Tempranillo – 2018; Spicewood Vineyards; Spicewood, Texas

Clocking in at 14.8% abv, this Texas High Plains Tempranillo is packed with rich fruit and a lush, smooth sensation on the palate. It pours a very dark ruby hue for a Tempranillo and will fill the air with aromas of black cherry and some fig. Take that first sip or two and enjoy those flavors of blackberries and plums. You might sense a hint of licorice, as well. The mouthfeel can be a bit heavy initially, but nothing a good appropriate pairing can’t compliment. Let’s call this red beast medium all around for the acids, body, and tannins. Enjoy this one well, wine friends!

www.spicewoodvineyards.com

Carter Creek Winery – Johnson City, Texas

To say this is a one stop shop for everything wine getaway related is an understatement. The 38-acre property just about has it all.  Owners Jim and Dawn Carter are no strangers to the winery business.  Having run the successful South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula, California, the Carter Creek location is their first Texas based winery. Jim has had a long and different career ranging from tree farming and real estate in addition to the winemaking business. The Carter Creek location isn’t just a one stop tasting room experience.  Like their sister location in Temecula, there is a fine restaurant, many villas, a spa, brewery, and a nice member tasting lounge with windows overlooking the famous Hill Country highway 290 winery corridor and beyond.  The open courtyard between the tasting room and event center is amazing.  You are just up high enough to soak up some scenic views of the hills of Johnson City.  Jim has John McPherson helping with the winemaking. They met in California where Jim made his first Petite Sirah wine. John is certainly no stranger to the winemaking business. His Father “Doc” McPherson helped pioneer Texas wines in the early days and his brothers have made their own contributions to the industry as well.  Carter Creek has been making Texas wines since 2016 and opened the winery resort location in 2019.  Also onsite, is a vineyard of new UC Davis Pierce resistant varieties, Paseante Noir and Errante Noir. Paseante Noir has most of its parental material from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon while the Errante Noir has most genetics from Sylvaner, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, and Chardonnay.

There are quite a few amazing wines to try from the list. For this visit, the first one sampled was the 2017 Gloria.  This Texas High Plains blend of 76% Gewürztraminer, 18% Riesling, and 6% Muscat Canelli is light in color with stone fruit and some solid minerality. It is truly an easy sipping summer wine. The next white wine was the 2017 Viognier/Roussanne. It has a Rhone style feel to it with great acidity, tropical notes, and superb mouthfeel. Moving on to the next one was the 2018 Plateau Rosé. This High Plains sourced fruit wine is a blend of 62% Cinsault, 23% Grenache, 8% Tempranillo, and 7% Carignane. It's a nice BBQ pairing wine, as this bottle has notes of strawberry and raspberry with a nice acidic finish. For the sparkling wines, you will be in for a treat with their Sparkling Brut.  With mostly Chenin Blanc along with a touch of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, your nose will be pleased with the fruit notes on this sparkling white wine. The other bubbly is a Tempranillo Sparkling Rosé. It has bright acidity along with notes of cranberry and pomegranate.  As for the red wines, you can’t go wrong with the 2017 Maverick. This Rhone style red blend has 25% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre, 23% Counoise, 23% Cinsault, and 6% Viognier. It is quite big on the berry notes, very well balanced, and has a touch of coffee to balance things out on the flavor profile. The second red sampled was the 2021 Plateau Red. This wine is typically made from the best grapes of the vintage. This Tempranillo blend includes some Grenache and Touriga along with a touch of Tinta Cao. What you get is some spice with a touch of floral sensation and a fine lasting finish. Speaking of Tempranillo, the 2017 release lives up to the great vintage year expectations for wines from Texas. With big blackberry notes and a touch of smoke, it’s a bit lighter than other Texas Tempranillos and has a pleasant smooth finish.  Roll back just one year and get a bottle the 2016 Tempranillio if you can. This wine tastes more mature, mellow, and smooth. Yes, Texas can make good Cabernet Sauvignon.  Their 2017 vintage is from 30-year-old vines Doc McPherson planted. This wine is big on blackberries with some blueberries and a bit lighter bodied with a touch of silkiness. There is just a splash of Merlot and Petit Verdot for added depth.  While you are in the Cab drinking mood, give their 2018 Cabernet a taste.  This one is much bolder and deeper than the previous vintage so be prepared. You can’t leave without dessert, so make sure to get a little sample of the Dominum Tino. This Portuguese blend of Tino Cao, Touriga Nacional, and Tinto Nero has ripe fruit aromas, great blueberry notes, and a bit of cocoa. There is just a dash of Muscat in this dessert wine for an extra delightful note. Future releases will include a peach sparkling wine, cuvee, and one called Group Therapy (love this name). 

