Rosé – 2017; Perissos Vineyard and Winery; Burnet, Texas

This estate blend of Mourvèdre 57% and Grenache 43% from the library block is a prime jewel to have. Gazing at the electric magenta color is just the beginning of a fabulous Rosé tasting experience. The lovely berry aromas certainly help wet your palate and get you excited about that first taste. Each refreshing sip highlights cranberry and raspberry followed by delicate strawberry notes.  The crisp acidity and clean finish are just the icing on the proverbial cake.  The year 2017 certainly did many wonderful things for Texas wines. This one is certainly a shining star and testament to that. Cheers!

www.perissosvineyards.com

Estate Cuvée – 2014; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

This estate blend is a testament to how Texas fine wine can be crafted. Located in Comfort in the Texas Hill Country AVA, this blend of Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Aglianico, and Mourvèdre will hit all the right spots on your palate. Gaze into the magenta hued first pour, then take just one quick inhale to allow the aromas of leather with a hint of chocolate to envelop your senses. This is followed by big black cherry notes and a bit of eucalyptus followed by a touch of blueberries for tease. With good acidity and moderate tannins, the bold finish is the crescendo you have been waiting for from the initial sip - a great wine that warms your heart and soul.  Saluté!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Sauvignon Blanc – 2018; Siboney Cellars; Johnson City, Texas

This beauty in a bottle expresses sets the stage for an exceptional experience. Starting off with Narra Vineyards sourced fruit is a definite plus. This ideal Texas High Plains AVA vineyard location has been setting the bar on naturally produced quality fruit in the state for some time. The dark yellow hue of that first pour is a delight to gaze at with anticipation of the first sip. Some grassy notes meet your palate on the entry followed by a very fruit forward profile that remains intact. This bottle packs great flavors of lime and peaches. The medium acids just dance around your palate in all the right places for memorable enjoyment.  With some silky notes on the finish, you will be very pleased with this Sauvignon Blanc. Saluté!

www.siboneycellars.com

Tannat Reserve – 2016; Slate Mill Wine Collective; Fredericksburg, Texas

This Tannat was the first 1851 Vineyard estate grown release. Located in the Fredericksburg AVA of the Texas Hill Country, this local fruit is quite big and bold.  Aromas of nutmeg will envelop your initial senses as you gaze into this deep opaque red wine. Flavors of black cherry will dance around your palate followed by some moderate tobacco. This initial Tannat from the local vineyard has good depth, medium tannins, and just the right balance of acids to cut through a good meaty dish.  We highly recommend this wine for food pairing. Cheers!

www.slatemillwinecollective.com

Touriga Nacional – 2015; Parr Vineyards; Mason, Texas

You may be familiar with Parr Vineyards as the source of fruit for a few quality wine makers in Texas. As it turns out, they do make their own great tasting wine as well.  This 2015 Touriga will surprise you in many ways with its great nose and a full mouth feel.  The deep garnet color and intensity of the black fruit aroma is tantalizing. The rich flavorful fruit of raspberries and blackberries just delights your tastebuds into excited anticipation for more. With a touch of plum fruit for tease, you will be pleased with the medium bodied and long finish of this red wine. The tobacco notes and earthiness on the finish just adds that much more to the wine tasting experience. Surprisingly, at just five years old it still tastes relatively young. The potential of quality aging of this Mason County wine is very promising. Buy multiple bottles so you can enjoy over many years to come. Cheers!

www.parrvineyards.com

Sangiovese – 2017; Cellar Rat; Fredericksburg, Texas

Clint Thomas has been well known for his Texas Hill Country wine tours, visiting some fine wineries, and giving great experiences to numerous tourists. He also dabbles in making wine, too.  Thanks to Hurricane Harvey, the 2017 release is certainly one of the finest from his vintages.  Sourced from Letkeman Family Vineyards, this Texas High Plains fruit is full of delight!  The vibrant magenta color is just a tease to the complex nose of raspberry and tobacco that awaits. Get ready for that full mouthfeel and lip-smacking sensation because you will be greeted with bright cherry and plum flavors with some rustic earthiness. The wine is well balanced and has moderate tannins and a moderate finish.  This Sangiovese could certainly hold its’ own against some fine Italian Chianti wines. Had we not looked at the label and sipped this blindfolded...we would have voted Chianti for sure. Outstanding job. Enjoy!

www.cellarratwinetours.com

Merlot Reserve – 2016; Kuhlman Cellars; Stonewall, Texas

This Texas High Plains fruit was aged an additional 12 months for a total of 30 months.  Whoa…. right? How many winery stops is that…?  The expectations for such a long-aged Merlot are nothing short of pure greatness.  From the initial pour, you will enjoy a beautiful translucent burnt red hue. Rich cherry notes pop up to greet you on the nose and across your palate.  The full mouthfeel experience hits all the high points and more.  The tannins and acids have balanced nicely for this one. The finish teases with some lingering tobacco flavors, yet they are not too overpowering. This wine was well worth the wait.  Well done!

www.kuhlmancellars.com

Tamara – 2015; Perissos Vineyard and Winery; Burnet Texas

The Tamara label from Perissos has been a top-quality treat to enjoy. This Tempranillo wine from the Tamara Dees Vineyard of Mason County is nothing short of pure greatness.  We reviewed the first 2013 vintage back in 2015 and just could not believe how great the fruit flavors were.  Ironically, 2015 was also the last vintage from this vineyard, so in 2020 we opened a bottle to see how it has progressed.  Great cherry flavors still dominate the nose along with fantastic flavors of jammy fruits and some leather. That full mouth feal is wonderful for this medium bodied red wine. The acids and tannins are perfect, and the finish is super. You can never go wrong with this one.  Sadly, the vineyard has passed on to another caretaker, but we will always remember Tamara Dees for her hard work there.  Maybe we will open another bottle every few years for more great memories as we continue to see how this wine ages. Cheers!

www.perissosvineyards.com

Blanc du Bois – 2018; Naca Valley Vineyard; Nacogdoches, Texas

Deep in the heart of East Texas, you will find something to delight your wine tasting desires. Naca Valley’s Blanc du Bois just might bring more attention to this overlooked hybrid varietal.  Sourced out of Henderson, this off-dry white is a perfect afternoon treat.  With strong citrus notes and lovely light sweetness, this bottle will delight the senses and warm any heart looking for that certain pick me up on a cold and dreary winter afternoon. The wine is not syrupy and is lean and bright. We also found it pairs well with Asian dishes. A fantastic refreshing treat to have for any time of day and one that demonstrates how versatile this grape can be in crafting very enjoyable wine. Enjoy!

www.nacavalley.com

Dolcetto – 2015; Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard; Marble Falls, Texas

This Italian varietal is a great light refresher for almost any warm afternoon. Although a dry wine, Dolcetto does have that slight sweetness to it, making this a very enjoyable wine for many wine lovers. This release by Flat Creek packs some delightfully bright berry notes with a hint of pomegranate.  It has a light cherry red color that fades to a lovely hue of purple on the rims. The bold rich flavors of cherries will envelop your palate along with some licorice. There is just a dash of dustiness to help round out the finish. We were surprised how well this wine has aged over the years. Guess there is some magic in these Texas wines. Cin Cin! 

www.flatcreekestate.com