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).

2019 Francis Ford Coppola Pinot Noir Cuvée Domaine de Broglie, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $45. Very Heavy Bottle (unweighted). Under cork. Another bottle that was brought to me by Dave Patterson, the winemaker, before we went out for a gravel ride in Portland, Oregon. Fruity, even really fruity with some oak, an herbal note, and a slight floral aspect on the nose. The palate is rich and fruity, with evident oak, and a tad round, but there is a pleasant tartness on the midpalate, leading to a nice finish. Very Good. 88 Points.

2021 Fowles Wine Pinot Noir Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Wild Ferment, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia: Retail $35. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (838g; 29.5oz). Under screw cap. Not too long ago, I had dinner with the fine folks from Fowles and they were very nice. The wines were fantastic, and the dinner was stellar. Some of the night was spent talking about their commitment to sustainability and their focus on the environment and organic farming. When I questioned them about the weight of this brand’s bottles, they brushed it off, stating that the wines sent to this country arrive by ship and that the relatively small (according to them) increase in bottle weight with these wines was negligible. I call BS. This wine did not land on my doorstep by boat. Nor did any of the bottles sold in Texas or many (most? all?) of the bottles in other states. Either you believe in sustainability or you don’t. Period. The wine? Quite nice, a bit light in color with black cherry, a touch of spice, and nice tartness. But be clear, this is a lighter Pinot, not a big, boisterous, Cali Pinot Noir, nor an earthy, fruity, Oregonian wine. But I like it, even a lot. But please don’t talk to me about sustainability with this bottle. Very Good 88 Points.

2022 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Tenuta Ammiraglia ‘Alie’ Rosato, Toscana IGT, Italy: Retail $25. Heavy Bottle (637g; 22.4oz). 80% Syrah, 20% Vermentino. Under agglomerated stopper. Medium color, a bit darker, perhaps, than the Provençal style with oodles and oodles of peach–even Jolly Rancher peach–on the nose. That flavor/theme continues onto the palate, but there is also a nice tartness (although I would prefer a bit more), a mineral note, and a slightly above-average finish. I drink a ton of rosé and this is a solid effort. Very Good. 88 Points.

2023 Pisoni Family Vineyards Lucy Pico Blanco, Monterey County, CA: Retail $26. Heavy Bottle (608g; 21.4oz). Under agglomerated stopper. 86% Pinot Gris, 14% Pinot Blanc. This is now the third vintage of this wine that I have sampled, and while the previous two have been stellar, this vintage might even be better. Brilliant straw in the glass with lovely tree fruit on the nose: yellow apple, ripe pear, succulent peach. The palate is simply a delight: great fruit, glitzy tartness, body, depth, and a finish that lasted longer than an Olympic medal ceremony, for sure. Look, I try to avoid hyperbole at all costs, but this is stellar, maybe even more. The folks at Lucy are dialing it all in and look out–this wine has improved (at least in my eyes) every year, which is a tough standard to continue to meet–but I think the Pisoni crew, writ large, is more than up to the task. And then some. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2021 Stemmari Grillo, Sicilia, Italy: Retail $15. Very Responsible Bottle (460g; 16.2 oz). Screwcap. 100% Grillo. I ain’t gonna lie: I have a soft spot for wines from Sicily. I have been fortunate enough to have visited the island a couple of times now and it’s spectacular. Yellow, close to golden in the glass, with plenty of citrus (mostly lime), and peach, this is pretty fantastic on the nose. Same story on the palate, with all that fruit, plenty of zing, and more than an ounce of verve. Under fifteen bucks? Yowza. Excellent. 90 Points.