This year kicks off with a Tempranillo for Texas Wine of the Month. By now, you should be fairly familiar with the prevalence of this grape. It’s turning heads in Texas blends  (McPherson Cellars La Herencia) as well as in single-varietal wines (Inwood Estates Vineyards “Cornelius” Tempranillo). This month, we celebrate a wine devoted solely to Tempranillo grapes—most of which were grown in the Hill Country. It’s an elegant representation of just how great this grape can be in Texas. In fact, it was one of the top 10 Texas Monthly Wines of 2012. And it comes from a winery in Stonewall that continues to make strides in the emerging Texas wine industry.

The Wine: Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo Reserve 2010 

Who Likes It: This wine was selected in conjunction with Adam Danielson, wine director for Parkside, Olive & June and The Backspace in Austin. Danielson has been in the restaurant business since he was 15 and his ongoing love for wine led him to take on restaurant wine programs by the age of 25. He even spent six years in Santa Barbara getting his hands dirty in vineyards and wineries to further his knowledge.

Why He Likes It: “This wine has bright red and dark fruits with a touch of spice on the nose,” says Danielson. “There’s also cedar and earth on the back end giving this wine great structure and complexity. It’s medium-bodied and well balanced.”

Suggested Pairings: “The structure of this Tempranillo would pair perfectly with the rustic gamey qualities of rabbit such as the rabbit risotto at Olive & June.

On Down the Road: “I think that Texas wine is right where it needs to be right now,” says Danielson. “There are some great producers who are focusing on warm climate varietals from Spain, Portugal and Italy. As winemakers and growers continue to learn from each other and tinker with better farming practices that are Texas-specific I think that the quality and consistency needed to make an impact on the domestic and global market will continue to increase.”

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Adam Danielson, Jessica Dupuy, Olive & June, Parkside, Pedernales Cellars, Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo Reserve 2010, The Backspace

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

The 23rd La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival that sponsors the AMOA-Arthouse will take place tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Laguna Gloria.

Food will be served from several Austin restaurants including East Side Showroom, Foreign & Domestic, Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill, Olive & June, Parkside, Ranch 616, and Trace. Famed Austin restaurateur Larry McGuire of Lamberts Downtown Barbecue, Perla’s, Elizabeth Street Café, and Jeffrey’s Restaurant has been chosen as the honorary chef for the evening.

“As a native Austinite, I’ve enjoyed Laguna Gloria, La Dolce Vita, and the museum my entire life, so to be asked to serve as the 2012 Honorary Chef is a real privilege,” Larry McGuire said in a press release. “Not only am I excited about helping AMOA-Arthouse raise funds for its education programs, but I feel that this event stands out from all the other food events in town.”

Cocktails will be prepared by Tipsy Texan’s David Alan and local wineries and distillers including Becker Vineyards, Inwood Estates Vineyards, Llano Estacado Winery, and Pedernales Cellars will be present as well. For more information about the event, check out this link.

Tagged: AMOA-Arthouse, David Alan, East Side Show Room, Foreign & Domestic, Inwood Estates Vineyards, La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival, Lamberts Downto, Larry McGuire, Layne Lynch, llano estacado winery, Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill, Olive & June, Parkside, Pedernales Cellars, perla's, Ranch 616, Tipsy Texan, TRACE

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

As mentioned in previous Texas Wine Posts, you’ll soon become accustomed to hearing about Tempranillo in Texas. Originally a Spanish varietal, the Tempranillo grape is commonly used in Rioja and Ribera del Duero. (Primarily in Northern Spain.) But it also does particularly well in the Texas Hill Country. (No surprise as the climate and soils are very similar to that of Northern Spain.)

In 2010 we introduced two rather rich and full-bodied Tempranillos from Inwood Estates and Fall Creek Vineyards. This month we have another Tempranillo for you. It comes at the suggestion of Brian Phillips, beverage director and sommelier at Haddington’s in Austin a fairly new Rustic American Tavern serving upscale pub food and an array of hand-crafted cocktails and specialty beer and wine. Phillips recently served me a glass of this at the restaurant and I was amazed at its full, rounded flavor as well as its levity. (Almost like a Pinot Noir.) It stood on its own as a great sipping wine. This selection is very different than the other Tempranillos we’ve shared in the past, and it’s worth discovering for yourself.

This month’s Texas Wine of the Month is: Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo 2009. Pedernales Cellars is a small family vineyard and winery in Stonewall owned and operated by the Kuhlken Family. The grapes for this wine are hand-harvested from the family’s Kuhlken Vineyard just a few miles down the road and the wine is made in the same manner as “old world” Riojas of Spain. For those aficionados out there, the family uses the method of open-top fermentation with manual punch-downs. The wine is then aged 12-18 months in 50% French and 50% American oak.

Why does Phillips like it? “This Tempranillo is well balanced and has a bright and slightly tart finish because of its great acidity,” says Phillips. “That and the moderate alcohol balances the leathery, sweet tobacco and dark berry flavors commonly found in Tempranillos.”

And, it’s great balance makes it a very food friendly option that would go well with any grilled steak, game, or poultry.  This would also be a great way to sample a progression of Texas Tempranillos. Try all three–Inwood, Fall Creek, and Pedernales–and taste the difference. You won’t be disappointed.

Winery: Pedernales Cellars

Price: ~$30

Availability: Select retail shops and restaurants in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and New Braunfels and at the winery

Tagged: Brian Phillips, Fall Creek Vineyards, Haddington's Austin, Inwood Estates, Pedernales Cellars, Texas Tempranillo