This year, we’ve decided to offer up a retrospective of some of the top Texas wines for 2012. Starting November 1, I began tasting through a sampling of more than 60 different Texas wines including selections from larger, well-known producers including Llano Estacado Winery, Fall Creek Vineyards and Messina Hof, to smaller estate producers including Calais Winery, Perissos Vineyard and Winery, Pontotoc Vineyards, and Landon Winery. I tried to get as wide of a selection as possible. There are MANY Texas wines out there, which means it’s virtually impossible to try them all. In the end, I’ve managed to whittle down a list of 10 reds and 10 whites that span a breadth of the great winemaking Texas is seeing right now.

A few things to note:

1) I tried to taste wines that were available at the time of evaluation. (November 1—December 15). There are a number of beautiful wines that I’ve tasted throughout 2012 that could easily have earned a spot on this list, such as the McPherson Cellars Roussanne Reserve or the Lost Oak 2010 Syrah—but these were not available in circulation. I should note that since tasting through these wines in the past month, a few of them now have very limited availability, but were able to find at the time of evaluation.

2) All of the tastings were done blind. Once I collected the wines for tasting, all of them were brown-bagged and opened by a third party before tasting in an effort to keep all evaluations objective and fair.

3) Each wine tasted was awarded a score between 1 and 5 in the categories of nose, palate, finish, and overall drinkability for a total of 20 points per wine. The final list is based on the top scoring evaluations.

4) Finally, and most importantly, this a list compiled based on my own personal tastes and overall understanding of what well-made, balanced wine should taste like. But in the world of wine, as with good Texas barbecue or Tex-Mex food, what really matters is what tastes good to you. Discovering that for yourself is the most rewarding part of learning more about Texas wine.

This is a list of all wines that scored 18 or higher in overall points in alphabetical order.

Red Wines

Brennan Vineyards 2010 Dark Horse

~$19 – Winery (Brennan Vineyards and 4.0 Cellars)

One of the first showings of Texas grown Nero D’Avola, a Sicilian grape known for its sweet tannins and peppery flavors. This wine is lighter in style, but big on complexity. It’s smoky and spicy with hints of bright red fruit, wild orchid, white pepper and even a little bacon. If this is what we have to look forward to from Nero D’Avola, I look forward to seeing more of it in the future.

 

Duchman Family Winery 2010 Montepulciano

~$22 – Select grocery and liquor stores, winery

This wine works well as an every day wine that can easily make the grade for a special occasion. It’s fruit forward with blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and cinnamon on the nose with a hint of earthiness and medium tannins on the palate. Montepulciano has been a consistent work horse for Duchman from vintage to vintage.

 

Duchman Family Winery 2010 Nero D’Avola

~$20 – Winery

The first two Nero D’Avola wines released in Texas this year also happen to make this list. The fruit in this wine has dark blackberry and aromatic ripe blueberry. You’ll find notes of vanilla and baking spices, but also a bit of leather and excellent tannic structure on the palate.

 

 

Inwood Estates Vineyards 2009 Magdalena 

~$50 – Select liquor stores, winery

This wine is an example of how beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon can actually be in Texas. The nose has rich, ripe red fruit, soft vanilla and the perfume of walking into a greenhouse full of violets. With such a big nose, the wine is actually lighter on the palate balanced with a hint of acid and nervy tannic structure.

 

Llano Estacado Tempranillo Cellar Reserve 2010

$16 – Grocery stores such as HEB, select liquor stores, winery

For those who are unsure of Texas Tempranillo, this wine makes a good introduction. Not only because it’s just a good wine in general, but because it’s a rounded, approachable version of what this often cantankerous grape can be like. You’ll catch hints of raspberry, blackberry, bacon, smoke and portobello mushroom.

 

McPherson Cellars Sangiovese 2009

~$16-$18 – Some grocery stores, Spec’s, select liquor stores, winery

Rich with dark cherry and raspberry, a little forest floor, and a hit of vanilla, this full-bodied wine has a lovely round finish and drinks beautifully. (Note: This is a wine that is For Sale In Texas Only, which means less than 75 percent of the wine is from Texas. The remainder is from neighboring New Mexico.)

 

Pedernales Tempranillo Reserve 2010

~$30 – Select liquor stores, winery

This Tempranillo gives us a glimpse at the true nature of Tempranillo in Texas. It’s a finicky grape with dark fruit, mushroom, tobacco and often a little leather. The Pedernales tames some of the wild tannic structure in this grape without stripping it down too much. You also find hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of green parsley. This wine is rustic, yet elegant.

 

Perissos Vineyard and Winery 2010 Racker’s Blend

$45 – Winery

Seth Martin of Perissos Vineyard and Winery likes to get the most flavor from his estate grapes, which grow on a peaceful tract of land in the Colorado River Valley near Marble Falls. Each year, he selects a portion of each of the red varietals that grow on his property to blend into his Racker’s Blend. A true field blend, the percentage of grapes varies from year to year. This 2010 vintage is big with ripe dark and red fruit, rich floral perfume and a melange of cocoa, cherry and fresh tobacco. With more than 15% alcohol, it’s not a wine for sissies.

