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 Barra of Mendocino Petite Sirah Reserve, Mendocino, CA: Retail $28. Very Responsible Bottle (487g; 1lb 1.1oz). Synthetic stopper. 100% Petite Sirah. Dark indigo in the glass with rich and intense fruit (blackberry, plum, cassis), some vanilla, and a mature floral note (violet). The palate is exactly what one would expect from the nose: rich fruit, secondary flavors of vanilla and spice, and just a hint of oak. The finish is rather lengthy and includes subtle hints of tannin, but they are silky and smooth. While this is quite nice now, I am sure another year or two would add to its allure. Excellent. 91 Points. 

2021 Barra of Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, Mendocino, CA: Retail $28. Very Responsible bottle (490g; 1lb 1.2oz). Under synthetic stopper. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The world is awash with Cabernet; it is grown practically everywhere and consumed even more widely. I imagine that it is more than difficult to make a Cab that stands out; a grain of sand in a tidal wave. While this wine will never cause me to shake my head in disappointment at the top wines of Bordeaux or try to trick my friends with a blind tasting of this mixed among California Cult Cabs, this certainly has a place. The price is inviting and mostly inclusive while the wine is rather lithe and engaging. Dark in color and in fruit aromas (blackberry, cassis) with touches of spice and pepper (black and maybe white). The palate is fairly fruity, but far from over the top, with a tart acidity as a capable dance partner, leading to an ebullient ending, full of verve and spunk. Excellent. 90 Points.

NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé Méthode Traditionelle, Tupungato, Argentina: Retail $15. Bottle weight: 81g; 1lb 8oz. 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. I tried. I really tried. But I could not convince myself that this was actually a rosé; certainly closer to “golden” than “pink”. A rather muted nose of baked apple and crushed seashell. The palate is tart, even really tart with much more of a Granny Smith apple along with a fairly active sparkle. Having tasted the Brut yesterday, this is another solid effort from one of my favorite producers in Argentina. This Brut Rosé seems drier that the Brut, even much drier, and it is actively searching for food: seafood risotto anyone? Very Good. 89 Points. 

2022 Cattleya Chardonnay Alma de Cattleya, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $28. Very Responsible Bottle (480g; 1lb 0.9oz). DIAM5 closure. Another vintage of this wine, and another fantastic showing. Even though this wine spends 11 months in oak, the wood influence is held in check by the wonderful fruit and floral aspect. With aromas of tree fruit (pear and apricot), acacia flower, and just a touch of wood, the nose certainly sings. The palate is lively as well, with a bit of lemon rind added to the tree fruit and plenty of tartness to go around. Again, the oak is there, but by no means dominant; Bibiana has done it again with a delicate yet expressive Chardonnay. Excellent. 92 Points.

2022 Covenant Solomon Blanc, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $75. Very Heavy Bottle (772g; 1lb 11.2oz). 100% Sauvignon Blanc. I have stated countless times that I am no fan of Sauvignon Blanc. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that there are other white varieties that I would prefer. Like, almost every other one. But. I also frequently hedge that stance by saying that some Sauvignon Blancs (e.g., Sancerre) are among my favorite wines in the world. Why the lengthy preamble? Well, this Sauv Blanc from the fine folks at Covenant falls squarely into that latter category. It does not surprise me that the fruit comes from the Bennett Valley in Sonoma County (fantastic spot for SB), nor that the wine is aged for 11 months in oak (40% new) as the wood serves to round out the harsh edges of the variety. Straw on the verge of yellow with lovely aromas of lemon rind, lime, and a mineral note characterize the nose. On the palate, whoa, this is tart, rich, layered, expressive, and balanced. I have had a few vintages of this wine now, and this, at least for me, is the best Solomon that I have tasted. And it is off-the-charts delicious. Outstanding. 95 Points.

2022 Treana Sauvignon Blanc, California: Retail $25. Responsible bottle (489g; 1lb 1.2oz). Under screw cap. There is plenty to like, even love, about this wine; from the light bottle to the stelvin closure, to the tasty contents. Nearly colorless in the glass with lemongrass and bright tropical notes (mango and guava). The palate is bright and refreshing, with plenty of fruit and a zingy tartness but without the grassiness and cat pee that all too frequently (at least in my opinion) can characterize Sauvignon Blanc. I know I bash the variety on the regular but this is quite nice, even one of the better Sauv Blancs, particularly at this price, I have had in a while. Excellent. 92 Points.