Barbera – 2014; Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard; Marble Falls, Texas

What an impressive Barbera to enjoy! Clocking in at 14.5% abv, this light bodied vintage will initially impress you with violet aromas on the nose followed by a bit of smoke and a light hint of leather.  Flavors of blackberries and plums will be the main fruit flavors dancing across your tastebuds. The tannins can be a little intense, but the finish is nice. This red wine can present as super dry, so be prepared.  It is aging quite well, so you can certainly keep any bottles you may have in the cellar longer. Share this vintage beauty with good friends and family and pair with a great dish, it deserves to be loved. Cin Cin!

www.flatcreekestate.com

The Schizophrenic – 2017; Slate Theory Winery; Fredericksburg, Texas

Your mind can decide if you believe this Bordeaux style wine has a left or right bank taste but let your soul feel all the good textures this red blend has to offer. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Sirah might be a little tight at first but have patience and wait at least an hour to enjoy after opening the bottle.  As you pour this garnet-colored beast, stop to enjoy the aromas of cherries and roses. This bold red wine has a great end-to-end mouthfeel with hints of leather and spice along with the fine lingering tannins. The acids on this wine demand a fine protein meal, so pair this one with food for maximum enjoyment. Cheers!

www.slatetheory.com

Counoise – 2020; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

Clocking in at 14.6% abv, this 2020 release from FCW pours a very light red raspberry color with notes of cherries, raspberries, and a bit of strawberry. This wine is smooth and has low tannins for this Texas High Plains AVA sourced fruit. The acids are mild adding to the ease of sipping this one alone or paired with food.  We enjoyed drinking this one chilled and highly recommend you check this out if you have never tried Counoise.  We do not think you will be disappointed.  Santé!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Alluve – 2018; Kuhlman Cellars; Stonewall, Texas

Sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA, this silky-smooth red wine blend is a crowd pleaser for sure. It pours with a Pinot Noir like color and will fill the nose with notes of cherries and strawberries. This is a dry light bodied wine with the slightest touch of earthiness.  You might discern a bit of raspberry here and there as you sip, as well. A beautiful red Texas wine to behold and enjoy on its own or with food.  Now, speaking of food, where are those famous herbed almonds? Santé!

www.kuhlmancellars.com

CGSM Rosé – 2018; Robert Clay Vineyards; Mason, Texas

Take some GSM and add some Chardonnay and you get one amazingly tasty estate Rosé!  This Mason County sourced fruit does not disappoint. You will get a good mix of apple notes supplemented with strawberry, raspberry, and cherry fruit flavors. The acids are moderate, and the finish is quite refreshing.  This Chardonnay, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend is a nice and versatile wine to pair with a wide variety of food.  Plus, when it’s summer weather during January and February in Texas, you will know what to reach for, as well if you have any of these lovely bottles in your wine cellar. Cheers!

www.robertclayvineyards.com

Pinot Grigio – 2019; Peters Prairie Vineyard; Mason, Texas

Estate grown fruit from Mason County is a jewel to savor these days. This Pinot Grigio from Peters Prairie Vineyard is no exception. Although the vineyard has been around a while, this is the first release of this varietal from the new owners. It has quite a tropical aroma with notes of mangos and star fruit (yes, going out on a limb here).   Chilled, it is a great warm weather sipper with a zesty feel and a tart finish. As an award winner in the Lone Star and San Francisco International wine competitions, it has already earned some respectable professional points.  You will be pleased with this one and we look forward to trying further releases. Cheers!

www.petersprairievineyard.com

Malbec – 2015; Perissos Vineyard & Winery; Burnet, Texas

This estate fruit is yet another fine example of how well Texas Hill Country AVA grown grapes can be.  After opening the bottle and pouring that first glass of wine, you will be mesmerized by the violet and soft fruit aromas filling the air.  Raspberries and cherries are the dominate flavor profiles and the acids are moderate for this seven-year-old Texas wine. As the lovely fruit flavors envelope your tastebuds, relax into the joy of experiencing this smooth red jewel.  Your palate may also note a bit of leather on the finish of this easy sipper. The cork was very well intact and it’s still aging quite well. Hold or keep this one it is up to you. Either way, you will still have an enjoyable sipping experience. Cheers!

