Cinsaut – 2016; William and Chris Vineyards; Hye, Texas

Spell it Cinsaut or Cinsault, your taste buds will only focus on the flavorful sensation!  For this 2016 vintage, the grapes were sourced from Lost Draw Vineyards of the Texas High Plains AVA.  The initial pour of a ruby-red color is quite a delight.  On the nose you will sense fermented and smoke notes followed by fruit forward aromas. This red wine presents a lot of berry flavors and moderate acids. The tannins are moderate for this medium bodied wine. We recommend pairing this with your favorite fatty dish so you can enhance your sipping enjoyment!

www.williamchriswines.com

Leander Pink – NV; Digby Fine English; United Kingdom

This medium pink colored bubbly from the UK is an eye opener and a pleaser for any occasion. Crafted with a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier, this Rosé style sparkling hits all the right senses for an enjoyable treat. Rich in berry and pear aromas, you will certainly be lured in for a grand tasting experience. The strawberry flavors dazzle around the edges of your tongue. This is followed by hint of nutmeg as you you realize the bubbles collapse into a nice creamy texture with every sip. The bright acids and small bubbles compliment this wonderfully crafted British beauty. This fine brut is a keeper and a “show-off” for your cellar. Cheers all around!

www.digby-fine-english.com

Assistant – 2011; House of Drake; Woodinville, Washington

Tim Drake has certainly become a well-known winemaker in the Texas wine industry. He also has a line of wine of his own from his earlier winemaking days. This Cabernet blend from “way back when” just shows how great his talents were and remain today. Columbia Valley has certainly been known for its high-quality Cabernet grapes and Tim has done justice to this AVA sourced fruit. At just nine years young, the fruit forward sensation with this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 9% Syrah still holds up nicely. The black cherries and blackberries just explode with intense flavors for that exceptional bold fruit flavor. The firm tannins are just the tease as your palate longs for more. This superb dry red wine blend will leave you craving for more. Keep this one for several more years if you have any bottles in your cellar and pop a cork to see how this has continued to evolve. Cheers and more cheers to the House of Drake!

UFP Special Reserve – 2017; Star Trek Wines; Earth, Sol System

The future has come to the present! While not uncommon to have theme based wines, the description on the back that reads “blended by our intergalactic sommelier and designed to fit the palates of multiple planets” is a nod to the coming together of different races for the common good, not to mention that good wine does bring good people together!  The unique clear glass square bottle design is a nod to the wines served to dignitaries in the Star Trek series.  While other life forms may have their own sensory descriptions, we give this one from a Terran perspective.  Sourced from Sonoma County, these Zinfandel grapes were harvested from old vines of the Dry Creek and Russian River Valley AVA.  The E2 Family Winery was tapped to help craft this fine wine from the future.  Composed of 87% Zinfandel, 12% Petit Sirah and 1% Syrah, the dark garnet color provides some nice contrast with the clear square bottle.  It does initially appear young at first, but a good decanting can help with that.   Aromatically, it will envelope you with lots of rich raspberries and blackberries with a touch of vanilla.  Your mouth will enjoy the dark fruit flavors with a touch of smokiness.  Its medium acidity, soft tannins, and touch of spiciness at the end hits all the right marks for a well-balanced sip.  Even though the alcohol sits at 14.6%, you will never really notice any “hot” sensation - a nod to the winemakers who have done quality work. This is kind of pricey at $50 a bottle, but you are paying for more of the nostalgia and uniqueness that this bottling highlights. Guess this wine bottle gives a whole new meaning to future buys!  You will live long and prosper with this regular dose of UFP Zinfandel.

 www.startrekwines.com

Charbono – 2013; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

Never had a Charbono?  Then you are in for a real treat!  It may go by some different names in the world, but the gratification is always superb. The grapes for this Bending Branch release were sourced from Zentner Vineyard of the Sierra Foothills AVA.  The intensity of the deep dark red color certainly helps set the mood for a delicious red wine trance.  It really unfolds quite nicely after an hour with rich blueberry and raspberry notes.  The flavors of black berries with a touch of leather will respectfully envelope your tastebuds in the most pleasant way. This wine has good structure, moderate tannins, and a pleasant medium finish. This beauty also won a well-deserved Double Gold 2017 Texas International Wine Competition medal. The wine can easily nap in your cellar for at least another 10 years. We really enjoyed this one and look forward to more of this lovely varietal from Bending Branch in the future. 

