It’s October in Texas, which among other things means football, Halloween costumes, and hopefully, cooler weather. October is also Texas Wine Month, where Texans can dedicate a whole month raising a glass to Texas wine.

While you’ll definitely find a whole host of ways to celebrate in the Hill Country, we’ve tried to put together a list of events all over the state. Be sure to take note of special rates wineries may be offering throughout the state. For instance, Duchman Family Winery is offering deep discounts on cases of their 2009 Zinfandel and Orange Muscat. A number of wineries such as Flat Creek Estate are offering special wine dinners as well. And if you can’t make it to one this month, don’t worry—every day’s a good day to toast Texas wine!

Texas Hill Country Wine Trail

A Month of Sundays – This is a special tasting series divided among 17 wineries who will host a very special wine tasting from their barrel rooms and cellars. It’s one thing to taste wine bought from a bottle on the shelves. It’s something completely different when you get to taste it as it’s developing in the barrel. You’ll also get to taste a petite food pairing with the wines while you spend time getting to know winemakers from each winery. Each ticket holder will receive a gift bag from Texas Hill Country Wineries with special gifts and offers from some of our Hill Country partners.  You will designate which winery you choose to pick up your bag at time of purchase.

Space is very limited. Click here for pricing and details.

Here’s a quick run down of the hosting wineries:

October 7 and 21

Becker Vineyards

Bending Branch Winery

Dry Comal Creek Vineyards

Kerrville Hills Winery

Pedernales Cellars

Singing Water Vineyards

William Chris Vineyards

October 14 and 28

Alamosa Cellars

Bell Springs

Driftwood Estate Winery

Fall Creek Vineyards

Flat Creek Estate

Pillar Bluff Vineyards

Solaro Estate Winery

Spicewood Vineyards

Stone House Vineyards

Texas Legato

Texas Wine Month Trail – It’s no secret that you usually have to pay a small fee to try wines in winery tasting rooms. This month you can take advantage of a one-stop pass that allows you up to 3 tastings at each of 32 wineries throughout the Hill Country for only $20 a ticket. That’s a lot of wine to sample. But don’t worry, you have the whole month of October to take advantage of it. So get your pass and get tasting! (Note: The pass also allows you a 15% discount on 3-bottle purchases at each winery.)

Texas Winemaker Vintner Dinner Series – October 18: Join one of the Hill Countries newest additions, 4.0 Cellars as their collaboration of winemakers from McPherson Cellars, Brennan Vineyards and Lost Oak Winery show off a few of their best wines expertly paired with a Texas-style dinner from celebrated Hill Country Chef Ross Burtwell at the Cabernet Grill. You’ll also get a chance to meet Notable Texas Wine expert Dr. Russ Kane whose book The Wineslinger Chronicles was released this year. (Grab a signed copy while your there!) Seating is limited. Get your reservation here.

Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest – October 27: In its 22nd year, this festive weekend not only celebrates Texas wine, but the rich culture of Hill Country cuisine as well. The Marktplatz of downtown Fredericksburg will be abuzz with food, wine, music, and crafts.

8th Annual Texas Fall Fest – November 16-18: Technically this doesn’t fall within Texas Wine Month, but Fall Fest has always been a strong part of celebrating Texas wine and food. This year, the event will be hosted at the Horseshoe Bay Yacht Club and Resort near Marble Falls and will showcase myriad Texas wines, Central Texas chefs, live music and a few other festive events throughout the three-day festival.

Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail – Bryan/College Station

Texas Reds Festival – Celebrating its fifth year, Texas Reds is an ode to two things Texans love most: red meat and red wine. Downtown Bryan closes its main streets for a sampling of more than 20 Texas wineries and a full-blown ribeye steak cook-off. Of course, you’ll find a whole lot more at the Texas Reds Festival including a whole host arts, crafts and gift booths and a fantastic line up of live music from The Texas Tornadoes, Johnny Lee and the Urban Cowboys and Roger Creager.

The High Plains – Lubbock

19th Annual Grape Day at Llano Estacado Winery – October 27: A celebration of the year’s harvest, Grape Day is Llano Estacado’s way of showcasing some of the best of what the High Plains of Texas has to offer. Sip special wines while listening to live music, playing with the kids or watching the Texas Tech football game, which will, of course, be broadcast from large television screens. Entry is $5 and includes a complimentary glass of wine—including the wine glass itself as a souvenir.

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: A Month of Sundays, Cabernet Grill, Duchman Family Winery, Flat Creek Estate, Jessica Dupuy, Llano Estacado, Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, Texas Wine Month

Did you know: Texas has a total of eight federally-approved viticultural regions, or “appellations” throughout the state and a total of nine official wine trails to help guide interested wine enthusiasts throughout these regions?

For this month’s column on Texas Wine, we’d like to introduce you to the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, which encompasses three of the Texas appellations including The Texas Hill Country, the Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, and the Bell Mountain Viticultural areas.