Pontotoc Vineyard 2011 San Fernando Academy 

$25 – Select Central Texas outlets including East End Wines (Austin), House.Wine and Lincoln Street Wine Bar (Fredericksburg), Sandstone Cellars Wine Bar (Mason), Salt Lick Cellars (Driftwood), winery (info@pontotocvineyard.com)

This is a big wine. What’s that former soap opera? The Bold and the Beautiful? That’s this wine. And not just because well-loved Mason County winemaker Don Pullum threw just about everything but the kitchen sink in here. (Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Tempranillo, Grenache and Syrah) But because it’s just a great all around red wine—especially for the Texas steak lover. On the nose is lush dark fruit,  green pepper, vanilla and cocoa, and a little bit of dark forest floor. This is a big, balanced wine at a restrained 12.5 percent alcohol. Get some.

William Chris Vineyards 2011 Hunter

$32 – winery

For those of you who enjoy Pinot Noir for its red fruit and earthy qualities, this is the Texas Wine for you. Let me be clear that this is NOT a Pinot Noir. In fact it’s a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre. But this wine has all the elegance and complexity of a French Burgundy. Excellent bright, red fruit with a refined finish.

 

Honorable Mention: Messina Hof Cabernet Franc Reserve, Salt Lick Cellars 2010 Mourvedre, Duchman Family Winery 2010 Aglianico, Landon Winery Tempranillo Reserve 2011, Llano Estacado 1836

White Wines

Becker Vineyards 2011 Fumé Blanc

~$10 – Select grocery and liquor stores, winery

One of the top sellers from Becker, this is a consistently good wine that balances the best of its citrus, peach, and white flower aromas with a dry, balanced finish. And at $10, it’s a top pick for an every day white wine.

 

 

Brennan Vineyards 2011 Lily

$18 – Select grocery and liquor stores, winery (Brennan Vineyards or 4.0 Cellars)

This wine was a happy surprise. Its aromatic bouquet of white and yellow flowers with hints of honeysuckle and apricot almost trick the senses into thinking it may be a little sweet, but it turns out to have a balanced off-dry finish with good acidity that prevents it from being cloying. Excellent wine for spicy foods.

 

CapRock Winery 2010 Roussanne

~$15-$17 – Select grocery and liquor stores, winery

This golden beauty took home a gold medal from the 2012 Dallas Morning News and TEXSOM International Wine Competition this year. And with good reason. With lush citrus, young peach, and a touch of minerality, this is a great wine to have on hand during the summer time.

 

 

Duchman Family Winery 2010 Trebbiano

$12 – Winery

Those who like bone dry wines brimming with minerality and a hint of citrus will love this wine. Lemon zest, a touch of red apple and hot, wet limestone dominate the nose and palate with a balanced, rounded finish. A perfect white for a red wine drinker.

 

 

Hilmy Cellars 2011 Muscat Canelli

$22 – Winery

Typically this is a wine that you might find on a dessert wine menu. Muscat Canelli tends to reveal quite a bit of sugar in the wines it produces. And while this wine definitely has hints of sweetness, it also has a beautiful balance with acidity. If you like sweet wine, you’ll love this one. If you DON’T like sweet wine, I’d still give it a try with spicy Asian food like Thai or Szechuan Chinese. That little touch of sweetness will pair perfectly with the heat from the food.

 

Lost Oak Winery 2011 Riesling

~$17 – Winery (Lost Oak Winery or 4.0 Cellars)

If you’re a Riesling fan, you’ll probably like this wine. If you’re NOT a Riesling fan, I encourage you to try this wine. It’s not the cloyingly sweet syrup you’ve come to expect out of a Blue Nun bottle. This Riesling is dry with citrus, apricot, white tea, and the faint scent of honeysuckle. The crisp finish is similar to what you’d find in French Alsatian Rieslings—not surprising considering owner/winemaker Gene Estes spent a few years living in Alsace.

 

McPherson Cellars 2011 Les Copains

~$12-$14, Some grocery stores, Spec’s, select liquor stores, winery

Pretty on the nose and pretty on the palate, this is the kind of wine that can please all friends at the table. Rather fitting since its name is French for “friends,” which is particularly how the fruit, sophistication and complexity of this blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache blanc work together in this wine. Note: the 2011 vintage was almost sold out when this wine was sampled. Look to the 2012 vintage in the Spring of 2013.

 

Pedernales Cellars Reserve Viogner 2011

With a strong focus on Viognier as the primary white grape in their program, Pedernales Cellars continues to hammer out a standard of elegance for this grape that is creating a foundation for what Viognier should taste like. Not only in Texas, but anywhere else. Swoony floral characteristics with ripe pear, melon and apricot as well as a hint of juicy fruit gum perk up the nose, while a dry and crisp finish with balanced acidity make this wine the perfect alternative to your average Chardonnay.

 

Perissos Vineyards and Winery 2011 Roussanne

$34 – Winery

You can almost taste the complexity in this wine simply by looking at its bright golden color. Grown on the High Plains, this French Rhone varietal shows off its very best in this wine with ripe pear, yellow flowers, cantaloupe and honey-baked fruit on both the nose and palate with a crisp finish. This is a perfect example of what Roussanne can do in Texas soil.

 

Vineyard at Florence 2011 Aurelia

~$30 – Select liquor stores, winery

For a long time, Texas has taken stabs at producing wine from the American hybrid Blanc du Bois. But the reviews have often been mixed. The Aurelia from the Vineyards at Florence is finally the exception. A beautiful wine with soft tropical fruit along with a fragrant floral bouquet of white and yellow flowers. Its crisp, dry finish leaves a hint of minerality, making this a perfect warm-weather wine with food.

