One of the best
pleasures of exploring Texas Hill Country wineries are the fantastic views and interesting
people you get to meet along the way. Scimitar Hill Vineyards has one of those
breath-taking views that are so majestic and a passionate owner. Tom Hendrix and
his wife are the proud owners of this piece of paradise which opened a couple
of years ago. His ranch is home to about 33 scimitar-horned oryx. Ironically, raising
oryx was the original purpose of the ranch.
The vines and wine making came later. This is Tom’s later in life hobby and next
chapter after a career in information technology. The tasting room sits atop a hill overlooking
the animals and vineyard. Inside the
tasting room, Tom keeps two plaques on the mantle featuring his favorite wine
quotes, one from Earnest Hemmingway and the other from Gerald Asher. A sign that Tom’s passion and love IS in this
business. He and his wife have enjoyed
traveling in France and they were inspired by similarities of climate and soil
with central Texas. So they decided why can’t they do the same thing here in
Texas? The initial plantings in the vineyard began in 2009 and they now have about
2.5 acres planted on two separate plots.
Varietals include Albariño, Merlot,
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. His estate wines express the labor of love
that he and his wife have put into this venture. We tried all the wines available in the
tasting room on our visit. Let the 2014 Malbec breathe for a bit, then you can
soak in some great notes on this vintage. The 2016 Cabernet Franc needs some
time to settle as it is still a bit tight, but you can discern the nice cherry
flavors that will make this wine a keeper.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bit young now, but has some lovely berry
notes that will only improve with age.
The 2016 Merlot has a lot of great flavor and a nice long finish. The
rock star of his selection is the 2016 Petit Verdot. The dark purple color and the
enticing nice long finish puts a whole new meaning to bonding with great wine.
This one has the potential to age and drink well for the next decade. When Tom feels that the Albariño vines are mature enough, he’ll start making some estate wines of that,
too. Yet another excuse for a return
trip! Tom is a great guy to chat with
and makes the hospitality of his place that much more welcoming. Another fine
example of how small boutique wineries make Texas wines personal. This is a
stunning spot to stop, that is a bit out of the way, but so very much worth
your time and effort. Plus, on the way you can visit Bandera and enjoy some
cowboy country, so what’s not to love? Plot your course for a new winery destination
and stop in and say hi and see the wines being produced in Camp Verde, Texas.
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