(NOTE: An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine are grown. This is important for winemakers in being able to place a label on their bottle designating where their grapes originated. It’s a distinction that adds more credibility to a bottle of wine—as an example, check out any good bottle of French wine and you’ll find an appellation label.)

We’re starting with this wine trail, if not because it represents the first region in the state to receive an appellation designation, then because it is the second-largest appellation in the United States spanning more than 15,000 square miles—and it doesn’t hurt that this area has some excellent wines and beautiful scenery along the way. See a full list of wineries here.

This trail stretches as far south as New Braunfels to as far north as Lampasas and stretches west of Fredericksburg and east to just outside the Austin city limits. With this much turf to cover, it’s advisable to make a three- to four-day road trip out of this trail, stopping at some of the area’s top restaurants, guesthouses, and sights along the way—and if you’re in the Fredericksburg area, don’t miss a dinner at the Cabernet Grill, where chef/owner Ross Burtwell serves up hearty rustic-American fare accompanied by a 100% Texan wine list.

This time of year, spring is ushered in by a flourish of wildflowers. Now is the time to take advantage of the colorful views and the fantastic weather. I recently made an excursion to check some of these wineries off of my list. Below are a few of my favorites:

Mandola Estate Winery – As the Italian name implies, Mandola’s  specializes in Italian grapes grown in Texas soil for their portfolio. Not only is the name synonymous with great food, but Mandola’s now stands for great wine, too; particularly the crisp and fruity (but not too sweet) Vermentino. This aromatic wine will be great for the warmer, eh em, hotter days of summer and would be fantastic with a garlicky shrimp dish or simply as a refreshing cocktail on its own.

I also liked the Dolcetto, a classic Italian grape meaning “slightly sweet.” But don’t be fooled, the sweetness refers to just the grape. This bold red wine is a sturdy, slightly tannic wine, with no sweetness at all, making a great partner for a good juicy steak.

Texas Hills Vineyard – Owner Gary Gilstrap has stumbled onto something at his Johnson City winery as the only winemaker producing a straight Rousanne, a classic French grape primarily grown in the Rhone Valley (an almost identical match to the Texas Hill Country climate and terrain). This bright white wine is crisp and light, but is layered with great apricot and honey flavors.

I also liked the Toro de Tejas, a rich Tempranillo blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon making a great earthy wine that is surprisingly smooth and low on tannin, meaning your tongue won’t feel rough after you try a taste. “To me, the Tempranillo is the grape of Texas,” says Gilstrap. “It will rise to be one of the best grapes grown in this state.”

Becker Vineyard – Perhaps the largest and most widely known vineyard in the Fredericksburg area, Becker Vineyards has made a name for producing a consist portfolio of wines. I had a chance to taste their 2007 Prairie Rotie, an earthy red wine made in the Rhone-style of Southern France. This wine does have a little tannin, but its dark fruit flavors would work very well with wild game such as elk or pheasant.

Fall Creek Vineyards – A trip to Fall Creek is like visiting a little piece of Napa Valley, except for the long, windy drive around Lake Buchanan. Like Becker, Fall Creek is known for its consistency, even with its premiere wine, Meritus, which is a blend of different grapes each year. But as owner and winemaker Ed Auler says, “We take the best of the grapes we have each year to make the best blend we can make. That always varies from year to year when you’re working with Texas weather.”

Meritus is a great wine indeed, especially if you can get a hold of the 2004 vintage, which won Double Gold at the Taster’s Guild International Competition. But I’m particularly a fan of their latest release, the 2008 Tempranillo made from grapes grown at the Salt Lick Vineyard in Driftwood—the very same Salt Lick of barbecue fame. I’m not sure if it’s because these grapes were grown on legendary barbecue land, but this big, juicy-meets-earthy wine is an excellent mate for smoked brisket and sausage. At the same time, this new release from Fall Creek is elegant and sophisticated, even if the meal you’re pairing it with permits you to lick your fingers.

Other wines not to miss: Grape Creek Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Syrah, Alamosa Wine Cellars 2006 Palette, Pedernales Cellars 2009 Stonewall Muscat Canelli.

But don’t take my word for it. When it comes to wine, if you like it, then it’s good. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Do take advantage of this time of year. The Hill Country Wine Trail is hosting a Wine and Wildflowers event April 9-11 and 16-18 with wine and cheese pairings, wildflower seed packets, and a 15-percent discount on three-bottle purchases at each of the trail’s 24 wineries. The cost is $35 per person or $60 per couple for an all access pass to this seasonal event. And don’t forget, the 25th Annual Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival kicks off April 15 with multi-course, wine-paired lunches at Fall Creek Vineyards, Becker Vineyards, and Stone House Vineyards.

Enjoy the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail – But please remember, Drink Responsibly!

Tagged: Becker Vineyards, Fall Creek Vineyards, Mandola's Estate Winery, Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, Texas Hills Vineyards, Wildflowers and Wine