 

Honorable Mention: Duchman Family Winery 2010 Vermentino, Fall Creek Vineyards 2011 Chardonnay

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Becker Vineyards, Duchman Family Winery, Hilmy Cellars, llano estacado winery, Lost Oak Winery, McPherson Cellars, Pedernales Cellars, Perissos Vineyard and Winery, Pontotoc Vineyards, texas wine

What do you do when one of the best winemakers in the state invites you to make wine with him and his daughter? You say, yes! Which is exactly what I did when Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars suggested I join him and his daughter, Kassandra for a his first ever attempt at bottling a dry Chenin Blanc.

Truth be told, Chenin Blanc is more of a cool climate grape. World class wines are made with it in the Loire Valley of France. (You’ll also find beautiful examples of it from South Africa.) And while it’s origin in the rather cool, Maritime/Continental climate of the Loire Valley would make it an odd fit for Texas—particularly in the dry, red clays of the High Plains—for some strange reason, it grows almost like a weed here.

“It’s been like this since the first day Chenin was planted in Texas soil,” says McPherson. “It’s never failed.”

Chenin Blanc wines are more commonly associated as being slightly sweet with aromas of ripe pear, apricot and sometimes honey as is common with Vouvray wines from the Loire Valley of France. But the grape can also make beautiful, crisp, dry wines as you’ll find in Savennières wines from the Loire. And if you’re looking for a demi-sec (sweet) Texas version of Chenin Blanc, you’ll find a great example from Fall Creek Vineyards (~$7). But McPherson had his mind set on making a dry Chenin, one that would stack up well against his other award-winning lineup of white wines including the Les Copains white blend, Roussanne, Viognier and Albariño, which won a coveted double gold medal from the San Francisco International Wine Competition this year.

“The unfortunate thing is that Chenin has a bad rap,” says McPherson. “Somehow the public just doesn’t really like it. Which is sad because it just makes really nice white wine. Everyone makes it sweet, but in Texas, I think it should be more like a Provence-style white wine that’s dry and refreshing and BOOM—great!”

McPherson knows a grape grower in the High Plains, Joe Vasquez, who has a small plot of 28 year-old Chenin Blanc vines. In the past McPherson has used these grapes for blending with some of this other wines including his white sparkling wine made from 85 percent Chenin Blanc and 15 percent Muscat Canelli for a scoach of sweetness on the finish. But McPherson has always wanted to make a dry Chenin, and this year, the time was right.

So, I trekked up to Lubbock a couple of weeks ago to check out some of the madness that is grape harvest season in the High Plains and to try my hand at making wine. (Don’t worry, the reality is, I just watched and asked a lot of questions. Kim and Kassandra—a recent masters grad of the esteemed oenology program at University of California at Davis to match her father’s—did all the real work.)

I soon found that making wine is a lot more of a “hurry up and wait” process than you might think. First of all, you have to wait for the grapes to get to their optimum sugar levels, or “degrees brix,” the measurement commonly used in America. Once the grapes are ready to pick, you’ve got to line up a harvester and delivery time. In our case, the grapes were ready to pick, but the actual picking and delivery time changed three times over the course of three days for these grapes.

To put it mildly, it was a mess. In fact, we didn’t actually get the grapes in the tank until my final day. McPherson sped me to the nearby airport to catch my plane with just minutes to spare.

It was nearly 3 p.m. by the time the grapes hit the crush pad, and boy did they look baked and toasty in that hot metal bin that had been trucked more than half an hour from their vineyard in the hot August sun. But McPherson wasn’t worried. After more than 30 years in as a winemaker, most of which has been in Texas, he’s seen his fair share of ups and downs in harvesting. And despite the setbacks with the more than 6.4 tons this year’s Chenin Blanc harvest yielded, he was ready to roll his sleeves up and do what he does best: make really good wine.

Without getting into the piddly details, here’s how the process went. The grapes were all poured into a large outdoor tank and fed up a conveyor belt into the “crusher/destemmer,” which does exactly what you might think: crush the grapes, take out the stems and leaves. The grapes are then pressed to separate the juice from the grape skins and voila, you have wine!

Well, not exactly. First, you have to let it has to ferment. And before that can happen, we had to separate any left over solids in the juice that weren’t caught in the pressing process. To do this, usually winemakers have to let the juice sit in a cold tank to let the solids separate.

Imagine a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. When you let it sit for a few minutes, you notice a foam start to separate and rise to the top of the glass. Or when a pint of Irish Guinness is poured, you watch as the creamy head begins to rise to the top. That’s what happens during the “cold soak” of grape juice for winemaking.

This process usually takes a few days. But not for McPherson. This year, he let technology do the work for him with an Italian designed “Ecoflot” from Della Toffola. This little pump enables the solids to clarify from the juice very rapidly. Like in less than an hour rather than a few days. With this year’s massive harvest, the Ecoflot allowed McPherson to save days of time in pressing and racking his wines to allow for more tank space with each new delivery of grapes. In short, he maximized his efficiency.

After using the handy little Ecoflot, a few adjustments had to be made to the juice including acidification and a little sulphur dioxide.

“I try to minimize these additions, but they’re just necessary to making wine,” says McPherson.

Note: Despite what some people may realize, the addition of sulphur dioxide and certain acids, such as tartaric acid, which is a naturally occurring acid in grapes, is a common practice in winemaking all over the world and has been for centuries. Sulphur Dioxide is actually a bi-product of fermentation from added yeasts. (Up to 5-7 parts per million.) It’s a topic to be discussed later down the line, but the big takeaway is, if you’ve been drinking any wine from your average grocery store shelf, it’s been adjusted with sulphur dioxide and some form or naturally-occurring acid.

