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).

2022 Herdade do Esporão Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte Velho, Alentejo, Portugal: Retail $18. Responsible bottle. Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, Trincadeira. I have been lucky enough to visit the winery, I have been reviewing the wines for years, but I am still thrilled to receive a wine from Esporão. I just get a little giddy inside. The wines are always on point, loaded with fruit, great with food, and simply delicious. As is this one. For under twenty bucks? Yeah, sign me up! Fairly dark in the glass with plenty of dark fruit on the nose: blackberry, plum, black cherry. There is a touch of black pepper as well and all of it carries over to the palate. Throw in some weight, complexity, and intrigue (but not too much) and you get one of the better $15 bottle of wine you could imagine. Yeah, don’t vote against this wine. Excellent. 91 Points.

2023 Lange Pinot Noir Reserve, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $45. Heavy Bottle. Under screw cap. I am not sure how he feels, but I would consider Jesse Lange a friend, but (I hope) that does not bias my evaluation of this wine in any way. OK. Fairly dark ( at least for Oregon Pinot) in the glass with spicy and peppery Bing cherry on the nose along with a tad of earth and a hint of spice. Yeah, giddy-up. The palate is refined, even more so than the nose did portend. Spicy, lively, juicy, and downright fun, this is a wine that I plan to buy if given the chance. Excellent. 92 Points.

2022 Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, CA: Retail $28. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. For maybe the first time since I started entering my samples on CellarTracker, I missed a bottle, this one. I normally try the bottles in the order received and I taste every bottle sent. Every other month, I check to make sure I am still on track. Well, somehow, this one slipped through the most meticulous record-keeping on the planet (/s). Anyway. Dark in color with dark, sweet fruit, a bit extracted. The palate is fruity, even really fruity, on the verge of sweet there is so much, well, fruit. There is also ample acid, some oak influence, and a hint of earth. It seems as though this was built to be a crowd-pleaser and in that regard, it succeeded. This should do very well at this price-point. Very Good. 89 Points.

2021 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $95. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle. Dark in the glass, a deep, layered crimson, with plenty of dark fruit on the nose: black cherry, blackberry raspberry, plum, along with a touch of earth, a hint of anise, and maybe a suggestion of cinnamon(?). The palate is rich, even really rich, with layer upon layer of fruit, spice, and intrigue. Don’t be confused, this is big and concentrated with great weight and balance. No, it is not my preferred style of Pinot. Nor is it my “ideal Willamette” Pinot. But this is extremely well-done and really tasty. Outstanding. 95 Points.

2021 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Yamhill Cuvée, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $70. Heavy Bottle (693g; 24.4oz). Under cork. Domaine Serene is one of those producers that I usually admire from afar. Sure, I have had a few over the years, but mostly those have been by chance as the price of the wines usually keeps me on the sidelines. But holy cow are they good. Case in point. Rich red berry fruit (intense Bing cherry) and considerable earth on the nose, this is what I seek when it comes to Pinot. The palate is pretty close to glorious with luscious red fruit, a balancing acidity, and just a glorious ethos. Yeah, it is pricey, but dare I say it is worth it? Outstanding. 95 Points.

2021 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Pinot Noir Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria: Retail: $50. Responsible Bottle (). I have not had a ton of Austrian Pinot Noir and I guess I was expecting a (slightly) under-ripe, earthy, reserved expression of perhaps my favorite variety. And, well, that was pretty much what we have. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the stuff, but this is certainly no where near a New World Pinot. Again, that’s OK. Fruity and funky with wild cherry and plenty of earth on the nose. The palate is tart with tons of fruit, but also reserved at the same time. While I have become accustomed to Pinots from Oregon and California, there is still plenty of room in my life for lovely wines like this one. Give me a roast chicken and some sautéed mushrooms and stand back. Excellent. 91 Points.