French Connections Wines – Hye, Texas

Nestled on top of one of the best views of the Pedernales Valley is an emerging top-notch Rhone style winery. Yes, a very top-notch one at that! Is this believable….yes. Can you go everyday….not yet. Will you need a bigger wine budget…most likely, but just think how happy your wine cellar will be!  Sheri and Pat Pattillo have teamed up with Ben Calais (Calais Winery) and Victoria Gimino to bring this newest shining star of Texas wineries to the Texas Hill Country. The wines are the only thing that exceeds the view that you get here, so let’s get right down to it.  There are seven wines to choose from for tasting. Many Calais fans will remember the Cinsault Rose’ Ben first made. This FCW 2018 release builds on that top quality rich and dry Rose’ that is sure to sell out quickly.  Their other 2018 Rose’ is Mourvedre based and is full of color and bit more bold than the Cinsault one. Yes, their dry whites are absolutely wonderful, and you will be fully immersed in the 2018 La Connection White. It’s a blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier. This unique white blend was both barrel fermented AND barrel aged and shows absolute pleasant aromas and flavors.  The 2015 Roussanne Reserve was barrel fermented and aged for not 2, nor 3, but….yes, 4 years!! It’s amazing how Ben can do his magic.  The color and texture balance out quite well for a rich a full tasting experience.   You will be equally pleased with their reds. For starters, the 2017 La Connection Red is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Mourvedre. Aged for two years in French oak, it has a great full mouth feel and beautiful lasting finish that just might make you fall in love with this and only this wine.  The 2017 Syrah is sourced from Newsome vineyards from their older low yielding vines.  You can definitely tell the richness and flavor that is packed into every sip.  Not to be outdone by the dry 2015 Roussanne, but there is also a 2015 port-style version. Fortified and aged for four years, the golden color plus the pleasant linger after-taste is full bliss in of itself!  Not to be outdone by their fine wines, but they also have delicious French eclairs and some superb camembert cheese plates to compliment your visit.   Greatness, right? Have fun and thoroughly enjoy this place on your next Texas Hill Country trip. Santé! 

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Chardonnay Reserve – 2012; Sterling Vineyards; Calistoga, California

Yes, this is one of those great chardonnays that you may never wish to put down. Let’s just lay it all out  there for you: Deep golden color, nutmeg aroma, a touch of oak spice and buttery notes, plus, rich in caramel, citrus, and apple flavors. Want more? Well, we just might have to open a few more bottles over the next few years and add more tantalizing words! Did we mention anything about the great acids, mature balance, and that “aaahhhhhhhh” clean finish? Well, it is all there in this lovely white wine. This is a beautiful chardonnay that is perfect for sipping on its own or pairing with a favorite meal. Cheers, cheers, and more cheers!

www.sterlingvineyards.com

Shiraz – 2012; Red Wing Dove; Hamilton, Texas

Time has blessed this seven-year-old Shiraz with a great deal of complexity and smoothness. It is still quite fruit forward with hints of cherries and plums. The soft tannins on the palate leave a light lingering leathery note. After leaving the bottle uncorked a couple of hours, the profile does change, and one notes the blackberry fruit is more pronounced and the wine has a very smooth finish. This is a real meal pleaser yet also drinks nicely on its own.  Cheers!

www.redwingdove.com

Aglianico – 2012; Perissos Vineyards & Winery; Burnet, Texas

Heaven in a bottle…what could be more pleasing?  This seven-year-old wine sourced from the Perissos estate grown fruit in the Texas Hill Country AVA is maturing quite nicely. It still packs some great flavors of plums, ripe black fruit, lilac and a touch of leather. The acids on this medium bodied wine do a nice light dance around your palate. The savory tannins are long lasting and linger nicely on the finish. A few hours after you open this bottle, we found it easy to still be enjoying this wine! Enjoying a bottle left our souls and bodies feeling quite refreshed and spectacularly happy to have one of our favorite varietals age so nicely in the cellar. Do we have any more? Well yes, however we believe great wine like this deserves to be spread out over many years.  We look forward to enjoying another one in years to come. Enjoy!

www.perissosvineyards.com

7 Creeks Vineyard – Bertram, Texas

With soft openings since July, this tucked away jewel located north of Bertram is going to stand out as a top quality fine wine destination in the northern Texas Hill Country.  Jerry and Janis Horne’s path to a winery career began many years ago with a casual conversation and visits to California wineries. That passion and love for what they do has matured into a beautiful estate vineyard and wine tasting room. The vineyard itself has been a work-in-progress for that last two years.  They currently have about seven acres (hmm, seven again…) of grape vines with a mix of Mourvèdre , Tannat, Vermentino, Alicante Bouschet and Souzao planted.  Tasting some of the grapes from the Souzao vines was an ‘OH MY’ and then some experience! Bob Young and Ron Yates are some of the winemakers helping them out on their first start.  Current wine selections have grapes sourced from California and Texas.  For the whites, the 2017 Chardonnay (Lodi) is aged in stainless still and exhibits great minerality, good acids, and a clean crisp taste! For reds, 2017 Mourvedre is sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA and shows off some great earthy notes. If you like Zinfandel, then you’ll do somersaults over this Lodi 40+ year old-vine 2016 vintage. It smooths out quite well with lingering notes of jam.  Got Alicante Bouschet?  7 Creeks does with their 2017 High Plains release. The garnet color is wonderful to gaze at with a touch of leather aftertaste. Don’t forget to also try their Alta Mesa AVA sourced Souzao.  If you love red wines and appreciate great meat parings, the 2015 Souzao vintage will have you hooked!  Scheduled for release in the fall, will be a Tannat, a Muscat Blend, and a superb Syrah Rose’….worth a return trip! And what’s a quality wine tasting with the bubbles? The 2014 Cuvée Blanc de Blanc is sourced from Lodi Chardonnay and made in the “Méthode Champenoise” way.  You can taste the greatness in every bubble! With some nice estate homes being built nearby, as well as, proximity to the booming Liberty Hill area, wine traffic will not be a problem here.  Stop by and enjoy their great hospitality!

www.7creeksvineyard.com