La Connection Rosé – 2018; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

What more great things can one say about this inaugural release?  Tasting is worth a thousand words and more.  The wonderful lavender aroma and the orange blushed tint to this Texas High Plains sourced Mourvèdre Rosé is just the beginning of your refreshing experience.  Sip, say “ahh”, smile, and repeat with another pour!  Those flavors of strawberries and pears with a bit of watermelon at the end is worth indulging in more.  With bright acidity and a clean finish, this is certainly a savory Rosé to share. Hats off to a great initial release and looking forward to many more marvelous Rosés from this winery. Santé!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Primo Rosso – 2016; Old Man Scary Cellars; San Saba, Texas

Cabernet Sauvignon and Montepulciano do go well together. This Texas High Plains blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Montepulciano has great balance, character, and a fully delightful taste. Grown at Rattlesnake Road Vineyard, these grapes have yielded a full-bodied dry red wine blend for that big hearty meal. With a full mouth feel of cherries and blackberries, you might want to save room for some chocolate to pair with this after your meal. Sadly, this winery had to close in 2020, but their great tasting wines live on in certain cellars. If you can find any bottles, we recommend you enjoy this one now as it is drinking nicely. Enjoy and a big thank you shout out to Old Man Scary Cellars for the wonderful years you provided enjoyment to wine lovers. We will miss you!

L.O.C. – 2016; Slate Mill Wine Collective; Fredericksburg, Texas

The abbreviations in this wine label stand for Live Oak Creek, a nod to the creek that runs to the side of the estate vineyard at Slate Mille Collective winery. For this uniquely labeled wine, grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante Bouschet, and Tannat were blended to create this wonderful red wine.  Upon opening, you can sense the full richness of red fruit on the nose.  For this full-bodied wine, cherries and plums will be the predominant tasting profile with a touch of spice. The acids are moderate to high and there is some underlying earthiness. It is a great pairing for both holiday and post-holiday creative dishes.  You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

www.slatemillwinecollective.com

Ausonius – 2015; Ab Astris Winery; Stonewall, Texas

 Texas has come a long way at producing quality grape varietals for Bordeaux style blends. Ausonius by Ab Astris is a blend of 40% Cabernet, 35% Merlot, and 25% Petit Verdot from Texas High Plains fruit.  Do not be put off by the initial tight mouthfeel of this bottle. A good 90-minute breathing allowance will open this one up quite nicely. Notes of red fruit come alive first followed by cherry and a touch of cola.  You will discern this wine is bone-dry feeling on the first taste, but you will also get an extra surprise of rhubarb notes in addition to those rich red fruit flavors. The tannins are a touch on the high side for this blend and the finish is nice and long.  The high acids demand a good fatty food pairing to really enjoy this wine well.  Cheers!

www.abastriswinery.com

Merlot – 2015; Murphy Creek Cellars; Mason, Texas

Wines made from Mason County grapes are an extra special delight. It just has all the right combination of elevation, soil, and weather and temperatures that make this part of Texas a magical place to grow quality fruit.  Of course, having a great vineyard being managed properly makes all the difference in the world too.  These grapes were sourced from Robert Clay Vineyards.  Not only were the vines managed and picked by Dan Mclaughlin, but he made the wine, to boot!  This is a fabulous Merlot to cherish. It opens nicely after an hour and gets better as the night progresses.  The fruity aromas are still intact and meld nicely with a touch of herbs on the nose.  It is full of rich cherry and plum flavors in this full-bodied red wine.  The extra-long dry finish is why you will smack your lips with a smile.  But enough of the words…go find some if you can and enjoy. Greatness in this bottle. Cheers!

