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 Barra of Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, Mendocino County, CA: Retail $28. Very Responsible Bottle (493g; 17.4oz). 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% new French and American oak. Lovely magenta, close to translucent in the glass with oodles of black and blue fruit (plum, cassis, blueberry, blackberry), and a hint of dark earth. The palate is initially fruity, but there is considerable earth, a floral aspect, and, well, fruit. Make no mistake (if you have not picked up on what I have been putting down), this wine is all about the fruit. And there is plenty of it, which makes this a delightful quaff, and puts this firmly in the “no-need-to-perseverate-just-drink-and-be-happy” category. Which is a place I strive to live. Excellent. 90 Points.

2022 Girasole Vineyards Charlie’s Blend, Mendocino County, CA: Retail $18. Very Responsible Bottle (417g; 14.7oz). Under screw cap. 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah. While trying to find the varietal composition of this wine on its website (which wasn’t there), I did see that they had the bottle weight listed! I don’t think I have seen that before, and it makes me happy (but also list the varieties, por favor). Rather dark in color in the glass with tons of dark fruit on the nose: blackberry, plum, blueberry, a real fruit salad in the glass. That continues on the palate as the fruit hits “go” from the jump and really never eases up. There is more than enough acidity to hold up to all that fruit, or at least close. Very Good. 89 Points.

2021 Tement Pinot Noir Alte Reben, Südsteiermark, Austria: Retail $85. Heavy Bottle (611g; 21.5oz). I do not drink a ton of Austrian wine, although I have made a trip or two around the Wachau. This Pinot from Südsteiermark is certainly a new avenue for me. Light, really light, as in possibly closer to a rosé kinda light, with plenty of dark cherry, a touch of raspberry, plenty of earth, and a hint of funk on the nose, this is pretty much what I imagine a Austrian Pinot would be. The palate is tart, earthy, fruity, and even a bit tart (yeah, I know I said that already). As I mentioned, I don’t have a ton of experience with the Austrian version of the variety and while many Americans would likely struggle with this, it is completely delicious and ethereal. Yowza. Excellent. 92 Points.

These last three wines I decided to set aside for a couple of reasons. Obviously, they all come from the same producer but they are also what I would call “supermarket wines”. While some may use that term derogatorily, I do not. These are wines made in large quantities that appeal to a large segment of the population. And that is fine with me. While this “style” of wine has been around for a while, the Wagner family has certainly taken that ball and made millions from it. 

Bread & Butter Wines fits nicely in that category and they put it succinctly on their website: “Don’t overthink it”. They make wines that they want people to enjoy without looking for complexities that geeks like me fawn over. They embrace the fact that that wine is a beverage. Period. And I respect that.

Having said that, and you might have already assumed, these are not “my kind of wines” but I vowed once I started this blog that I would review every wine I received, and here we go. I have two scores, the first is what I call the “Wagner Scale” which is, simply, a supermarket wine scale. The parenthetical number is how I would rate them compared to all wines. Call it the “Snob Scale” if you like.

2023 Bread & Butter Chardonnay, California: Retail $16. Responsible Bottle (540g; 19.0oz). OK, I will try to make this brief. I was contacted by the producer (PR firm?) and asked if I would like to sample the Bread and Butter Wines. I said “sure”. They sent me this Chard along with a few others. Fine. I’ll start by saying that this is not my preferred style of wine. But. Apparently, they sell a crap-ton of this, so I tried to keep an open mind. Straw to yellow in the glass with a rich, honeyed nose with the fruit difficult to find. The palate is slightly more subtle, but there is no doubt that they were looking for power and body here. Rich, opulent, a little sweet, and certainly oaky/buttery (which one would expect, given the name). Like I said, this is not for me, but for the Meomi crowd? I certainly think this would work. So how to rate? Well, if you are a regular reader of my blog, this has to be a mid-80s kind of wine. But. If you are on a quick Google search and looking for a white Wagner-esque kinda wine? This would foot the bill. Wagner Scale: 89 Points. (83)

2023 Bread & Butter Pinot Noir, California: Retail $16. Responsible Bottle (551g; 19.4oz). Agglomerated stopper. OK. Right to it. This is not my preferred style of Pinot; not even close. But. Given the success of other Pinots in that category, should I evaluate this wine based on what I think Pinot should be or on what might do well in the market. Tough choice, so I will choose both. The nose is sweet, with a black cherry Kool-Aid going on, notes of oak and vanilla as well. This continues onto the palate with an overly extracted note and plenty of Christmas spice and, well, very un-Pinot-like elements. Having said all of that (in case you missed it, it is not my style), this might do well in the market, particularly among those who buy Meomi. Wagner Scale: 88 Points. (82)

2023 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon, California: Retail $16. Responsible Bottle (588g; 20.7oz). 100% (?) Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, not for me. But. As their own website states: “Don’t overthink it.” If you like your wines fruity (above all else), a bit sweet, and ready for immediate (if not sooner) consumption, this wine could be for you. If you love Meomi and can’t wait to get your lips on another Caymus? This wine is for you. Dark, close to brooding, with plenty of fruit, more than enough sweetness, and an urging to just let go and enjoy. I can’t, but someone might. Wagner Scale: 90 Points. (84)