Nolan Creek Winery – Belton, Texas

Phil Monge and Vira Chudasma opened up this place about a year ago just off the downtown square.  Located in the “Gin” marketplace, this winery not only offers their own wine, but a good selection from other wineries around the world.  To sample their in-house made wines, ask for the ‘Nolan Creek Winery flight’.  Grapes are sourced from the Texas High plains and some from California.  During this visit, they had four wines available for tasting.  Their sweet white is quite nice, with definite green apple notes to this crisp but sweet wine.  It has good flavor and is an easy drinking wine.  Their White Blend is a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc and is a drier wine with a crispness and a bit of a toasted nut finish. Their sweet red, Texas Moonlight, is smooth and suitable for any afternoon or after dinner event. It packs a lot of blueberry and raspberry notes in this very fruit forward option, while it is very smooth and makes for another easy sipping option to enjoy. They are proud of their red blend (Syrah/Mourvedra) being a bronze medal winner at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.  Let this one age for a few more years and compare your notes from the first taste.  We hear they are also working on a future Zinfandel release that should be very nice. Be looking for more updates on that one on their Facebook page. Their wine bar décor has an upscale, jazzy chic bistro feel that is inviting and makes you feel very welcomed.  The owners picked a great locale in Belton.  Worth the visit and the time to just hanging out!

www.winesofnolancreek.com