 

McPherson also added a few yeast nutrients to help spark fermentation with the addition of yeast. In this case, he added “Alchemy II,” a yeast blend from Scott Laboratories to formulated to work well with Chenin Blanc fermentation. From then, we just had to let the yeast and the juice do it’s work.

It’s been about three weeks since we set up our dry Chenin Blanc. After checking with McPherson yesterday, it turns out the fermentation is almost complete. From that point, he says he’ll probably let the yeasts “settle out” on their own and fall to the bottom of the tank. Over the next month he’ll stir these spent yeasts or “lees” to add a little creaminess and complexity to the wine before racking the wine, removing the yeast and fining the wine for clarity. By December, we’ll be ready to bottle and I’ll be back up to Lubbock to help make it happen.

To date, we’ve selected the bottle—a dead leaf green color like the kind you see with most Chardonnay wines—and we’ve decided to use the more efficient screw cap instead of a cork. We’ve even been able to determine a general $12/bottle price for the 400 cases we’ll be able to yield of this wine. The only thing left is to figure out a name for this Texas dry Chenin Blanc.

Any ideas?

We’ll continue with the final result in December…

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Chenin Blanc, Ecoflot, Jessica Dupuy, Kim McPherson, McPherson Cellars, texas wine

For anyone wondering how Texas wines fare among experts in the wine industry, the proof was in this year’s 2012 TexSom conference. In it’s eighth year, TexSom—short for Texas Sommelier’s Conference—reserved one of their nine wine sessions for an hour completely devoted to Texas Terroir.

A few hundred sommeliers and industry retail and restaurant professionals were in the room as part of the sold out two-day conference, which was held at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas outside of Dallas. The session was led by the Guy Stout, a Master Sommelier who manages the wine education program at Glazer’s, and Christy Canterbury, a Master of Wine, wine educator and writer, and native Texan who helped judge the 2012 Dallas Morning News/TEXSOM International Wine Competition earlier this year.

The two opened with a few comments on the state of the Texas industry showing numbers on just how big Texas wine has become. In 2001, there were only 46 wineries producing only about 600,000 cases of wine. By 2009, there were more than 220 wineries producing more than 1.2 million cases. And the growth has only increased in more recent years.

Among the top points Stout drove home was the fact that Texas winemakers have finally honed in on warm climate grapes to produce the best wines within the state. Among the lineup included many examples of these varietals such as Italian Vermentino, Viognier from the Rhone Valley of France, and Touriga Nacional from Portugal.

Of the eight wines showcased for the tasting, all were “single vineyard” wines, meaning each one was made from grapes that came from a specific Texas vineyard.

“We really wanted to show the terroir of Texas for this seminar,” says Drew Hendricks, TexSom co-founder and director of wine and beverage education for Pappas Restaurants. “It is possible to make wine that has a sense of place in Texas and these wines show that.”

Below is the list of Texas wines tasted, with a comment or two from Stout and other audience members in between…

 2010 Duchman Family Vineyards Vermentino (Bingham Family Vineyards)

“The typicity of this wine is outstanding,” said Stout. “It tastes exactly like Vermentino should taste.

2010 McPherson Cellars Reserve Roussanne (Bingham Family Vineyards)

“This shows what we can do with Rhone varieties,” said Stout. “McPherson is one of the greatest winemakers in the state of Texas and this wine is an example of why.”

“This wine is outstanding,” added Marcy Jimenez of Houston Wine Merchant. “It’s brilliant and so exciting that this is happening here in Texas.”

2010 CapRock Winery Viognier (Reddy Vineyards)

“This wine tastes like the variety should taste,” said Canterbury. “It’s floral with apricots and orange peel. It’s beautiful.”

 2009 Sandstone Cellars VII (Mason County)

“This wine has iron and spice like you would find with Touriga,” says Canterbury, but it is also very savory. It’s not fruit forward, but restrained and European in style.”

“Don Pullum is the winemaker for Sandstone and I’d say he’s one of the best winemakers in the state and this Touriga blend is an example of the great job he’s doing,” added food and wine journalist Andrew Chalk of D Magazine.

2009 Pedernales Cellars Kuhlken Vineyards Reserve Blend

“Pedernales Cellars aged this wine in both American and French oak. It’s a lovely wine that will definitely hold for a while if you age it,” said Stout. “The blend has Tempranillo and Merlot and shows a more European footprint than a lot of Californian wines.”

2010 Fairhaven Vineyards Chambourcin

“We really wanted to show this wine because it’s from someone who really believes in American hybrid grapes,” said Stout about the red Chamburcin grape, which is a French-American hybrid between that has shown to be resistant to fungal diseases . “R.L. Winters hangs his hat on these varieties and this is one of the best representations he has of why.”

2010 Vineyard at Florence “Veritas” Cabernet Sauvignon

“This isn’t a warm variety grape, but this wine shows really well with black currant, eucalyptus and a little sweet vanilla from the oak,” said Canterbury. “It’s really nice.”

2010 Haak Vineyards “Madeira” Blanc du Bois

“I think Blanc du Bois is one of the most exciting white wine varieties in Texas,” said Stout. “It’s an American hybrid that took five generations to get correct, but Raymond Haak at Haak Vineyards is doing it right. It has orange blossom and orange water on the nose and palate. Beautiful.”

