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