Three Year Anniversary!

Wow! Three years under our wine belt and still going strong. It seems like so much has happened since the beginning. We still have great memories of our first posting on Bending Branch Winery. Their Tannat wines were just awesome, to say the least. We’ve stopped by a couple times since then and are very impressed how their quality and selection has grown! The smaller boutique wineries tend to have that special quality that you don’t always get in larger production facilities. There just seems to be that personal touch that everyday wine lovers appreciate. Many of these boutique wineries are seeing higher demand for their wine which in turn puts more pressure to ramp up production (and price). Hopefully, they can still keep their small hand crafted country charm as they compete with the big boys. By far, we have been quite smitten with the smaller boutiques as they continue to bring such high quality options to the tasting room, offering different varietals for us to continue expanding our wine repertoire. On a different note, we can also report some exciting and big news! One of us is now a certified Viticulturist. Guess that makes us a little more “educated” when talking about vineyards and grapes. As the fall harvest season approaches we are evaluating our options and offers to help bring in this year’s bounty (we work for wine, too). We are looking forward to some more great harvest adventures. Looks like we'll also have a few special treats to post over the next year, including some hard to find and great tasting 10+ year old wine. Hold on to your wine glass, because there is still yet a lot more to pour on this blog! Cheers!!

Buckin Horse Sweet Red - NV; Flat Creek Estate; Marble Falls, Texas

This sweet red blend is very fruit forward when initially opened.  The fruitful scents tend to linger even after it aerates. The initial sips taste like dark fruit, berries, and then are followed by a strong lingering toasty notes.  Some tannins are present, but are overshadowed by the toasted and slightly smoky end notes.  This bottle was from the last year that the wine was crafted by the former winemaker at this winery. When we opened the bottle, we likewise noted that there may have been some decomposition of our cork, so the end notes for this wine and the flavor profile may have been impacted by some oxidation over time. The wine can be served chilled as well for a refreshing red to help combat the hot summer temperatures.

www.flatcreekestate.com

La Buena Vida Vineyards - Grapevine, Texas

This has got to be one of the coolest places in Grapevine to have a winery and event center.  The outside Spanish style-décor makes you feel cool and relaxed even during the heat of the Texas mid summer season.  With the semi covered patio, fountain, and white blocks, you could easily start to imagine yourself sipping wine at some Mediterranean local.  There is ample parking, so no worries about not being able to find a spot. The inside has a spacious tasting room and bar with an almost Moroccan décor.  There are additional rooms in the back for events. Operating since 1992, this has become a special place for events and parties.  There are many wines to select from for tasting, mostly from Texas, but there are also higher end Napa Valley wines for sale in the tasting room.  The La Buena Vida wines are bottled under the Tranquilo brands name of which three are available to try. All include screw caps and grapes sourced from the Texas High Plains.  The red is a Mourvedre/Carignan blend.  You can definitely taste the influence of the Carignan wine.  The Rosé is a Cinsaut /Mourvedre mixture and is quite refreshing when chilled. The color is a soft pink with notes of candied apple at the finish.  The white Tranquilo wine is a Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend and is quite nice with a semi-sweet taste and not too overpowering. The white is definitely made for summer sipping!  They have a winery at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport called La Bodega Winery.  There, you can also try a selection of Texas wines while waiting for one of those infamous long layovers.  As one of the older vineyards in Texas, many Texas wine lovers can appreciate the rich history here and its original owner, Dr. Bobby Smith.  He has helped pioneer much of the Texas Wine industry, as well.  Life can be good here, so take time to enjoy this place next time you’re in town.

www.labuenavida.com

Foxy Blue; St Rose Vineyard and Winery; Pittsburg, Texas

This blend of blueberries and red muscadine grapes gives it a unique sweet taste. Needless to say, it is a fruitful, bright full bodied wine. For those that are not muscadine wine drinkers, the addition of blueberries does give it a more pleasant taste. You could pair this with desserts, but it also stands well on its own. Serve it chilled on a hot summer afternoon for a very refreshing sweet tasting wine.

 

www.strosewinery.com

 

Tempranillo – 2011; Pontotoc Vineyard; Pontotoc, Texas

Central Texas wine lovers have been hearing a lot about new wineries coming “online” in the next several months.  One of them is Pontotoc Vineyard and although they are not officially opened yet, we were able to acquire some bottles and decided to try one out.  This estate grown 100% Tempranillo wine is already a medal winner at the Houston Rodeo & Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.  It’s smoky with a medium body, but lacked a good finish when first sipped after opening.  However after it aerates, the flavors do become more complex the longer it breathes. Subtle tannins are noticeable with this release, but, they are not overpowering, so for those who don’t like their wines overly tannic, this should still be a fine option. Overall, it was enjoyable and not a bad wine for a first release. It has the potential to age well in the cellar.  We’ll keep the other bottle in the cellar and compare notes when it is opened several years from now.  So, stay tuned and in the mean time, enjoy some wine and plan to check out this winery once they open their tasting room officially this coming October.

www.pontotocvineyard.com