Le Libertine – NV; Time Ten Cellars; Dallas, Texas

This red wine is a blend if Merlot (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (44%), and Malbec (9%).  From the back of the label, it looks like the grapes were sourced from California.  This red was created in a Bordeaux style and although non-vintage, this bottle is about 10 years old.  It is declining, so sadly we did not pull it to try in its heyday, however, it still maintains some of the fruit and smoke flavors that made this wine very enjoyable. Cherries still stand out the most and there is a tobacco sensation on the palate.  The acids are tolerable with a nice fatty dish.  Temper this nice red blend with a great cut of meat and veggies for a pleasant delight! Check our other great wines offered by this winery at their website link below.

www.timestencellars.com

Blanc du Bois – 2010; Enoch’s Stomp Vineyard & Winery; Harleton, Texas

This elegant Blanc du Bois white wine can stand toe-to-toe with many traditional fine white wines.  It’s a pleasant off-dry wine with notes of pears.  The fruit is beginning to taper off in this seven-year-old white wine, but it’s still quite refreshing and enjoyable. The color is also experiencing some darkening with age, but not as much as with most aged whites. It’s still a great wine to enjoy and pair with your favorite spring dishes or to just enjoy by itself while out on the porch enjoying the beautiful sunset! Cheers!

www.enochsstomp.com

Whistling Duck Vineyard & Winery – Weimar, Texas

You’ll want to take a trip down the country dirt road for this winery trek, because you’ll eventually end up at a very peaceful and picturesque location, with lots of wine available for you to sample. The Johnson’s (Stan and Mary) and Cooke’s (John and Kari) teamed up using their backgrounds in horticulture and winemaking to make dreams come true and started the Whistling Duck winery.   They started out planning vines on the 17-acre family ponderosa. Over the years, they’ve continued to add to the rows and now have about 4 acres of Blanc du Bois and Black Spanish planted.  Up near the Dublin/Stephenville area, is another 55-acre family farm where they have 3 acres of Tempranillo, Viognier, and Malbec planted. They opened in 2014 and now have many wines to choose from for tasting.  You get to choose from a diverse selection of white to red and dry to sweet.  The people at Texas Custom Wine Works have assisted them with the wine production.  The 2015 dry Blanc du Bois is a light and smooth enjoyable white wine.  The 2016 Viognier is semi- sweet with honey and apricot notes and a touch of effervescence.  The Friday Night Whites is a white blend of Blanc du Bois, Orange Muscat and Muscat Canelli.  It’s citrus aromas and tropical notes will help transport you to that remote island relaxation mode.  The Pura Vida is a nice Muscat Canelli that’s very elegant with its citrus and melon notes.  The Texas Sparkler is an off-dry Blanc du Bois. It’s very refreshing and once again shows how this varietal has found its calling!  If you like the semi-sweet Blanc du Bois style wine, do try the Long Road Home.  For the Black Spanish grape, their 2015 Lenoir has a nice fruit forward appealing taste.  For an off-dry Lenoir, check out their 2015 Buzzard Head.  It has a lighter texture and is smooth. The 2015 Tempranillo is very dry and quite peppery!  You’ll be in for a delight with the Chocolate Duck. Made with infused chocolate and almonds coupled with a Ruby Cabernet, it is very delicious and has the power to charm the sweet and chocolate addict!  Finally, you’ll get to sample their own Sangria recipe.  It employs their Cattle Guard Sweet Red (Tempranillo) as the base married by citrus and sparkle, it is quite the delightful refreshing end to your tasting journey. The friendly and warm hosts and the inviting and relaxing country setting implores you to slow down and set a spell as you take in the nice country air and enjoy the fruits of the vine. This little piece of heaven is a place where you can unwind and let your worries escape as you enjoy all the beauty of the season with good company, attentive service, and a good selection of wines to tempt your palate. Cheers!

www.whistlingduckwinery.com