We’ve already established that Vioginer is one of the white grapes that thrives in Texas soils. For a quick refresher, Viognier (pronounced Vee-on-yay), is a French Rhone Valley grape known for its floral and fruity aromas. From the nose, the Viognier is often perceived as a sweet wine, but is actually fairly dry—great for pairing with food.

In previous months, we’ve selected Viogniers from McPherson Cellars and Alamosa Wine Cellars, both excellent representations of how well this grape does in Texas. This month we’ve selected another Viognier with the help of sommelier Hunter Hammett, CSW of the Pyramid Restaurant & Bar at The Fairmont Dallas. Having earned his credentials as a Certified Sommelier, Hammett worked as floor sommelier for both the Mansion at Turtle Creek and Fearing’s, Ritz-Carlton before arriving at the Fairmont Dallas as Wine Director. His passion for wine and spirits won him recognition from Wine Spectator with an Award of Excellence for his wine program in 2010.

In addition to the many wine selections around the world Hammett has lately become a great fan of Texas wines.  “Texas wine quality has improved tremendously in the last 10 years,” says Hammett. “It’s been a great pleasure for me as a native Texan to introduce restaurant guests not only to talented Texas wine producers but also to varietals that are extremely food-friendly and greatly underrated.”

One such producer is Brennan Vineyards in Comanche, Texas whose 2009 Viognier has turned heads as one of the best in the state. “Owner Pat Brennan is a devoted artisan who is committed to producing award-winning wines,” says Hammett. “This wine has ripe peach, apricot, and honeysuckle aromas and just enough acidity to keep it lively. I was introduced to his wines several years ago as a judge for The Dallas Morning News and the Grapevine International Wine Competitions and I’ve been a fan ever since.”

For this reason, this month’s wine of the month is Brennan Vineyards Viognier, 2009. Since 2005, the Viognier has been Brennan Vineyards’ signature wine winning Best Texas White Wine in Lone Star International Wine Competitions and a Double Gold Medal at the Houston Rodeo with previous vintages. The 2009 Viognier won Gold Medals in the 2010 Indy International, the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle and the 2011 Dallas Morning News Wine Competitions.

For just under $20, this beautiful white wine is perfect for summer and would make the perfect housewarming gift for a dinner party. (You could even stack our three Wine of the Month Viognier selections against each other to see which one you prefer.) Though you can order directly from the winery website , you can also find the Brennan Viognier at a few specialty wine merchants as well as at Spec’s. (And of course, you can find this on the Pyramid Restaurant & Bar wine list.)

For Hammett, this particular Viognier is an example of the high quality of Texas wines being produced despite such harsh weather conditions throughout the year. “The erratic Texas climate is a constant challenge for winemakers who are producing quality-driven wines,” says Hammett. “But a wine like this is a testament to the dedicated efforts of such artisan wine producers committed to providing the best fruit from the lone star state.”

Winery: Brennan Vineyards, Viognier 2009

Price: ~$20

Availability: Winery, Spec’s, select wine merchants

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Alamosa Wine Cellars, Brennan Vineyards, Hunter Hammett, Jessica Dupuy, McPherson Cellars, Pyramid Fairmont Dallas, Texas Wine of the Month, Viognier

Ever been to Bend, Texas? Located in the northern part of the Texas Hill Country, it’s considered part of the Way Out Wineries Wine Trail and is certainly around a bend or two of ranch and county roads. Bend is where you’ll find Alamosa Wine Cellars, home to a dynamic winemaking couple, Jim and Karen Johnson, some of the state’s most provocative Rhone-style wines, and the winery from which this month’s Wine of the Month derives.

With the help of San Antonio’s Steven Kreuger, resort sommelier for the Westin La Cantera Resort, we’ve found yet another Texas Viognier that deserves a special nod. As you may remember, this aromatic and fruity French grape has made quite a showing throughout the state with many winemakers and enthusiasts alike calling it one of the star grapes of Texas. Kreuger couldn’t agree more.

He hosts a daily Texas wine tasting at the Steinheimer’s bar at the resort with two-ounce pours of three different wines—and he always starts with a Viognier. One of his favorites, and this month’s Texas Wine of the Month: Alamosa Wine Cellars, Viognier, 2008.

This single-vineyard Viognier comes from the Texas High Valley Block of the Cherokee Creek Vineyard, managed by Hill Country grape-growing guru, Mike McHenry. (Most of McHenry’s grapes go to the Johnsons at Alamosa including Viognier, Orange Muscat and a few others.) According to Kreuger, this particular Viognier has apricot and melon aromatics that are fairly typical of this varietal, but also an added minerality from the limestone and granite topography of the upper Hill Country region.

“This wine is a pure expression of the ‘Top of the Hill Country,’” says Kreuger. “It’s a world class Viognier, that I am very comfortable serving alongside Viogniers from the Rhone region in France. The Alamosa wine is as good, if not better, than all but the most rare and exalted French counterparts.”

Available at popular Texas wine retailers Twin Liquors and Spec’s, the 2008 Viognier retails for about $18 and pairs well with rich meats such as duck, but also makes a great summer sipping wine with fresh goat cheese or smoked gouda. The Alamosa Viognier in particular has a nice acidity to it that makes it a great food wine, without a too “buttery,” or too sweet feel.

Of course, the best place to enjoy the Alamosa Viognier is at the vineyard itself. If you have occasion to visit the Way Out Winery Trail, make a stop at Alamosa Wine Cellars and be sure to taste the Orange Muscat, the signature El Guapo Tempranillo, and Kreuger’s other favorite, the Palette, a true Rhone-style Syrah blend.

“I love the Palette because it is a Texas wine through and through,” says Krueger. “It is not all fruit and flash like a California counterpart, and it is not like the lush, monstrous Shiraz from Australia.  If it is similar to anything else in the world it is the Southern Rhone blend it is modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape.  It’s not the polished new international style that could have come from anywhere, either, it is the old-fashioned, rustic, soulful style that most assuredly came from one specific place, and even though it is like Chateauneuf du Pape, the one place that this wine is from is TEXAS.”

I can say that the Palette is a close favorite for me as well. It’s a big wine—not for sissies—and goes well with wild game such as smoked venison or elk tenderloin. The flavors are dark, earthy, and complex with cranberry, raspberry, and even some mushroom and truffle tones. Give this one a try!

Winery: Alamosa Wine Cellars

Retail Price:  ~$18

Availability: Specialty wine and liquor retailers such as Twin Liquors and Spec’s

Tagged: Alamosa Wine Cellars, texas wine, Texas Wine of the Month, Westin La Cantera