Lost Maples Winery – Vanderpool, Texas

You’re in for a real treat when you come to visit this place both in scenery and wines.  Bandera County is definitely one of the best places along the southern part of the Hill Country to swim and camp.  Now, you have a great winery to add to your get-a-way adventures.  Owners Tom and Glenda Slaughter starting growing grapes on the family land back in 2005/2006.  Their Polvadeau Vineyards stakes its claim as the first commercial vineyard in Bandera County.  Glenda’s family has been here for 175+ years and she is staying true to loving and tending the land.  Their 12 acre estate currently has about 2000 vines of Black Spanish grapes planted.   One look at the vines and you don’t need to be an expert to tell that they take good care of their plants.  That care and love for the land is also reflected in the wine that they make.  All wines are made at their estate facility.  They opened back in January 2015.  Currently, there are five wines to try out.  The 2013 Polvadeau Vin Blanc is a Sauvignon Blanc based wine which is quite crisp with bold citrus flavors.  The 2013 Polvadeau Vin Symphonique is made with the symphony grape.  Sourced from California, this hybrid grape is highly aromatic.  It has a sweet sense at first, but then quickly dissipates and leaves a refreshing feel on the palate.  The 2013 Lenoir (Polvadeau Vin Rouge) was oaked for two years. It is quite nice with good flavors and smooth finish.  Who knew a Lenoir could have this kind of quality taste!  The 2014 Polvadeau L’Inspiration is a blend of 80% Lenoir and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, which has a surprising Pinot Noir like taste. Lastly, the 2014 Polvadeau du Dieu is their Lenoir dessert wine. Fortified with cognac, this fortified wine at 18% alcohol is sure to be a nice pairing for your favorite dark chocolate.  We also got to taste their 60/40 Petite Sirah/Lenoir blend (Polvadeu Vin Rouge XL) which is expected to be released shortly.   The Slaughters have really hit the mark on this last wine and it's sure to be a top selling Lenoir blend .  If you want to taste what quality Lenoir wine is, then do come here. Plus, there’s nothing like checking out a brand new facility!   As it turns out, Tom was also a musician with Mickey Gilley back in the days.  Gilley’s will be re-opening again and will be featuring Lost Maples bottled wines.  What a way to come back with a Texas twist!  Tom and Glenda are really nice people and will take great care of you when you stop in to visit. They are very friendly and warm hosts with some fun tales to tell we're certain! Feel free to take your time and enjoy the fantastic surrounding scenery as it is a delightful drive on some of the most beautiful roads in Texas.  They are also conveniently located very close to the entrance of the Lost Maples park, so you might want to plan an extended outing to visit both as you enjoy getting lost in this little piece of mountainous paradise.  Have fun and enjoy!

www.lostmapleswinery.com