Vermentino – 2011; Christoval Vineyards, Christoval, Texas

One of the first white wines to be released by this winery, exhibits some unique and pleasant characteristics after lying around the cellar for a while. First, the color seems to have changed little, which was a pleasant surprise. One would expect a deepening for such a long aging white wine.  Second, the flavors and aromas are not of your typical Vermentino. There are pronounced apple notes and lingering butter notes.  The wine still maintains some citrus notes, but the apple fruit notes tend to dominate.  You would have likely guessed the wrong varietal in a blind tasting session though as something more along the lines of a chardonnay potentially comes to mind with the buttery finish. Interesting to try a Vermentino that has aged this long. The overall tasting profile is still quite good. Sip well!

www.christovalvineyards.com

Red House Winery – Nacogdoches, Texas

The oldest town in Texas has many legends and stories to tell.  Who would have thought back in 1779 that Nacogdoches and the surrounding east Texas region would one day be leading the charge of some great wines for the area?  Welcome to the 21^st century!  Located in a renovated 120-year old building in the historic downtown area is a new chapter of storytelling for Nacogdoches, Red House Winery.  Owners Jacob and Rikki Leigh Willoughby began the winery back in 2015.  Opened last May, the tasting room offers visitors the opportunity to experience some fantastic quality wines, art work, and friendly people that add to this city’s natural charm. Mike Henry from Wedding Oak Winery has been providing invaluable mentoring to the Willoughby’s. With the famous Penny Adams providing top notch winemaking for them, they have certainly gotten off to a great start! Currently, Red House Winery does small productions of about 1500 cases.  Their tasting menu is divided into flights of Red, White, and New Releases.  For the whites, we first tried the 2018 Roussanne.  The floral aromas are quite enticing and it’s a blend of Roussanne and Riesling!  The 2018 Floral Blanc is a Trebbiano/Vermentino blend with some slight residual sugar.  It exhibits notes of the best of both grapes and when chilled makes for a great summer time sipper. For the 2016 vintage of 1779, this is a blend of 40% Orange Muscat, 40% Riesling, and 21% Muscat Canelli. This would be a great pairing for some spicy East Texas chili! The last white we tried was the 2016 Sweet Azalea.  This raspberry hued Riesling/Muscat/Tempranillio blend is fabulous on its own or as an after-dinner sweet wine.  For the reds, we started out with the 2017 Tempranillo.  A little tight at first, but once it begins to open you know this will be a great pairing for a fine ribeye.  The 2016 Sangiovese is a shining star in their lineup.  With a touch of Touriga Nacional, Dolcetto, and Cabernet Sauvignon, its rich and earthy texture is to die for!  The 2016 Rebellion Red is a blend of 55% Montepulciano and 45% Dolcetto. This well-balanced red blend expresses itself well with lovely aromas and flavors.  Finally, you’ll be in for another stellar treat with their dry 2018 Rosato di Sangiovese. Mixed in with 10% Cinsault grape, this will make you a believer in the beauty of Texas Rose’s.  If you end up being a wine club member, the owners have established a very spacious and relaxing lounge area in the back for you to sip and enjoy your wine in style. This a great addition to downtown Nacogdoches and we look forward to more stops in our future wine treks out here! When in the area, do stop in and visit and enjoy their wines, we think you will be very pleased.

www.redhousewinery.com

Tannat – 2010; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

Hello Tannat!  If you are a fan of the old-world wines, you might be thinking blending.  If you are into new world wine, then yes…it does make for a great single varietal wine.  Sourced from Bella Collina Vineyards in California, its earthy and rich texture is to die for. Dark rich color, yes, but that is just part of the “visual effects” as you enjoy the experience of tasting this wine. Let it breathe for about an hour or so and the characters of this Tannat wine really reveal themselves well. You will get blackberry and cherry notes complimented by a bit of tobacco and a touch of cinnamon. It has an elegant and lingering finish that will surely entice you to keep coming back for more.  Age worthy? Most definitely!  Meat pairing?  Bring on that fatty ribeye and chow down.  This wine is just additional proof that the Elysium fields do exist on earth. Cheers!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Cloud Nine – The Weimary; Weimar, Texas

If you’re happy and you know it, pop a bubbly!  It does help set the mood for the event or festivities. Each bottle at this winery displayed a photo of one of the owner’s relatives along with a great story behind the photo to share on their labels.  That added a unique opportunity to get to know the family on a more personal level. This bottle has a photo of the owner’s grandparents on their wedding day. The lovely photo of the happy couple is equally matched by the fabulously sweet and delightfully playful bubbles that still hold their own in creating all the glory of this sparkling’s sensation. This white bubbly blend is a semi-sweet with hints of honey, citrus, banana, and melon.  It’s a great spring time treat for weddings, birthdays, wildflower blooms, and more.  To our dismay, this winery has since closed its doors for good since our visit. We will reminisce of that wonderful afternoon visit we had with them in 2015 and raise a glass to the Weimary owners as well as the lovely family elders in the happy wedding photo all those years ago. We salute all the effort and love that went into creating this wonderful bottle for us to sip and enjoy today. We will definitely savor every bubble and sip. Cheers!

www.weimary.com

Bluebonnet Blush – 2010; Spicewood Vineyards; Spicewood, Texas

You might slap yourself crazy for keeping this one so long, but under ideal conditions and a whole lot of luck, you just might get a great treat when you open the bottle to find it is still holding up well. So, what’s it like after sitting around lost in the cellar for so long?  It still maintains a smooth mouthfeel and well-balanced texture. The aroma is still nice. On the palate, you discern apricot notes and a hint of spiciness, not to be confused with acidity.  There is just a touch of sweetness to this lovely wine. Not a bad pairing with a light springtime dish or fruit dessert. A wonderful wine back in the day and today. Cheers!

www.spicewoodvineyards.com

Murphy Creek Cellars – Mason, Texas

Ah… Mason.  If you haven’t been here, you should make a trip…especially during October so you can enjoy Hallowine, but that’s another story! Owner Lisa Brooks opened this new wine shop in October of 2017.  It features just over 40 different Texas wineries. The slower pace of Mason has suited Lisa well and her store reflects that.  In addition to the wines, there is great food to try and some great local art work, pottery, and wine accessories and home entertaining items. This female business leader in Mason has been making great strides in promoting Texas wines and growing a local business and a new wine brand.  In addition to featuring Texas wines, Lisa has three wines of her own!  The names on the wines reflect her dogs’ names.  The 2015 Jessie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Tempranillo and 10% Barbera. Sourced from Robert Clay Vineyards in Mason County, this red blend has a full mouth feel of chocolate, blackberries and a nice leather finish. The 2015 Murphy’s Merlot also sourced from Robert Clay Vineyards shines with big cherry notes and an extra-long dry finish. This Merlot is a full-bodied red wine that is a nice treat. The first two reds were made by Dan McLaughlin. The latest release, 2017 Katie’s Miscela, was sourced primarily from Perissos Vineyards.  It’s a blend of 40% Aglianico, 30% Tempranillo, 15% Petit Syrah, 8% Syrah, and 7% Malbec.  It is well balanced, has good character, very bright fruit and a bright cherry finish.  This red wine trio marks a great start to Lisa’s entry into the Texas wine business. The shop on the Mason square is very Texas chic and the decor fits right in. If you like great quality and a small town feel all in one, then this is your stop!  Swing by and do a tasting then sit and enjoy a glass inside or outside at one of the quaint bistro tables. Cheers!

www.murphycreekcellars.com