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

Who says you can’t grow Italian grapes in Texas? It’s a warning Damian Mandola certainly didn’t heed when he partnered with Drs. Stan and Lisa Duchman to create a wine program in Driftwood devoted to using Italian grapes. Mandola Estate Winery began in 2005 planting Italian varietals such as Pinot Grigio, Moscato, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, and Vermentino.

Not familiar with these varieties? Head about 20 miles southwest of Austin to the winery—where Mandola’s destination restaurant, Trattoria Lisina, is also located in a rather Hill-Country-meets-Tuscan-countryside setting—and taste a few. Winemaker Dave Reilly and Tasting Room Director and Manager of Wine Sales Bill Elsey are more than happy to walk you through the many traditional Italian varieties that are thriving in the Hill Country soil. You’ll find many of these wines vary in style and complexity—and they ALL go very well with food.

It is from this Italian-inspired winery that we bring you this month’s Texas Wine of the Month: Mandola Estate Winery Vermentino, 2008.

This white wine comes highly recommended by Ross “The Wine Guy” Outon. A Certified Specialist of Wine, Austin-based Outon has become a resident consultant and educator for restaurants, retail stores, oenophiles, and neophytes alike. Dubbed “the Bobby Fisher of Wine” by the Austin Chronicle, Outon is also the winner of the inaugural season of “The Winemakers,” a reality TV show currently airing on PBS. He recently joined members of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s wine division on a trip to New York. Armed with a selection of Texas wines, hand-picked by Outon, the team held a blind tasting for a number of reputable New York wine writers and bloggers putting Texas wines up against similar wines from other parts of the world. Among the many that showed well for this tasting—including Brennan Vineyards Viognier 2009, McPherson Cellars Sangiovese 2008, and the Llano Estacado Cabernet Sauvignon Cellar Reserve 2007—The Mandola Vermentino was a huge hit.

Vermentino is known as the quintessential coastal grape in Italy and is found primarily along the Italian Riviera and in Sardinia. In a warm climate, this varietal produces crisp white wines with citrus and fruity flavors and Mandola’s Vermentino is no exception. “I really like how this wine is showing right now,” says Outon. “It has a very balanced acidity, which makes it great with seafood, and it’s perfect for sipping in the Texas summer heat.”

Retailing for around $18, this refreshing white wine can be found (or ordered through) most Spec’s locations across the state, boutique wine outposts including the Houston Wine Merchant and the Austin Wine Merchant, and also at a few select restaurants including Kata Robata in Houston, Vino Vino in Austin, and Eddie Deen’s Ranch in Dallas.

Winery: Mandola Estate Winery

Retail Price: $18

Availability: Spec’s, select wine merchants and restaurants

Tagged: Brennan Vineyards, Llano Estacado, Mandola Estate Winery, McPherson Cellars, Ross Outon, The Winemakers, Trattoria Lisina, Vermentino