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).

2023 Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Alma de Cattleya, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $26. Responsible Bottle (483g; 17oz). Under DIAM5. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. OK, if you know me, you know I do not like Sauvignon Blanc. I do not like it in a shed, I do not like it in a bed. But. For this here Sauvignon Blanc? I might just wake from the dead. Brilliant straw in the glass with plenty of lime zest and ripe lemon on the nose along with more than a slight hint of fresh-cut grass. Yowza. The palate is zingy, but also on the verge of creamy, with all that citrus (and the accompanying acidity) dancing a little jig on the tongue. OK, whoa. Like I said, I have more than a decided dose of disdain for the variety, but for Alma de Cattleya? I dismiss said disdain for devotion. Whoa. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2022 Chalmers Vermentino Heathcote, Victoria, Australia: Retail $29. Heavy Bottle (607g; 21.4oz). Under screw cap. Another in the increasingly long line of wines from Victoria, Australia that I have received over the course of the last few months. Rather shy in the glass, even as it warmed, with faint citrus and some minerality. The palate is more expressive with some nice fruit and adequate tartness. This is fine, but frankly, it leaves me a bit wanting. It is neither rich and opulent like some if its Italian (and French) counterparts, nor is it sharp, crisp, and mouthwatering. Again, it is fine, even Very Good, but it left me wanting more. Very Good. 88 Points.

2021 Francis Ford Coppola Chardonnay Domaine Lumineux, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $38. Heavy Bottle (not weighed). Under cork. Barrel fermented, aged one year on oak, 30% new. I was in Portland (long story) and I hooked up for a ride with Dave Petterson, the winemaker at Domaine Luminous (there are a couple of long-ish stories there). Before the ride, he brought this Chard (and a Pinot) for me to taste. I eventually got to it about a week later while down in the Willamette Valley for a Pinot event (you guessed it, another story there, too). Given the time on oak, I figured this would be a bit heavy-handed, but I was wrong, and I don’t mind it one bit. Sure, there is some wood on the nose, but there is plenty of fruit, both tropical (pineapple) and citrus (lemon rind), along with some caramel and toasted hazelnut. The palate introduces some yellow apple to that fruit salad along with a nice zing, vanilla notes, and a salty note. Very nice. Excellent. 90 Points. (Please note: According to winemaker Dave Patterson, the winery is going through a rebranding. I could not find any bottle shots of the “new” Chardonnay, but this “old” label, Domaine de Broglie, is quite similar in design.)

2023 Troon Vineyard Pétette, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $25. “Grenache Blanc, Mourvèdre, Vermentino, Tannat, Cinsault, Grenache, Roussanne, Counoise, and Carignan (note that all red grape varieties were grown and harvested for rosé wine in this instance).” My buddy Craig Camp, the General Manager/CEO at Troon, told me why they were no longer allowed to call this “Piquette” but I do not have it in my notes (it had something to do with the government. I think.) Fruity, yeasty, and definitely a little funky, this Pétette is exactly what one would think. It is a fun wine with an interesting history (it is a traditional French “harvest wine” that was made by adding water to the used grape skins, letting it soak for a period of time, then pressing the “juice” and bottling it as a pet-nat.). Very Good. 88 Points.

2022 Troon Vineyard Grenache Blanc Extended Lees Aging, Rogue Valley, OR: Retail $40. Responsible Bottle (not weighed). Under DIAM5. When the folks at Troon decide to do something a bit different, they really don’t “fudge” around, and this is a case in point, for sure. Straw to yellow in color, with fresh and bright tree fruit (yellow apple, fresh peach), a saline note, and perhaps a bit of crushed seashell. The palate is tart and layered with oodles of weight, resulting in an incredibly sexy mouthfeel. Whoa. The lengthy finish only adds to an already stellar wine. A whopping 17 months in neutral French oak. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2020 Troon Vineyard Tannat, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $45. 76% Tannat, 24% Malbec. Under DIAM. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about how little Tannat I have tried. While it is true that I have not had a ton of the variety, I have had more than I may have intimated in that post. Some of that Tannat has come from Troon Vineyard in Southern Oregon. When I visited the winery last week, Craig Camp, the GM at Troon, handed me this bottle after having read my article. It has been a few years since I have tried the Troon iteration of Tannat (they do not make a ton), but I hope it will not take as long for the next as this is delicious. Dark in color and in aromas: plenty of blackberry, fresh plum, even a touch of cassis. The palate is also surprisingly fruity (given my history with Madiran), but also classically tart, a near-perfect balance. Some subtle tannins on the finish suggest some life ahead, but, really, this is fantastic now. Whoa. Outstanding. 93 Points.