The two days of wine-filled education featured eight other seminars including some particularly eye-opening (and delicious) sessions on Riesling, Cabernet Franc and perhaps my favorite, Oregon wines. TexSom ended Monday evening with a festive Grand Tasting featuring more than 150 wines from all over the world. And of course, Texas was there to represent with wines from CapRock Winery, Duchman Family Winery, Inwood Estates, Pedernales Cellars, and Sandstone Cellars which brought along an intriguing Tempranillo from a new Mason County Vineyard, Pontotoc Vineyard.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of Texas’ Best Sommelier, Ryan Tedder of FT33 Restaurant in Dallas. Tedder was one of 23 competitors in the annual Texas Best Sommelier competition which is run behind-the-scenes at TexSom and proctored by a number of Master Sommeliers from the Court of Master Sommeliers. An integral part of TexSom, the competition was designed to help give aspiring sommeliers scholarship funding to help further their wine studies. (Tedder received $2,500 for his top honor.)

David Keck of Uchi Houston was the second runner up and Steve Murphey of Mid-Stage Wine & Liquor in Plano received third place. Additionally, the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California will offer scholarships to all three to placers.

- Jessica Dupuy

 

 

 

 

 

Tagged: Andrew Chalk, CapRock Winery, Christy Canterbury, David Keck, Drew Hendricks, Duchman Family Winery, Fairhaven Vineyards, Guy Stout, Inwood Estates, Jessica Dupuy, Marcy Jimenez, McPherson Cellars, Pedernales Cellars, Ryan Tedder, sandstone cellars, Steve Murphey, TexSom, The Vineyard ar Florence

You often hear about Texas wines in the Hill Country. You occasionally even hear a bit about how most of the grapes grown in Texas are actually in the High Plains near Lubbock. But you rarely hear about the other pockets of the state that produce wine. There’s the Bluebonnet Wine Trail near Brenham, the Munson Wine Trail near Forth Worth and there’s also a wine trail in The Piney Woods of East Texas, which is where this month’s wine of the month comes from.

Out near Hawkins—about 20 miles from Tyler—Fairhaven Vineyards has made a name for itself specializing in French-American and American hybrid grapes for wine. (Without getting too geeky, there are well known European native grapes “vitis vinifera” such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and American native grapes “vitis labrusca,” such as Concord or Norton.)

Fairhaven’s owner and winemaker R.L. Winters emphasizes a focus on native American grapes for his wines. Almost all of the grapes used for his wines are sourced directly from almost a dozen acres of his own vineyard and are produced to make European styles of wine. Fairhaven also propagates and sells a variety of root stocks for individuals looking to start their own vineyard along with a complete vineyards installation service to help get things started.

Since the winery opened in 2004, it has received numerous awards for its heritage grapes including the 2009 Lomanto, the first American Hybrid grape to wine an international award since 1873, and the  2010 Chambourcin, which won a gold medal in the 2011 Lone Star International Competition and is this month’s Texas Wine of the Month.

The Chambourcin grape is a French-American hybrid that Winters has found does unbelievably well in warm climates such as Texas and has a high resistance to fungal disease. And though you won’t find a lot of it in Texas, you can find it throughout the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in states such as New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

This month’s wine of the month Comes from one of Texas’s seven Master Sommeliers, Drew Hendricks, the director of wine and beverage education for Pappas Restaurants. Hendricks’ career on both the distribution and service side of wine demenotrates not only his extensive knowledge of the world of wine, but his passion for sharing it with other people. Perhaps his greatest effort in sharing wine with others is through the 9th Annual Texas Sommeliers Conference (TEXSOM), which Hendricks co-founded in 2005 with fellow Master Sommelier James Tidwell of the Four Seasons Los Colinas.

“I really like what Fairhaven is doing with their wines,” says Hendricks who carries this wine at both Pappas Bros Steakhouses in Dallas and Houston. “This Chambourcin is juicy, jammy and delicious. It shows that sometimes it pays to pay attention to these [grape] varieties that are outside the norm.”

The wine also has racy acidity and a little tartness as well. It’s fruity, but has a great earthiness to it as well, which is evidence of Winters’ drive towards a European style of wine. This is a wonderful food wine that would be fantastic with a juicy ribeye—perhaps why Pappas has it on their wine list—but it would also be delicious with a couple nibbles of dark chocolate after dinner.

Attendees to TEXSOM will likely have a chance to sample the Chambourcin during one the nine conference seminars. It’s one devoted strictly to wines from single vineyards throughout Texas and will be led by Texas native and wine expert Christy Canterbury and Houston-based Master Sommelier Guy Stout. Hendricks helped select the wines for this particular seminar and the Chambourcin was high on his list.

Though the final list NOT official, some of the candidates include:

2009 Sandstone Cellars VII - A rich, fruity and medium-bodied Portuguese-inspired red wine made from Touriga Naciaonal grown exclusively in Mason, TX.

2010 McPherson Cellars Roussane Reserve – A previous Texas wine of the Month that has citrus, ripe peach and tropical fruit on the nose with a balanced, dry finish on the palate.

2011 Duchman Family Vineyards Vermentino – An Italian varietal and perhaps the best version this winery has released to date—though previous vintages have been stellar as well—with notes of pear and lemon and crisp, dry finish.

2010 Texas Hills Vineyard Cabernet Franc – A smooth red with blackberries and a hint of spice made from a classic French Bordeaux and Loire varietal.

2009 Pedernales Cellars Kuhlken Family Reserve (red wine blend) – A full-bodied red made primarily from Tempranillo and Merlot.

