brooding wine, but it is surprisingly light on its feet (at least for an AB). Dark in color and aromas with cassis and blackberry predominate, with a touch of dark earth and spice. For an AB? I have to say this is rather reserved, sure there is dark fruit, but this is driven by the acidity and while some tannins are perceptible, they are largely integrated. Again, would I have guessed AB here? Maybe? Very Good. 88 Points.