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 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay Cameleon, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina: Retail $15. Responsible Bottle (580g; 20.4oz). Under screw cap. Made with organic grapes. There has likely been no better supporter of my writing and blog than Domaine Bousquet. They have been sending me samples since close to the beginning (it’s been over a dozen years now) and even though I have not visited the property and only met Anne Bousquet once (here in Houston last year), I feel like I really “know” them. They are a fairly big operation but they are certainly trying to respect the planet while making some pretty fantastic wines at very reasonable prices. As is the case here. Great lemon and pear fruit, with oodles of tartness and just the right amount of oak. For fifteen bucks? While I am not sure this is the “best” under $20 Chardonnay on the market, there is not much of a line ahead of it. Excellent. 90 Points.

NV Chambers Rosewood Muscadelle (Tokay), Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia: Retail $18 (375ml). 100% Muscadelle. Quite dark in the glass with plenty of nutty caramel notes along with some orange rind and a touch of clove. The palate is even more intense, particularly when it comes to the toasted, nutty, caramel aspect. Sweet for sure, stopping just a step before cloying. Look, I don’t drink a ton of dessert wine anymore, but this is a classically styled Muscadelle, if you’re into that kind of thing. Very Good. 89 Points.

2019 Fowles Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Farm to Table, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia: Retail $17. Very Responsible Bottle (470g; 16.5oz). Under screw cap. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, inky dark in the glass, one of the deepest indigos I have seen in quite some time with aromas to match: blackberry, cassis, even blueberry here with a hint of earth, mint, and maybe even some sweet basil. The palate is fruity, even really fruity, and while the fruit is understandably dark, it is decidedly lighter than what the nose did portend. Think black raspberry and plum along with an ample acidity and a surprisingly lengthy finish. Look, this is fruity and like I said, really fruity but fruity wines need love, too, and I am here ready to give it. Excellent. 91 Points.

2021 Cantine Pellegrino Nero d’Avola Gazzerotta, Terre Siciliane, Italy: Retail $23. Heavy Bottle (612g; 21.5oz). Under cork. 100% Nero d’Avola. OK, I am excited to taste once again Nero d’Avola, perhaps the main red variety from Sicily, a place I would visit again in a minute. This wine? As one would expect, quite dark in both color and aromas with black raspberry, cassis, and even a touch of plum. The palate is tart and inviting, but also rustic and intriguing. For a relatively tiny island, a ton of Nero is produced. You could do a lot worse than this Pellegrino (no, not that Pellegrino, at least I think). Very Good. 89 Points.

2022 Pisoni Family Vineyards Gamay Noir Lucy, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $30. Heavy Bottle (605g; 21.3oz). Wax seal. 100% Gamay. Somehow, some way, I ended up with a second sample of this beauty. I have professed my adoration for the Lucy brand from Pisoni, particularly the Pico Blanco and the Rosé. This Gamay? Whoa. As I mentioned in my previous note for this wine, it has “some of the classic bubblegum aroma on the nose along with plenty of juicy fruit and a bit of earth. Though the palate is all about that fruit, particularly upfront, 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.

2020 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley. Victoria, Australia: Retail $35. Responsible Bottle (557g; 19.7oz). Under screw cap. 97% Shiraz, 3% Viognier. I have had several wines from the Victoria region now, and I really have to say, I have been impressed. Another example. Shy red berry fruit on the nose with touches of floridity and earth. The palate is tart, even quite tart with above-average fruit, some earthy notes, and hints of spice. This is certainly a lovely wine, but the $35 tariff might be a tad steep. Very Good. 88 Points.