The Vineyard at Florence – Florence, Texas

Located at the northern end of the Texas Hill Country, this latest start-up winery is making wines and growing grapes from Norton, Lenoir, Cabernet and Blanc du Bois varietals.  Dan Gatlin of Inwood Estates has been serving as the winemaker for this establishment guiding them toward producing some good Texas vino. Their first estate wines have been released and the Roma (Norton grape) has already sold out. Not to worry though, more will follow in the next vintage. From outside the tasting room, one has a great view of the rolling plains of the Texas Hill Country and the estate vineyards. In addition to the tasting room, are villas, spas, and a café.  This is a great location for a date, afternoon outing spot with friends or family, or girl friends getaway where you can spend some quality time with your favorite glass or bottle of wine, enjoy the surrounding scenery and take in some of the lively energy of the winery when live music is available on the weekends. Fortunately, you can also visit the winery next door, Inwood Estates Tasting room to compare the two styles and selections and make it a nice afternoon outing.

http://www.thevineyardatflorence.com/

Sweet Red – NV; Wimberley Valley Winery; Driftwood, Texas

This sweet red wine has a lighter body than most reds.  As you swirl a sip around your tongue, your taste buds will note a full berry fruit forward flavor that wows. Chilled, this makes a great summer wine.  This wine pairs lovely with spicier dishes like Mexican or Barbeque and equally stands up on its own.  Texas wine lovers should save the bottle as a souvenir of the chilled wines that saved you from the record 2011 scorching summer!

http://www.wimberleyvalleywinery.com/

Inwood Estates – Dallas, Texas

Whether you go to the tasting room in Dallas or the one in Florence, Texas, you will be introduced to some of the higher quality wines that would please the ancient gods of Olympus.  As one of the first people to plant grapes in Texas during the early 1980s, Dan Gattis has been making boutique and hand-crafted quality wines based on the Palomino and Tempranillo varietals.  Serving both red and white wines at their tasting rooms, the reds will certainly be the ones that will make you say “wow” six ways to Sunday!  The Tempranillo Reserve and Magellan (Bordeaux Blend) will be the two that stand out the most.  The Palomino –Chardonnay white wine is quite unique as it is a white that truly drinks like a red. Put a blindfold on and sip this one, you’ll never guess it’s a white wine! Its unique nectar-like fragrance makes it an enjoyable aromatic and flavorful wine.  There are no fancy gimmicks, just straight forward superb premium wine.  So, don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to walk out with a case or two after your visit.  These are cellar quality wines that will last at least 10+ years or more and make excellent gifts for picky wine lovers.

http://www.inwoodwines.com/

Petite Syrah – 2004; Castle Rock Winery; Calistoga, California

Made from the grapes of the Lodi region of California, this Petite Syrah has a beautiful dark blackberry hue and coffee like aromas.  The full-bodied wine has tannins that tend to be long-lasting. You will also taste hints of something between blackberries and plums.  If you like a rich, full-bodied red with depth and a great finish, we suggest you give this one a whirl in your glass. Your palette will not be disappointed. Pair this wine with your favorite grilled game.

http://www.castlerockwinery.com/

Pilot Knob Vineyard – Bertram, Texas

Located on the northern frontier of the Texas Hill Country Viticultural area, this new vineyard and winery is staking a claim for themselves with some award winning wines.  Currently, one can sample Proprietor’s White (Viognier blend), Viognier (already an award winner), Sweet Rose (Ruby Cabernet), and Franco-Rojo (Tempranillo/Merlot blend).    The wines are worthy of the glasses they are poured into.  The aromas and taste will entice you to buy all these initial releases for safekeeping in your wine cellar. They are all well balanced and each one equally good as the next. The views from the tasting room of the Texas Hill Country are spectacular!  It is worth your valuable time to share a bottle of wine with friends and just enjoy the surrounding scenery.  The name is derived in honor of the highest point on the horizon, a long extinct volcano. Planted on the estate are vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo.  With the experience and assistance of the McPherson’s from Lubbock, The Pilot Knob owner has one of the best Texas wine family names to guide them to a promising future.  With plans to plant more varietals in the future on this 100+ acre estate, this vineyard will certainly establish itself as a future prime producer of quality Texas grapes and wine.

http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/

Texas White – NV; Three Dudes Winery; San Marcos, Texas

With a hint of citrus aroma, this clean crisp white wine should pair well with just about any dish.  It comes across as well balanced, and aromatic, sweet wine with slight mineral flavors. It is very easy on the palate and is quite refreshing and lovely chilled on a hot summer day. This is the perfect wine to enjoy when you want to unwind or sit and visit with friends. Very drinkable and should be shared!

http://www.threedudeswinery.com/

McPherson Cellars – Lubbock, Texas

Located in the city of Lubbock, this winery was originally founded in memory of Dr. Clinton “Doc” McPherson, one of the original pioneers in the Texas wine industry.  The son of Dr. McPherson takes a "planting to the land" philosophy with the vineyards. The wines you’ll enjoy from the winemaker are mostly Rhone and Italian varietals which just happen to do quite well in the Texas High Plains. In the tasting room, one can also enjoy Roussanne, Sangiovese and a great tasting Chansa Sherry, just to name a few.  Don’t worry if you’re relatively new to wine lingo and pronunciations.  The folks here will be glad to help navigate you through the menu to help find something to your liking.

http://www.mcphersoncellars.com/

Rose of Ivanhoe – NV; Homestead Winery; Ivanhoe, Texas

This full-bodied sweet wine can pack a punch! Or maybe it has just been in the wine cellar longer than we thought?  Who needs a late night coffee espresso, when this wine will surprisingly stimulate your senses just as well.  This is a hearty fruit forward and initially sweet wine, that finishes with deeper tannins to complement its darker hue. Best served chilled, a glass or two of this wine is a great way to beat the incredible hot Texas nights of summer 2011. You may also wish to use it to craft your own version of deeper, richer Sangria, by adding your own fruit and mixers. The unique character of this wine should pair well with your favorite Tex-Mex dish too!  They’ll both taste great together.

http://www.homesteadwinery.com/

Cap*Rock Winery – Lubbock, Texas

Located just south of Lubbock, this winery has been making many good wines for over a couple of decades. Most wine lovers may be familiar with their Palo Duro Whites and Reds, but you can’t go wrong with the Viognier or Blush Royal.  The tasting room has to be one of the more elegant and picturesque places to see.  Although the place has undergone a few owner changes over the years, it still is worth the visit. Though the selection of wines may not be exactly what they were many years ago under the original owners, we look forward to seeing what the new owners have in store and hope they can resurrect some of the deep, earthy, dry and wonderful bold reds from the past.

http://www.caprockwinery.com/

Red Table Wine – 2003; B & E Vineyard; Paso Robles, California

This wine has a wonderfully strong bouquet with a powerful dry French oak taste. There are lots of lovely tannins here to tempt your taste buds if you’re a lover of bold smooth reds with a strong full body.  Savor this with pasta dishes or just enjoy it by the glass on its own.  We don’t think you will be disappointed by this one.



http://www.bevineyard.com/