And while Hendricks is excited to see how well received this single-vineyard Texas wines are received, he’s also excited to see the panels on Cabernet Franc as well as the special vertical tasting of Leonetti Cellars.

While the much anticipated TEXSOM is sold out, and sure to be a wine-filled fiesta of oenophiles and wine amateurs alike, it’s growth in the national sphere of wine professionals is evidence to the entire country of just how serious Texans are about their wine.

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Chambourcin 2010, Drew Hendricks, Duchman Family Vineyards, Fairhaven Vineyards, Jessica Dupuy, McPherson Cellars, Pedernales Cellars, sandstone cellars, Texas Hills Vineyard, TexSom

This time of year we’re all focused on one thing: Thanksgiving. Whether you’re hosting (and preparing) a big feast, organizing a family/friend potluck, or you’re lucky enough to have simply been invited to a Turkey Day gathering, the big day of stuffing our faces and finding a cozy spot for napping afterwards is almost here. The menus are usually pretty simple: turkey, cranberry relish, maybe green beans and definitely stuffing, or dressing depending on where you’re from.

But one of the biggest dilemmas is settling on which wines to serve. With a cornucopia of different flavors dancing about the Thanksgiving table, it’s hard to know how to select a wine that will work well with everything you’re eating. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This month I was faced with a few different selections for wine of the month. And after tasting two particular wines multiple times, I find myself grappling with indecision: A red with great character, lots of fruits but also great balance with earth and light tannin; or a very unique white wine with a bright floral nose and a mild, off-dry palate with hints of citrus and white flowers.

So I chose both.

And I think you’ll be pleased. These two wines are perfect for sipping o. Their own, but also fantastic with food–in many ranges of flavor. This month’s selection comes with help from Houston-based wine writer Dr. Russell Kane. But many people know of him for his blog, Vintagetexas.com. Kane has been a champion for the Texas wine industry for more than ten years sitting on number of speaking, judging and special Texas wine pairing panels. His passion for Texas wine is so great that he has spent the past few years trekking the far reaches of the state collecting stories and evaluations of terroir for his upcoming book The Wineslinger Chronicles–Texas on the Vine. (Released through Texas Tech University Press in February 2012.) He has passed his first level certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and this year he was accepted into the Master of Wine program of study by the Institute of Masters of Wine, an extremely rigorous program involving tasting and wine theory that will give Kane the distinction as a Master of Wine.

But most importantly, he helped me narrow down these two wines from an extensive Texas Selection.

McPherson Cellars La Herencia, 2009

RED WINE: McPherson Cellars La Herencia, 2009

This primarily Spanish blend includes Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Carignan and Syrah–all grapes that are doing very well in Texas. According to Kane,

“This is one of the wines that I call an opportunity wine made from a blend of small lot grapes that could be bought, made into wine and sold at this great price. It is a lively, aromatic, fruit-forward wine with nuances of red and black fruits and Mediterranean herbs on the nose and palate.”

As with most McPherson wines, you’ll find this wine has a lot of character and complexity but in a very approachable way — a perfect description of the quintessential Texan! To enjoy this wine at its best, bring it to about 65 degrees by sticking it in your refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving.

WHITE WINE: Eaglefire Muscat Blanc, 2011 from the Caldwell Family Winery

If you’re familiar with the term ‘Muscat,’ please don’t turn up your nose at this suggestion. Many associate Muscat with sweet or dessert wines. While you will definitely find a hint of sugar on this wine, you’ll find it quickly floats away. Leaving a nice, dry finish. It has low alcohol at only 12.9% and a good deal of acidity making it perfect to pair with food–particularly spicy foods.

Caldwell Family winery is a small winery based in Houston. Though they make some wines with grapes from Napa, this wine is made completely from grapes grown in the Brenham area. The 2010 vintage was a gold medal winner in the 2011 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.

“This is a beautiful wine with notes of floral jasmine combined with citrus blossoms,” says Kane. “This wine is made from the same grape as Asti Spumante but without the carbonation. You might think that this is crazy but spicy beef tamales served with red or green chili salsa is an amazing pairing for this Muscat.”

Crazy or not, both of these wines are sure crowd pleasers for Thanksgiving. You can find La Herencia (~$10) statewide at Spec’s (although I just nabbed the last three at the Spec’s on Brodie Lane in Austin–sorry!). You can only get the Eaglefire ($18) through the winery, but there’s still enough time to order!

Here’s to you and yours this Holiday season and here’s to the Texas wines you’ll hopefully be serving!

Red Wine: McPherson Cellars La Herencia, 2009

Price: ~$10

Availability: Spec’s. Check with winery for other locations.

White Wine: Eaglefire Muscat Blanc, 2011 (Caldwell Family Winery)

Price: $18

Availability: Winery

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Eaglefire Caldwell Family Winery, Jessica Dupuy, McPherson Cellars, Russ Kane, VintageTexas

Sangiovese, one of Italy’s great wine grapes. If you’ve dined at any run of the mill Italian joint, you’ve probably encountered it in some form or fashion as it is used to make Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the blends popularized by the American market as “Super Tuscans,” just to name a few. The grape itself has more than 15 clones found throughout Italy, all with different names, so it may be hard to identify off the bat, but it you familiarize yourself with the Italian regions, you’ll soon see Sangiovese is, well, all over the place.

When it’s young, the wines tend to be a little light with hints of bright fruit, strawberry and a little spice. When aged in oak for a while, they can grow in depth and complexity.

But perhaps more importantly, Sangiovese does really well in Texas.

