The Wine:
William Chris Vineyards, Mary Ruth, 2013
Who Likes It:
Caroline Forbes, the general manager of Dai Due Butcher Shop & Supper Club, in Austin. Dai Due, which opened earlier this year, is fervently committed to locally sourcing every item on its menu, an ethos that extends to its wine list. “When we were preparing to open Dai Due, [the owner] Jesse [Griffiths] and I thought long and hard about the wine list,” Forbes said. “We met a lot of resistance when we told people we were considering an all-Texas list, but really, nothing else would have made sense for us. Our butcher shop and restaurant is all-local. For example, when lemons go out of season, we won’t have them. I’m not going to tell someone they can’t have a lemon in their iced tea because they don’t grow in Texas at a certain time of year and then in the same breath offer them a bottle of Sancerre.”
“For the last 8 years Dai Due has sourced almost one-hundred percent of our ingredients locally–and grapes are ingredients. We spent a lot of time seeking out winemakers who don’t use California grapes to make their ‘Texas’ wines; every wine on our list is made from Texas fruit.”
The Grapes:
This white wine is a fragrant blend of Blanc du Bois, orange muscat, and white muscat. “A lot of folks see ‘muscat’ on the list and think it’s going to be sweet,” Forbes said. “But it finishes quite dry, and the muscat gives it a really pretty, especially aromatic nose.”
Why She Likes It:
“This wine has some sentimental value for us,” Forbes said. “It was the first Texas wine that Jesse and I tasted that we both loved, on its own merits. When we tasted the Mary Ruth we looked at each other in relief, like, ‘Okay, we can make a good Texas wine list.’ It’s balanced and complex with really pretty floral notes, and good acidity.”
Suggested Pairings:
“I drink this wine with our pork confit dish, which is served with a salad of apples, jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro. It’s got enough acid to cut the richness of the pork, and the very slight sweetness plays well with the spicy jalapeño. I’d enjoy it with any pork dish, actually. I think it would be really nice with some of our charcuterie and sausages.”
On Down the Road:
“Texas wines still don’t have the best reputation, but the quality has improved so much just over the last five years. It’s been fun to meet some of the new generation of winemakers,” Forbes said. “These are guys who are focused on making wines with minimal intervention, made from Texas grapes, that tell a story and convey a real sense of place. They’re growing native grapes and Mediterranean grapes that make more sense for our region. They’re planting more acres so they don’t have to purchase juice from out of state. I’m excited to see what happens as their vines age and the quality continues to improve.”
Notes from the Winemaker:
Bill Blackmon and Chris Brundrett
“We make Mary Ruth to show what Texas white wine can be,” Brundrett said. “This is a representation of grapes from across the state with a beautiful crispness that pairs well with whatever life throws at you as well as your mother-in-law showing up for a few days. Mary Ruth was Bill’s mother who has always supported his dream of growing wines and backed us opening William Chris. This wine is an homage to her.”
Price:
~$30
Availability:
Dai Due currently is currently serving this one, but the 2013 vintage is now sold out at the winery. The 2014 will be released soon.