www.murphycreekcellars.com

Château Picard – 2386; Star Trek Wines; Earth, Sol System

Wine from the future?  Why not? Of course! Just to be clear, there really is a Château Picard in the Bordeaux region of France.  Even though the date of this is a nod to the new streaming series Picard, the “real” vintage is 2016 in Earth years. The grapes are sourced from St. Estèphe vineyard. This classic Bordeaux blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot is quite nice. The deep magenta color is a visual delight, and the bouquet is dark fruit and plums. It is still fruit forward, so you will get to enjoy all those fresh grape notes. Most of the enticing taste comes from red cherries and plums. There is a touch of tobacco for a tease and just a hint of leather.  With medium tannins and a fine finish, this smooth full-bodied red wine is a delightful jewel to sip. Time paradoxes can be mind boggling, so just enjoy the moment while you can. Santé!

www.startrekwines.com

Vin Gris Rosé – 2018; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

Texas Cinsault has helped defined Rosé wine in a whole new way for the state.  Sourced from the Texas High Plains, this 2018 vintage shines with the powerful scents of strawberry and herbs on the nose.  This wine only gets better after the first taste with an added hint of plum. Great minerality is present and bright acids fill out this wonderful Rosé just nicely.  A touch of spice at the end is a great teaser on the finish. A delight by itself and a perfect pair for salads, cheese plates with charcuterie and a nice option for the holidays. Santé!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Rosé – 2017; Crowson Wines; Johnson City, Texas

Winemaker Henry Crowson has been making great strides at showing how naturally made wine from Texas grapes brings out the best unadulterated essence of great fruit. This Texas Hill Country sourced fruit from Granite Hill Vineyards is a testament to that. Unfined and unfiltered, this spontaneously fermented wine packs a powerful citrus bouquet. There is a soft grapefruit profile that shines thru coupled with nice acidity and a clean finish. This is not your ordinary Rosé as it may have a “touch” of cloudiness, but that is just part of the natural production showing off. The color of this wine has a very faint hint of blush on it, so nothing overpowers. Fresh, simple and light sums up this warm weather pleaser.  Enjoy!

www.crowsonwines.com

Roussanne – 2018; Red House Winery; Nacogdoches, Texas

Great wine has certainly reached all parts of Texas and this elegant Roussanne is a testament to that. This release was crafted with the assistance of Wedding Oak Winery in San Saba.  The fruit forward aromas are a delight to inhale of this pale yellow colored white wine.  A touch of honey and some pear will surround your eagerly awaiting taste buds.  The acids are quite firm for this medium bodied wine. There is a clean, crisp finish for that satisfying “ah” moment after each sip. Nacogdoches may be in the middle of East Texas, but this Roussanne is worth one of those famous long Texas road treks for it. If you have not been by Red House Winery, make the journey and explore something new. Enjoy!

www.redhousewinery.com

Racker’s Blend – 2015; Perissos Vineyard and Winery; Burnet, Texas

The Racker’s Blend line at Perissos has always been a great treat that highlights a blend of all the wineries estate grown varietals in one unique bottling. This 100% estate sourced red wine blend is different every year, so vertical tasting has a whole new meaning! The 2015 release is a blend of Aglianico 26%, Tempranillo 22%, Petite Sirah 20%, Syrah 16%, Malbec 13%, Touriga 1%, Dolcetto 1%, and Montepulciano 1%.  The dark cherry color pours quite elegantly and you can immediately perceive those aromas of plum on the nose. The initial mouth feel is a bit on the soft side, but that bold rich red fruit flavor comes on strong! A touch of spice with a hint of leather rounds out the flavor profile and provides that satisfying long lingering finish for optimal enjoyment. If you happen to have any of these bottles still in your cellar, they are drinking nicely now. Cheers!

www.perissosvineyards.com

Chenin Blanc – 2015; Compass Rose Cellars; Hye, Texas

This classic white wine from the former Compass Rose winery days is drinking well now. The fruit was sourced from Martin’s Vineyards of the Texas High Plains AVA.  It has a pale golden hue and maintains some of its aromatics.  Apples and tropical fruit notes are the first to greet you upon the initial pour. That first sip brings with it notes of crisp pears with a touch of peachiness. The acids are bright along with a clean refreshing finish.  This wine is a fantastic and refreshing sipper on a warm afternoon.  It is on parr with may fine Chenin Blancs and a delight to find in the cellar aging beautifully.  Enjoy!