There is everything to like about the property whether you’re here for the wine or other amenities this place offers.  The staff is quite knowledgeable and engaging and ready to help guide you and answer your questions. Everything on the menu is worth your tasting time, plus the grounds are a great place to just sip, and soak in the Hill Country Zen. Cheers!

www.cartercreek.com

Pink Moscato – NV; Ste Genevieve; Fort Stockton, Texas

The back of the label says imported from South Africa, so not sure if that was the juice, grapes, or wine itself. Nevertheless, this chilled semi-sweet treat can be an easy summer sipper on its own.  You will pick up on some light floral sensations on the nose paired with some lovely strawberry. Swirl and sip and some honeysuckle and a bit of citrus will dance across your palate too. This early Texas winery from West Texas alas is no more, but you might still find some bottles here and there in wine stores. Cheers and thank you Ste Genevieve for your contributions to the wine industry and fans over the years!

Lucky 13-year Anniversary!

What a lucky year it has been!  So many new wines to write about lately, not to mention the number of new wineries opening up has seemed exponential. The quality and variety of wines being produced never ceases to amaze us.  It’s not been the same-ol’, same-ol’, but always something new and surprising. Certainly, the ever-changing weather has had a strong influence on wine production. For Texas wines, two record hot years in a row, 2022 and 2023, should yield some fine future vintages. Some of the first 2022 Rosé wines released are already hitting those high marks as a memorable year. It has been exciting to see a handful of wineries start crafting Piquette and the rise of Teroldego in Texas has been surprising and exciting. For 2023, the Instagram account has been “re-kickstarted” which will focus on the theme, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and will have mostly wines we try out, but not necessarily a full review (www.instagram.com/wineofthemoment). As with all things in the tech world, nothing stays the same.  We have launched a Threads account with a focus on “sneak peaks” for upcoming wines to check out (https://www.threads.net/@wineofthemoment). For the next year of blogging, look for more old-world wine postings to compare with some of the new up and coming Texas varietals being released. As always, it has been a great adventure and we excitedly anticipate many new ones that lie ahead of us. Hopefully, we may run into some of you on our great wine trail exploration and adventures. In the meantime, stay cool, stay calm, stay open to new experiences and trying new varietals, and keep your glass at least half full of some amazing wine. Cheers!

Check out some new upcoming photo backgrounds below added to the rotation list!

Petite Sirah – 2018; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

This 2018 release of Petite Sirah from Newsom Vineyards is quite a treat to relish. Plums and cherries are the primary notes you will get followed by some raspberries.  It is moderately dry with medium acidity and just a notch above medium bodied.  You will note some leather and a touch of vanilla after that initial sip along with an elegant smooth finish.  Although you could pair this red jewel with some fine dishes, it is just superb drinking on its own while enjoying the evening sunset. Cheers!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Dubourdieu Liaison Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon – 2020; Denis Dubourdieu; Bordeaux, France

This Bordeaux white blend is a nice wine to enjoy any day. The 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon presents both peach and citrus aromas with notes of herbs and lemons on the nose. You will notice the legs are somewhat light along the glass, with moderate flavors of melon on the palate. This wine has a soft finish and good, elegant mouthfeel. It is a good go to under $20 wine that is pretty darn tasty for a white wine sipper or a lovely wine to pair with a summer meal. Santé!

