Welcome
to Eden. It just takes one stroll along the vineyard path to realize that you
have walked into paradise. From the meticulously managed vines to the
360-degree valley views, the surreal initial feeling is like you are in a
mystical spot. Many long time Texas wine fans may remember this place as Hoover
Valley Vineyards. The grapes from HVV were used to make some of the fantastic
wines from area wineries. Owners Reed and Joan Williams had been managing the
78-acre estate for just over a decade. With 55 acres of vines, 13 varietals
planted, and gorgeous scenic country hills surrounding the valley, it has been
an impressive site for sourcing quality Texas grapes. The Williams had been
looking for someone to take over their vineyard paradise and care for it as
much as they had. William Chris Vineyards and Lost Draw had been sourcing this
spot for grapes for a while and it seemed like a natural fit for them to add
this to their expanding business. Well, with some negotiations, wine talking,
and favorable financing, the marriage made in Hill Country heaven became
reality in 2021. As part of the
ownership change, the site was named Uplift Vineyard as a reflection of the
area geology and geography (a billion plus years in the making) that has
blessed so many vineyards in the Texas Hill Country. But more importantly, many
of the staff from the original owners are still there carrying forth the
history of the vineyard with them as they help cultivate a new path and future
for the farm.
This
unique vineyard location has a lot of great things going for it. First, it benefits from the microclimate
effects from the nearby Colorado river and surrounding “Texas Mountains”. It
doesn’t get too cold or too hot, and it garners the benefits of a little bit of
shielding from severe storms by virtue of the surrounding hills. Second, the
soil profile ranges from sandy, to sandy loam, to clay which helps the planting
of the ideal grapes on specific soil compositions. Thirdly, the wisdom and
knowledge from the long-time vineyard manager Rob Strain keeps the site working
like a charm. Grapes grown on the site include
Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Roussanne, Merlot, Malbec, Aglianico, Montepulciano,
Sangiovese, Marsanne, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Grenache. Most of the vineyard practice is done with
low yielding vines to encourage good quality fruit - not to mention, lots of
hand harvesting, too! While most grapes grown here will go to the William Chris
Wine Company, the estate wines at Uplift will use only the top-quality fruit
from each harvest.
Clair
Richardson is the lead winemaker at Uplift. Many may recognize her as the
assistant winemaker at William Chris Vineyards. She has really hit a home run
with some of the first batches of wine that have been released, so be prepared
to be super impressed. In addition, renowned winemaker Jean Hoefliger is
onboard to provide his invaluable consulting to help guide this new place to
its full potential. Currently, wine production is done at the William Chris Vineyards
location in Hye. Eventually, wines will be made on site at the new production
building. Your tasting experience here is truly unique and memorable. Take in
the full breadth of the wonderful vineyard views as you ride around the estate
in the vineyard golf cart. On the higher
elevation side of the vineyard is a picnic table where you can relax and enjoy
the majestic scenes of the hills, vineyard, and natural countryside and maybe a
lovely little breeze. During the springtime, you’ll be blessed with the
wildflowers that parallel the trellis and vines. Inside the tasting room, the
walls are decorated with lovely artwork, elegant tables with a rustic feel, as
well as a spacious open floor plan.
Upstairs will be the new club-member lounge with a fantastic view of the
estate from the outside porch.
Keep
in mind, there is no such thing as an empty glass during your tasting session,
so you will be well taken care of during your visit. For this tasting session,
the intros started with a glass of Lost Draw Uplift Blanc. Sourced from the
Uplift estate, this white wine is a blend of 69% Viognier, 19% Marsanne, and
19% Roussanne. It’s clean, crisp, with some rich minerality to it. Next, we were treated to some barrel samples
of their Montepulciano and Sangiovese. Aged in French Oak, there’s nothing like
sampling great wine straight from the barrel and participating in your own
“thieving” process! The next set of wines were enjoyed with a pairing of some
fine beef cooked on a sizzling hot stone. You get to mix and match your own fixings
of customized seasoning, tomato pesto, or smoked salt. The first wine to try
this pairing with was the 2020 Aglianico. The wine has deep red fruit flavors,
bold, and quite fruit forward. Next was the 2021 Montepulciano. The depth of
flavors was incredible along with herbal notes and red berries. Following that
wonderful beast, was the 2020 Whitlock.
This estate red is a blend of 90% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4%
Aglianico. It is well balanced, with great fruit aromas, plus a fine finish. Finally,
was the 2021 Sangiovese. This lovely red wine is full bodied with rich red
fruit enveloping your palate like there’s no tomorrow. But wait…there was one
more. The “hard-to-get” 2020 Montepulciano was also available, and it is
drinking well right now! It’s smooth, elegant, and rich in berries. All these red wines can be age worthy, so get
extras to try and savor again in the future. Additional wines are in the works,
including a Cabernet Sauvignon and some Rhône style blends.
Uplift
Vineyard is a spectacular jewel in the Texas Hill Country AVA. There is no
shame in walking away with a case or two.
The staff here are knowledgeable and here to make sure your experience
is nothing but the finest. The trouble
is, once you have visited, you find yourself continuing to reminisce about this
spectacular utopia, leaving no doubt that you have found something special.
Cheers!
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