La Cuvée Gran Reserva Brut – 2013; Gramona; Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, Spain

When great Cava arrives on the table, one must take a moment and appreciate the finer things in life and the craftmanship and attention to detail that were necessary to create such a thing of beauty. Take every moment in with gratitude as from the start with the lovely pop of the cork to the finish on the palate. The pale-yellow hue and medium sized bubbles are a good sign of a great sipping adventure in store. Even at a distance, you can sense those enticing fruity aromas of peach and apricot with just a touch of toast.  The taste is equally delightful and filled with great flavors of citrus and apples.  This blend of 70% Xarello and 30% Macabeo has some earthy undertones yet culminates in a refreshing fine finish. “More, please” will be expected repeatedly when you share this with others. A true gem, so enjoy this and celebrate the good things in your life.  Salud!

www.gramona.com

Malbec – 2015; Williams & Chris Wines; Hye, Texas

Sourced right from the Hye Estate, this one of a kind Malbec is impressive and just super delicious. For this wine kid, tasting every half hour reveals something new and exciting. That is always part of the joy of opening a nice bottle and seeing how things evolve as the wine opens.  Even at just five years old, this wine still has a great fruit forward notes for a Texas red.  On the palate you will discern rich dark cherries followed by some cocoa notes. There is a nice touch of leather on the finish. No need to keep talking about all that is wonderful about this bottle, just drink and share with friends and live the good life! This is great wine that should be enjoyed so make sure you open the bottle prepared to savor it. Cheers!

www.williamchriswines.com

Petit Verdot – 2016 Scimitar Hill Vineyard; Camp Verde, Texas

This winery is certainly located at one of the most beautiful spots in the Texas Hill Country.  Their tasting rooms offers a spectacular view of the estate and surrounding countryside.  Their Petit Verdot equally matches everything that is great about this place.  The dark purple color and herbal notes are just the beginning of your sensory experience for this wine.  It is rich with black fruit flavors of plums and cherries. The enticing nice long finish puts a whole new meaning to bonding with great wine.  There is still much aging potential in this rock star so if you have any bottles in your cellar you might want to take one out to enjoy now while you contemplate how long to continue cellaring others. Hard decision when it’s drinking so nicely right now. Cheers!

www.scimitarhill.com

Sagrantino – 2015; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

This classic Italian varietal from central Italy is certainly a special treat to have in the wine cellar. Bending Branch sourced this wine from Tracy Hills Vineyard of the Tracy Hills AVA.  The ruby color pour is an elegant eye opener for starters. This wine has a lovely bouquet of coffee and a touch of cedar which certainly helps set the mood and peaks one’s interest for the tasting experience that awaits. Brace yourself for a full palate experience of cherries and blackberries with some earthy undertones.  There is also a touch of cocoa at the end and a bit of spice. It is not nearly as tannic as the Italian Sagrantino styles can be, however this one does hit the edges of your tongue exactly right. This light to medium bodied red wine finishes just perfectly and demands more sipping and enjoyment. Lovely on its own, but even better paired with food and cheese. Cin Cin!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Italian Stallion – 2015; Perissos Vineyard and Winery; Burnet Texas

This Italian varietal red blend of 25% each of Aglianico, Dolcetto, Montepulciano and Sangiovese is a knockout wine!  Five years of cellaring and aging and it still packs a lot of jammy fruit forward notes and a touch of nutmeg.  Your palate will be delighted with rich dark cherries, strawberry, and a touch of soft spices. This is an elegant, silky, smooth, and very well-balanced wine that deserves a special occasion and to be appreciated for the loveliness that embodies this beauty.  The medium finish and touch of leather is the added icing on the cake. Cheers to this Gold Medal winner of the 2017 Lone Star International Wine Competition! Without a doubt, we can still taste and see why this wine was such a glorious winner in the competition. Hands down, a true delight to still enjoy now if you have any bottles left. Bravo Perissos!