This month’s Texas Wine of the Month selection comes with the help of sommelier Richard Arnold, of Houston’s La Colombe d’Or. Originally an Austin native, Arnold nurtured a growing passion for wine while managing wine lists in Colorado restaurants Potager and Larkspur as well as notable Texas locales such as Del Frisco’s, Vic & Anthony, and Pappas Brothers. He was also one of the first to help open Spanish-inspired Malaga in Austin with Jay Knepp and Jennifer Robin, both of whom are now with the wine program at the Salt Lick Cellars in Driftwood.

That’s right, as in Salt Lick Barbecue. If you haven’t been out for the legendary, family-style barbecue classic in a while, you may want to make the trek. You’ll soon notice that vineyards surround the entire property.

In recent years the Salt Lick has planted warm-climate grapes that seem to love the Texas heat including Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Sangiovese and Syrah. They’ve also made relationships in the High Plains to bolster their grape inventory. Though currently in small production, the Salt Lick has slowly begun releasing wines under their own label with the help of noted Texas winemakers including Ed Auler of Fall Creek Vineyards (Tempranillo), Dave Reilly of Duchman Family Vineyards (Texas Hill Country Red and Barbecue Red), and Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars (Sangiovese Reserve). (more…)

Tagged: Dave Reilly, Duchman Family Vineyards, Ed Auler, Fall Creek Vineyards, Jay Knepp, Jennifer Robin, Jessica Dupuy, Kim McPherson, La Colombe D'Or, McPherson Cellars, Richard Arnold, Salt Lick barbecue, Salt Lick Cellars, Salt Lick Cellars Sangiovese Reserve 2009, Scott Roberts

This time of year, when the daily heat index hits triple digits and walking outside feels like getting punched in the face by a convection oven, I like to keep a chilled wine on hand at all times. It’s usually a rotation between three or four wines including a crisp German Riesling, the Vermentino from Duchman Family Vineyards, or the Rosé of Syrah fromMcPherson Cellars. Well ok, truth be told the McPherson Rosé is almost always in my fridge. It’s a refreshing showstopper wine that is delicious with hints of summer berries without being sweet; it’s beautiful in the glass with a deep strawberry color that makes an average blush wine blush; and it’s a steal at most large grocery and wine outlets for under $15. Oh, and it’s a Texas wine!

I love breaking this wine out when a friend stops by for an early evening chat over cheese and crackers—and somehow that seems to happen a lot now that I’ve started sharing this wine. (Note to self: keep a running supply of cheese and crackers on hand at all times.)

It never fails to impress. It’s a happy medium for even the most stubborn of wine drinkers; those who claim they only drink red wines regardless of what time of year it is, and those that swear by their buttery California Chardonnays or syrupy sweet White Zinfandels. Somehow Kim McPherson, owner and winemaker of McPherson Cellars, has managed to please everyone. (Note: He may have achieved this with wine, but don’t ask this fiery, outspoken, and often zaney character to go into politics just yet.)

And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Texas sommelier, Devon Broglie, who coordinates all wine, coffee, and a number of other specialty items for the Southwest Region of Whole Foods Market, is a fan too. Which is why this month’s Texas Wine of the Month isMcPherson Cellars Rosé of Syrah, 2009.

Having spent the past decade honing his palate with a stint in harvesting and wine production Bodegas Costers del Siurana in Spain, the distinction of having passed the Advanced Level Exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2007 and as the winner of Texas’ Best Sommelier Competion for 2006 at the Texas Sommelier Conference, Broglie is passionate about wine. And he’s proud of where Texas wine is going, particularly with winemakers like Kim McPherson.

“What Kim McPherson doesn’t know about Texas grape growing and wine making isn’t worth knowing,” says Broglie. “Kim has a modest, clean cellar operation in an old Coca Cola plant in Lubbock and access to some of the best grapes and vineyards in the Texas High Plains.  His Rosé of Syrah has fresh, crunchy red fruit with cherry, strawberry, raspberry, Rosé petal and spice.  It is delish and crisp and perfect for the summer heat.”

You should also soon see McPherson’s latest Rosé of Grenache-Syrah 2010 release. “I got lucky in 2010 with a good supply of Grenache and used it for this Rosé,” says McPherson. “It turned out to be really good. Next year I may add cinsault to the blend, but either way, I’ll probably always make a rose each year, if only because I like drinking them so much!”

So before the dog days of summer run out—don’t worry, there’s no sign of that happening any time soon—do your best to stay cool, always be prepared for last-minute visitors to drop by, and by all means, keep a McPherson Cellars Rosé of Syrah (or Grenache-Syrah) in your refrigerator!

Winery: McPherson Cellars

Retail Price: ~$13

Availability: Most Texas grocery chains including HEB, Central Market, Whole Foods as well as Spec’s and Twin Liquors.

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Devon Broglie, Duchman Family Winery, Jessica Dupuy, Kim McPherson, McPherson Cellars, McPherson Cellars Rose of Syrah, TexSom, Whole Foods Market

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

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the High Plains of Texas, where among other things (including peanuts and cotton), they grow grapes. For wine. Some of the best wine in the state. In fact, if you’ve recently had what you consider a great bottle of Texas wine, the grapes have probably come from the High Plains. (Most of the wines we have selected for the Texas Monthly Wine of the Month have grapes from this region of the state.)