www.perissosvineyards.com

Covington Hill Country – Johnson City, Texas

If you have not yet stopped in to check out this winery, you will be pleasantly surprised with one of the newest Hill Country wineries located between Johnson City and Hye.  Owner’s David and Cindy Lawson are no strangers to winemaking.  They have been making wines at their Washington location for 20 years. Cindy got her husband David interested in wine and their adventures have taken off since. Cindy is originally from Houston, moved to Seattle for another career before getting into the wine making world and establishing their home in San Antonio a few years ago.  Their Texas tasting room location has been opened since May of 2021. Morgan Lee, their very longtime employee, heads up their winemaking facilities. Currently they serve wines sourced from Washington grapes and a couple of Texas wines, as well.  The tasting room is elevated up about 1400 feet with a nearly 360-degree view of the surrounding Pedernales Valley and hills of Johnson City on the horizon. Inside the tasting room, it is very spacious with vaulted ceilings and a modern country like décor. Tastings are done by flights. We chose both the mixed flight as well as the reserve flight. First up, was the 2020 Chardonnay.  Sourced from Boushey Vineyard of the Yakima Valley AVA, this wine was aged mostly in neutral oak and exhibits a lighter style without a lot of oak in this one. Something everyone should be able to enjoy. Next was the 2020 OG sourced from Olsen Vineyard of the Yakima Valley AVA.  Abbreviated for ‘Orange Gewurztraminer’, this white wine had extended maceration on skins and has characteristics of a muscat like aroma and honeysuckle nose fooling you into thinking you are about to sip something sweet, but this is a very dry wine with a nice touch of melon on the palate. The rest of the tastings were their reds.  First was the 2015 Ode. Sourced from two different Washington vineyards, this Sangiovese was aged 3 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle.  Call it a Brunello style wine if you’d like, it’s beautiful on the nose and palate with both richness and silkiness enticing you back for more. Behold their 2019 Texas Tempranillio! Sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA, this 18-month aged beauty is a good go-to Texas Tempranillio that everyone should be able to enjoy. It’s light, with good acids, and has a lovely fruit forward sensation. The MaBelle label has been a favorite of Cindy’s for years. Made with 90% Grenache along with additions of Syrah and Cinsault, this GSM style blend is a great light fruity red wine to enjoy with your wood fired pizza. Their 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is something extra special. Sourced from Discovery Vineyard of Washington state not only was it barrel fermented, but barrel aged as well. With 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot added to this red wine, it is very enticing for those fruit forward red wine lovers.  It has at least a decade if not two aging potential, so load up and try every few years with this Cab. The 2018 Syrah was sourced from seven different Washington vineyards of Columbia Valley AVA. A favorite of the winemaker Morgan, this bold and robust beast is something to enjoy well with your favorite protein. We moved on to the 2019 Rio Ronde. The name refers to the Rio Grande in Texas as well as Washington’s Grande Rondo River. This 50/50 blend of Texas Tempranillo and Washington Syrah grapes has great aromatic fruit forward notes, well balanced texture, and a nice smooth lingering finish. You will enjoy another one of the winemaker’s crafty creations called the Rough House. Named after Morgan’s naval unit, this 2018 vintage is made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Zinfandel. It is fruity and jammy and has a long great finish. The best for last was the 2016 Reserve Cabernet Franc. CF lovers, rejoice, for this red jewel was fermented in tinaja! Sourced from Discovery Vineyard, this flagship wine has an excellent silky feel, just the right amount of tannins, and a lingering happy feel - a 15+ years age worthy Cab Franc!  Let’s also not forget that their culinary expert, Cheylan Harris, can help you out with some great pairings while you sip your glass of wine as well as make some great dish pairing suggestions as you load up on your case of goodies. The owners plan to introduce more Texas wines to the menu yet continue to feature their Washington wines too. You get a great opportunity to taste the best of both states here and nothing on the list will disappoint you.  You might notice on your next visit that some plots near the tasting room have been prepped for a future vineyard. Look for Montepulciano vines for starters being planted this Spring with more to come.  With the views, the wine, and great owners, you just might make this place your second wine home. No judgement here, we loved it. Cheers!

www.covingtonhillcountry.com

Tempranillo Vino Joven – 2018; Parr Vineyards; Mason, Texas

Although meant to drink young, this Tempranillo bottle has stood the test of time quite well over the last few years.  Aged 14 months in French oak, the tannins are lower than what you would expect from a Texas release and come across softer and rounder giving this wine a beautiful mouthfeel. The fruit forward sensation is still there along with lingering notes of cherries. It can still hold its own with your favorite meaty dish, so dig in and feast well as this beauty deserves a hearty food pairing. We give thanks that Mason County fruit never disappoints. Enjoy!

www.parrvineyards.com

Dolcetto – 2016; Texas Heritage Vineyard; Fredericksburg, Texas

Sourced from the La Pradera Vineyard of the Texas High plains AVA, this light red brick colored Dolcetto is an easy drinker.  Notes of strawberry and plum shine in this Texas light bodied red wine. There are low tannins, light acids, and it is quite soft to the mouthfeel. There might be a touch of tobacco in there for tease, but just about everything with this wine makes it easy to sip with pleasure either on its own or paired with food. It might keep another year, but we recommend drinking and enjoying this one now. Cheers!

www.texasheritagevineyard.com