www.denisdubourdieu.fr

Gruner Veltliner – 2021; RE:Rooted 210; San Antonio, Texas

Gruner Veltliner from Texas? Why, yes!  Long time white wine fans may be familiar with this Austrian white wine, but it just so happens there is a spot for it in Texas, as well. Sourced from Kubacak Vineyard of the Texas High Plains AVA, this white wine will brighten fill the room with lovely citrus and stone fruit aromas.  The light straw-colored pour is an enticing sight to see in anticipation of that first sip. That velvety texture is quite soothing along with that big fresh acidity and flavors of peaches.  Let’s call this white wine medium bodied, making it versatile for a variety of food pairings. Serve up your best dish, fill your glass and feast away!

www.rerootedwine.com

Vai Avanti – 2021; The Cause Urban Winery; Houston, Texas

Tasting one of the new releases from a new winery is always exciting. This Rosé, “Vai Avanti” meaning to carry on and going forward, wine can be quite a sip of encouragement. 90% of this beauty is Mourvèdre and sourced from Vanderlei Vineyard of the Texas High Plains AVA.  The other 10% is Viognier added from Hoover Valley Vineyard of the Texas Hill Country AVA. Aromas of plums will excite those initial wine senses before you savor your first sip. On the palate you will enjoy a crisp wine with strawberry notes that kick in on the dry finish. Repeat a few times, and you will be hooked on this lovely and refreshing sipper. This is a great wine for ‘Rosé All Day’ during the Texas summer heat!

www.causeurbanwinery.com

Aglianico – 2016; Duchman Family Winery; Driftwood, Texas

This lucky seven year old find has a lot of surprises to it. Sourced from Oswald Vineyards, the ruby red color seems well intact with a moderate amount of cherry notes to satisfy the discerning wine palate. Sitting at 14.5% abv, this medium bodied jewel is very dry with additional notes of leather and tobacco. Let this wine linger a bit on that first sip so you can savor that touch of oak and earthy undertones, plus delight in the smokey finish. This wine is made for savory pairings so you will want to enjoy this one with some great Mediterranean and Italian dishes or your best charcuterie boards.  Salute!

www.duchmanwinery.com

Trinity – 2017; Slate Mille Wine Collective; Fredericksburg, Texas

This bold blend of some big Texas grapes will certainly leave an impression on your sipping session. It is a mix of 56% Tempranillo, 28% Tannat, and 16% Barbera and deserves a good 90 minutes to breathe. It speaks of black pepper and stone fruit and makes its dry sensation well known.  Acids are medium and the tannins sit about in the moderate box for this bold food pairing wine.  There is a slight effervescence at first, but tends to go away after a while. Sadly, the winery is no more, but many of their wines still live!

Cuvee Carmesim – 2018; Adega Vinho Winery; Stonewall, Texas

Behold this big bad beast!  It’s big because half of the fruit (Merlot) is sourced from Narra Vineyards. It’s bad (in a good way) because the other half (Touriga Nacional) comes from Robert Clay Vineyards.  Call it mixing peanut butter with your chocolate if you’d like, but this red wine jewel packs a lot of red berry notes including raspberry and some beautiful blueberry.  Get fancy if you wish and swirl, breathe it all in, and sip a few times. Just be prepared for some leather and smoke notes coupled with lots of tobacco on the finish. The acids are moderate for this medium bodied masterpiece.  Pair with your best protein dish or charcuterie board because this wine just might be your next best friend. Saúde!

www.adegavinho.com

La Connection Red – 2019; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

There is everything to like about this lovely red blend.  This Texas High Plains sourced fruit of 50% Mourvèdre, 23% Petite Sirah, 14% Syrah, 13% Carignan has a dark colored pour and will fill the air with rich stewed berries. Coupled that with notes of blackberry and plums and you are making this bottle a very good wine to please red wine lovers.  The acids and tannins are moderate, and this wine has a bit of smokiness and cocoa on the finish.  As you sip and savor, you may also discern a silkiness to this jewel. This red wine is quite versatile and will pair nicely with many dishes, so enjoy it well. Santé!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com