Aside from the gale-force wind storm that kicked up funnels of dust and a few of our skirts, I enjoyed traversing hundreds of miles with winemakers, grape growers, wine educators and a few other journalists to learn more about why this region is so vital to the Texas wine industry. In short the sandy loam soils, the dramatic temperature changes from day to night, and the dry-as-a-bone weather makes this place a grape haven. You may not have the chance to visit the Panhandle very often but below are some of the key places worth noting in this area:

•                Llano Estacado Winery: One of the larger wineries in the state making a broad range of beautiful wines under the direction of Executive Winemaker Greg Bruni. Some of their more notable selections include Viviana, Viviano, a 2009 unoaked reserve Chardonnay, and an 8-year Chairman’s Reserve port.

•                McPherson Cellars: Owned by Kim McPherson, the son of Llano Estacado co-founder and Texas wine pioneer, Doc McPherson, this winery is the one to watch in Texas. When it comes to making wines representative of Texas terroir, McPherson may actually be a genius. But don’t take my word for it, try for yourself. I’d suggest the 2010 Viognier, the 2010 Rosé of Grenache-Syrah, the 2010 Tré Colore, and the 2010 Rousanne, which was bottled only a few of days ago. Of course, it will be a short while before these are on the market, but the 2009 varieties are worth a try as well. And at about $12-$15 a bottle, you can’t lose.

•                Cap Rock Winery: Under new ownership, the Texas wine community has great hopes for the future of Cap Rock. A few wines to watch from here: 2010 Chenin Blanc, the 2010 Rousanne, and the 21010 Tempranillo.

•                Newsom Vineyards, Bingham Family Vineyards, and Reddy Vineyards: These expansive tracts are home to some of the best of the best grapes in Texas including Bingham Vermentino for Duchman Family Vineyards, Tempranillo for Inwood Estates, and Muscat for Brennan Vineyards.

In the next few months we’ll explore what’s ahead for Texas Wine Education, how the 82nd Legislature will effect the Texas Wine Industry, and we’ll meet a few of the growers who have made such an impact on Texas terroir. Stay tuned!

- Jessica Dupuy

 

 

Tagged: Bingham Family Vineyards, Cap Rock Winery, Jessica Dupuy, llano estacado winery, McPherson Cellars, Newsom Vineyards, Reddy Vineyards, Texas High Plains, texas wine

As part of the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, the pioneers of the Texas wine industry convened on Saturday, April 2nd at Austin’s Hyatt Regency to share a taste of their top wines paired with a six-course lunch by Executive Chef Kevin Dee.

Among this assembly were Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars, Ron Yates of Spicewood Vineyards , Mark Hyman of Llano Estacado, Ed Auler of Fall Creek Vineyards, Dan Gatlin of Inwood Estates Vineyards, and Russell Smith of Becker Vineyards. June Rodil, beverage director of Congress restaurant and one of the state’s top sommeliers, led each course pairing and moderated an engaging discussion on the current state of Lone Star Wine.

Below are the pairings:

Baby spinach salad with roasted chiogga and white beets, local strawberries and champagne vinaigrette – McPherson Cellars Syrah Rosé 2009 (~$10)

Quail Confit over baby arugula and butternut squash Risotto with toasted pumpkin seeds – Spicewood Vineyards Semillon Reserve 2007 (~$18)

Chicken scallopine over roasted sweet potatoes and watercress citrus salad with Meyer lemon caper sauce – Llano Estacado Viviana 2009 (~$23)

Strube Ranch shortribs, Pure Luck polenta, braised chard – Fall Creek Vineyards Meritus 2006 (~$40)

Bleu cheese selection – Inwood Estates Vineyards “Cornelious” Tempranillo 2007 (~$40)

Local Strawberries with chocolate torte – Becker Vineyards Vintage Port 2009

Of the courses, our favorites included the chicken scallopine, which presented bright, citrusy flavors that balanced perfectly with the acidity and mild sweetness of Llano Estacado’s Viviana white blend.

We also liked the rich braised shortribs rounded out with the full-bodied, dark cherry notes of the Fall Creek Meritus. (Although the big dark fruits in the Inwood Estates Tempranillo also worked well with this dish.)

Our favorites out of the wines?… all of them. Each of them could hold their own against similar varietals world wide.

In the past year, each of these wineries have had at least one of their wines featured as a Texas Monthly Wine of the Month—half of which were paired with this lunch. And with good reason. Not only have these wineries figured out the key to making good wines, they’ve figured out the key to making good Texas wines, which as the past 15-20 years have shown, has been a long and painstaking process in finding the grapes that work best in the state as well as enduring the unpredictable Texas weather patterns.

And while some of the larger wineries have found consistency and high volume sales with wines such as the Becker Vineyards Viognier, the Fall Creek Chenin Blanc, or the Llano Estacado Chardonnay—all of which sell for around $15 or less—all of the wineries have a selection of wines that reflect a more “hand-crafted,” artisan style that have brought each of these winemakers high esteem through the state including Inwood’s “Cornelious” Tempranillo and Fall Creek’s Meritus.(Both of these have smaller production and fly off the shelves for $30-$40.)

But as Fall Creek’s Ed Auler revealed, “Wines across the state have gotten to a point where the quality and value are balancing out,” meaning you can rely on the merit of the wine you’re buying whether it’s a $10 or $30 bottle… Just one more thing to make Texans proud.

Tagged: Becker Vineyards, Congress restaurant, Fall Creek Vineyards, Inwood Estates Vineyards, Jessica Dupuy, June Rodil, llano estacado winery, McPherson Cellars, Spicewood Winery, Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, texas wine