 

www.perissosvineyards.com

Nebbiolo – 2013; Tenuta Roletto; Piedmont, Italy

Having a good old-world wine is truly a special treat. This Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region hits that high mark on fine wine from that region. The garnet hue and strong fruit forward bouquet of cranberries is enticing.  Brace yourself though, this is a bone-dry wine! Once you get past the initial sensation of the dry wine, you will enjoy the rich flavors of strawberries and cherries that envelope your taste buds. The acids are moderate for this medium bodied red wine and the tannins are mild.  The finish is fast, but that just means you can get to that next taste sooner. Cin Cin!

www.tenutaroletto.it

Gotas de Oro – 2015; Wines of Dotson-Cervantes; Voca, Texas

 These “Drops of Gold” are just the perfect light sweet dessert wine that you need to help refresh the soul.  At just 12.2% alcohol, it certainly does not overpower as a fire breathing fortified wine, but something clean and purely enjoyable.  This 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Muscat Canelli is sourced from the Texas Hill Country and Texas High Plains AVA.  It has great aromas of honeysuckle and apricot to help lighten the mood.  That sensational bouquet is followed by citrus flavors of grapefruit and some pear on the palate. It finishes quite smoothly and helps put you in that better Zen mode as you rebalance and refocus your attention on the beauty that mother nature has brought to your wine glass.  Find your favorite porch and let the sunset watching begin as you enjoy with a glass of this loveliness!

new.dotsoncervanteswines.com

Mourvèdre – 2015; William & Chris Vineyards; Hye, Texas

 William Chris Vineyards has certainly been a major driving force in bringing quality Mourvèdre to Texas and raising everyone’s awareness of this grape varietal. Through great partnerships with Texas growers farming this varietal to the unique winemaking methods of the winery, this red wine has certainly become a winner and fan favorite. It has the characteristics of a light to medium color that dazzles your eyes and aromas of fig, dates, and jam. This medium bodied masterpiece will fill your mouth with notes of raisins, cranberry, chocolate, and a bit of herbs. There is just a touch of earthiness to round things out on the palate. The acids are simply perfect for this red wine! The balanced tannins and long lingering finish just make you want to swirl and sip and repeat. We can see why William Chris has been a leader in putting this red grape varietal on the Texas wine drinkers’ map.  Cheers!

www.williamchriswines.com

Jessie – 2015; Murphy Creek Cellars; Mason, Texas

 Some of Mason County’s best wines can be found in the “smallest” places. This red blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Tempranillo and 10% Barbera is simply outstanding.  Sourced from Robert Clay Vineyards of the Texas Hill Country AVA, this bold wine has a great well-structured character.  Surprisingly, it still seems young and that is a good thing.  The fruit forward aromas reflect the quality in the very essence of Mason County grapes. On your palate, you will get a full mouthful of chocolate with blackberries. This wine has well balanced acidity which is a testament to the winemaker that knew what to do.  Everything done to this wine truly highlights the greatest expression of the fruit and various varietals as they were blended. The moderate tannins and nice leathery finish are to die for too! Word on the grapevine has it that the vines used to make this wine are no longer around, which is a shame, because we sure wish we had more bottles. Keep those bottles on hand if you still have any in your cellar and let them age a bit longer for more long-lasting memories. Cheers!

www.murphycreekcellars.com

GSM – 2012; Barton Springs Winery; Dripping Springs, Texas

The Barton Springs label by Solaro Estate is a unique line of wines that reflect not only the special qualities of the grapes and unique fermentation, but the “cool” nature of the Austin culture. This blend of Grenache 49%, Syrah 36%, and Malbec 15% has held up well over the years for a Texas red.  Little color change has occurred, and it still reveals some good aromas of red berries on the nose. Take a few swirls and sips and you will taste some dark chocolate, cherries, and a bit of spiciness in the glass. The acids are holding up well and the tannins are still quite firm.  A pleaser for many food pairings. Enjoy!

bartonspringswinery.com