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Alicante Bouschet – 2016; Slate Mill Wine Collective; Fredericksburg, Texas

This Texas sourced Alicante Bouschet from Lahey Vineyards is another testament to how certain grape varietals are finding a new home in the state of Texas. This Texas High Plains fruit produces a nice big bold red wine lovers’ wine, with very pleasing fruit forward notes. As you sip this wine, you will note that this has a fine body packed with great strawberry and leather flavors with a hint of dark chocolate.   This dry red has a clean finish and just enough tannins to linger on the tongue for a bit.  A well-crafted Alicante Bouschet!  Cheers!

www.slatemillwinecollective.com

La Connection White – 2018; French Connection Wine; Hye, Texas

If you have been yearning for that magnificent traditional Rhône white style blend from Texas grapes, then this white blend from French Connection Wine (FCW) will satisfy that need. This Texas High Plains AVA sourced fruit elegantly combines 39% Roussanne, 37% Marsanne, and 24%Viognier into a full bodied and dry masterpiece! You will like that it is not overly dry or tart for your wine sipping adventure.  Notes of honey and pear are prominent for this blend followed by a touch of lemon.  This wine has the crème factor going for that discernable palate of yours.  Bright acidity with a clean finish rounds out this outstanding white wine. Need more?  Fingers crossed that the winery has bottles left when this posting goes out! Another outstanding wine from FCW. Santé!!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Barranca – 2014; Kuhlman Cellars; Stonewall, Texas

Ah…Barranca.  Their Sonoma blend has always been a delightful treat to look forward to annually. This Texas style version is made from grapes across Texas. This blend of 31% Mourvèdre, 30% Tempranillo, 24% Malbec, and 15% Sangiovese will pleasantly surprise your palate as you enjoy the sensations of different Texas vineyards in this beautiful bottle. Nothing short of a good hour of decanting will allow that floral bouquet to properly express itself. On the nose, you will discern hints of leather and robust dark berries. The tasting profile is big on black cherries followed by some fig. Moderate tannins round out this medium bodied red. This well-balanced wine deserves to be paired and enjoyed with a nice meal. This wine can be enjoyed now, yet also still can cellar a bit longer. Enjoy!!

www.kuhlmancellars.com

West Texas Boyfriend – 2017; Farmhouse Vineyards; Johnson City, TX

As one of the first vineyards that helped establish Malvasia Bianca as a viable Texas grape, Farmhouse produced a lovely sparkling wine called West Texas Boyfriend. The tantalizing bubbles and the slightly sweet sensation of this dry sparkler is certainly an enjoyable companion to seek out after a long day at work.  You will discern bright citrus notes followed by a touch of apricot. While you “swish” the bubbles around after that initial sip, the flavors of ripe pears will come to mind with a bit of honeysuckle that entices you to try another sip.  Texas Malvasia Bianca has certainly found a niche for itself in the state and Farmhouse demonstrates its ability to produce a great sparkling wine.  Enjoy!

www.farmhousevineyard.com

Tempranillo – 2011; Calais Winery; Hye, Texas

 This is some serious prime time drinking Tempranillo! If you look closely, you will see that this wine was made back in the days when Ben Calais had his Dallas location. From the early days in the big “D”, Ben Calais was crafting exceptional wines and making a reputable name for himself in the Texas wine industry. Newsom sourced fruit has certainly added to the quality of this La Cuvee du Manoir Tempranillo. The historic drought of 2011 in the state had its impact in concreting great flavors in every grape.  The acids have toned down to a moderate level since we initially got this bottle, and it is drinking quite nicely.  Surprisingly, the color is relatively intact and shows subtle signs of aging. Even at 9 years young, you can still relish in those enticing earthy notes of the past.  This wine has rich flavors of red cherries, dark plums, and mocha. There is just a hint of leather and a touch of spice before you reach that climax of moderate tannins and an excellent fine finish.  If you could preserve this wine at this moment in time, you would have a jewel for the ages to come!  Santé!!

www.calaiswinery.com

Erbaluce Spumante - 2010; Tenuta Roletto; Piedmont, Italy

There is nothing like a super fine old-world Spumante to help calibrate the senses and renew the soul.  The yellow straw hued and fine bubbles and foam are just the start of this pleasurable experience. The Erbaluce grape varietal was used to produce this super refreshing brut. Hazelnut aromas will be the first sense to envelope your nose as you anticipate the tasting notes. It has a slight creamy texture followed by some citrus and apples. The bright acidity and long tantalizing bubbles make this a memorable one to enjoy. Savor this one for those extra special occasions or when you just want to treat yourself. Everyone will be extremely impressed! Cin Cin!

www.tenutaroletto.it