Happy Thanksgiving!

Blue Lotus Winery – Seguin, Texas

Along the Guadalupe River Valley, is a new winery that has staked its claim in the Texas vineyard and wine industry.  This isn’t your typical Cabernet or Chardonnay shop, but something more distinct and different for the wine explorer. Opened for about a year, Michael and Melissa Poole also serve mead under Texas Mead Works.  You have the option of selecting five or 10 wines for tasting.  There are plenty of wines to choose from, so we would suggest the 10 wine tasting so that you can try out the meads as well.  Grapes are sourced from the Texas High Plains, except for the Black Spanish which is estate grown, and the Carmenere and Primitovo grapes come from New Mexico.  The estate vineyard has a variety of grapes being grown that include: Black Spanish, Blanc du Bois, Lake Emerald, Lomanto, Norton, Roucaneuf, Champanel and Mortenson.  These grapes have proven resistant to the diseases that tend to plague vineyards in these parts of the U.S.  Eventually, the Pooles hope to produce 100% Texas grape wines.  Their mead is sourced from a honey farm near Rogers, Texas.  The grape wines are fermented in stainless steel and aged in French and American oak barrel. There were six wines available for tasting during our visit.  Among the whites are: Grande Blanc (multi-blend), Malvasia Bianca, Viognier and Late Harvest Riesling. The Riesling is sweet, but not syrupy sweet, and quite flavorful. The reds include: Primitivo, Carmenere, and Black Lotus.  The reds are relatively young, but should continue to get better with some age. The meads list is quite extensive, but if you must choose we suggest starting with the dry mead.  It will be more palatable for those that aren’t into sweet wines.  The Minstrel’s mead is quite good and is a blend of different floral aromas.  You may also want to dive into the Cyser which is a well balanced honey/apple blend.  It is very delicious and would make a great dessert wine.  And if you like the Blackberry mead, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a “port” version coming out in several months.  We sampled some that was about to be barreled and it was awesome!  The winery has a tasting room under construction on the front of the estate that they hope to open in the near future.  You’ll definitely remember the wines you had here as they are a little less traditional and more unique. The owners are also really good company and seem to be enjoying their work as they continue to expand their business.

www.bluelotuswinery.com

French Colombard – 2006; Dry Comal Creek Vineyards; New Braunfels, Texas

This “semi-sweet” is a bit sweeter than semi sweet, but not as sweet as a Muscat.  It has strong tropical aromas, yet these translate in a more subtle manner on the palate. This is a smooth wine with little acid. We definitely recommend serving this wine chilled, but it’s up to you if you want it with food or not. It is a lovely wine to enjoy on its own, but if you choose to serve it with food, dare to be bold and pair it with some well seasoned fish, spicy or Asian dishes.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised how well they complement each other.  This wine is a 2007 Lone Star International Wine Competition winner.  If you've cellared this one properly, it will still be good.  Enjoy!

www.drycomalcreek.com

Texas Honey Wine – Yepez Family Vineyards; Baytown, Texas

Sweet things can come in small bottles!  Try this one as a standalone to get the full feel of the experience.  The deep golden color can be an eye catcher, but the intense floral aromas will be the first thing that you’ll quickly notice after opening.  This wine is delightfully sweet, but not syrupy. Though this is a honey wine, don’t prejudge based on prior mead experiences, as this is decidedly different in taste. Though there is a lovely sweetness, this does translate to the palate more like wine verses mead. Try it chilled if you want a cool hot summer dessert treat.  Mead lovers should also approve, but this would also fit well with sweet wine lovers. This time of year, it definitely pairs nicely with falls tasty spiced desserts. Enjoy!

www.yepezvineyard.com

Poteet Country Winery – Poteet, Texas

Past the cow farms, old windmills, along an uneven dirt road and into a former dairy barn is a winery in South Texas that has been making some mighty fine fruit wines for the past 16 years.  The founding owners, Jim Collums and Bob Denson, may have come at wine making in this part of Texas from different directions, but their interactions with the Poteet Strawberry Festival helped spawn a new beginning in their Texas lives.  The wines available may vary a bit based on supply and demand, however the lineup typically includes Strawberry, Mustang, Blackberry, and Peach wine.  You won’t find any fructose in these wines either. The fruit is local and the taste is as big as Texas! There is a Strawberry/Mustang blend that is well balanced and has a lovely flavor profile.  Sometimes mustang grape wines can be a bit ”harsh”, but the strawberry blend helps highlight the best flavors of both. The mustang grapes grow wild locally and are used for the wine. The reserve Blackberry and Strawberry wines are really good and are made using the ice wine method which yields a rich intense flavor. This winery demonstrates that you can make some fine fruit wines in the state. The tasting room is interesting, rustic and has staff that makes you feel warm and welcomed.  It’s a nice South Texas country feeling down here, so come have a sip!

www.poteetwine.com