Mourvèdre Reserve – 2017; Adega Vinho Winery; Stonewall, Texas

Behold, this beautiful Mourvèdre! Sourced from Buena Suerte Vineyards of the Texas Highs Plains AVA, this Texas 2017 vintage pours a light-colored red hue with notes of plums and blueberries. You may also pick up some cherries with a bit of leather as well on the nose. Those first few sips will dazzle your palate with pepper, some smoke, and a touch of vanilla to compliment mouthfeel sensation. At almost six years old, the tannins are sitting at about moderate, and the acids are still bold. It has a lovely long-lasting finish which will leave you craving for more.  Saúde!

www.adegavinho.com

JagWar Paint – 2018; Fly Gap Winery; Fly Gap, Texas

This six-year-old beauty is drinking wonderfully right now! Sourced from Gotneaux Creek Vineyard near London, Texas, everything that Texas wine fans reminisce in a good solid Tannat can be found in this Texas Hill Country AVA fruit. It is incredibly smooth, with rich black fruit flavors, some plums, and a hint of licorice.  This bold red wine has a very opaque color with moderate acidity. The tannins are holding up quite firm, so pair this one with your best dish. You can still hold for a few more years, but it’s showing a lot of prime time now. Enjoy!

www.flygapwinery.com

Merlot 500 Block - 2018; William Chris Vineyards; Hye, Texas

Wines made from Granite Hill Vineyard have been a great source for top quality wine.  Grapes harvested from the 500-block section are of exceptional quality. This 2018 vintage Merlot is no exception and delights all the senses. Decanting for a couple of hours is a must and while you wait you can relish the ever changing aromas from rosemary to violets. Those notes of plums and cherries are well pronounced in this medium bodied red wine. Just before that sensational finish, there is the subtle touch of vanilla to savor with a bit of minerality. As one of the first AVAs in Texas, Bell Mountain never disappoints with great fruit.  Hold on to any extra bottles you have and enjoy future sipping adventures as this spectacular red can continue to age in your cellar and continue to delight in years to come. Cheers!

www.williamchriswines.com

El Alamo Winery – Alcalde, New Mexico

Meaning “The Cottonwood” and home to the largest Cottonwood tree in New Mexico (second in U.S.), this small, family run boutique winery will fill that special place in your wine heart. The estate has been in family hands for about 200 years and was already a working farm for apples and apricots. Winemaker and founder, Joseph Martinez, had already taken a stab at making wine for about 15 years for the family. Almost a decade ago, he and his family began planting vines on the estate of primarily Riesling and Baco Noir. With his mechanical engineering background, his science-based approach to winemaking and intuitive talent has yielded some great tasting wines. 2017 was the first commercial vintage and the tasting room opened in 2020. With about 1200 vines on the estate as well as grapes sourced from other New Mexico vineyards, this new operation has been producing about 300-600 cases per year of wine. There are a lot of different wines to try on the list. For the whites, there are four different Riesling styles from dry, semi-dry, to sweet. Ranging in vintages from 2018 – 2020, each has their own unique character on Riesling notes, but those citrus, apple, and apricot notes are all quite pleasing. Also on the list is an Apricot wine. This surprisingly dry like fruit wine was from a bumper crop they had and has good acids for food pairing.  For the Boco Noir grapes, check out their Rosés.  Taste all of them from dry to sweet, but all vintages from 2018 to 2020 will peak your senses with lots of aromas of strawberries. You will be in for a special treat with their 2021 Primavera. This porch sipping wine is a blend of Riesling and Baco Noir with fantastic floral notes. For the red wines, start off with the 2018 Baco Noir. Light in tannins, it has a smokiness to it along with flavors reminiscent of a Pinot Noir. The 2020 Baco Noir will tickle your wine senses with some bourbon notes along with flavors of plums.  There are also some traditional reds on the list to try including, 2019 Petite Sirah (dark garnet color, light acids), 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (black cherry notes, rich mouthfeel), 2018 Tempranillo (black pepper, bold, tannic), and the 2020 Nebbiolo (light color, big tannins, rose petal notes). Save some room at the end for their dessert wines.  For Riesling lovers, the white version is clocking in at 18% abv and is quite soothing to the soul. The red dessert wine is based off the Baco Noir. Fortified with Brandy, this 2020 beast is what to savor for at the end of a long day and great meal. Also on the horizon are Sangiovese and Petit Verdot wines to be added to the menu. A number of these wines have also garnered top awards at the 2021 New Mexico State Fair Wine Competition. This is a great gem to stop and visit North of Santa Fe as you trek along state road 68. The family and friends there are the best and will treat you quite well. It is always a pleasure visiting a new winery during its early startup years and we look forward to future visits with this one to see how they continue to grow. Cheers!

www.elalamowinery.com

Gewurztraminer – 2020; Vinovium; Johnson City, Texas

Sourced from Ramos Vineyard in Columbia Valley, this growler bottled Gewurztraminer has just enough fizz to make it an enjoyable afternoon bubbly. It has straw color to it on the first pour and some citrus scents escape in those first few bubbles.  Apples will be the predominant flavor with a bit of peach. This wine has a touch of sweetness for added enjoyment and the tantalizing “fizziness” on the finish of the sip for added special effects. Sit back, relax and repeat. Easy sipper to enjoy!

www.vinovium.wine

Pinot Grigio – 2020; Borgofulvia; Piacenza; Italy

Sourced from the Colli Piacentini DOC, this Italian Pinot Grigio has a very light golden hue in the glass along with a floral nose. Notes of pear and citrus dominate the palate. This wine is a medium bodied with decent acids, as well.  Note this bottle is more on the dry side than off-dry and does have a very nice refreshing finish.  A great enjoyable sipper for sure. Salute!

www.borgofulvia.it

Montepulciano - Barrel Reserve – 2017; Solaro Estate Winery; Dripping Springs, Texas

This estate red wine from 2017 shows off quite well how this vintage and Texas Hill Country AVA did that year. It pours a moderate red hue with cherries as the first aromatic impression.  You might notice a touch of effervescence at first followed by some rich raspberries and plums.  Let’s call this red wine medium bodied with moderate acidity along with a hint of smoke.  Overall, the texture is smooth, with medium tannins. It makes for a great Italian meaty dish pairing. Salute!

www.solaroestate.com

Syrah Rosé – 2020; Peters Prairie Vineyard; Mason, Texas

Breathe in this Mason County sourced fruit and relish the floral aromas that delight the senses. This Rosé will hit those notes of rich apples and some cherries with a touch of white pepper. The acids are good, and the tasting experience has some nice depth to this lovely wine. You may even discern a bit of spice in this one as you savor each sip and it does surprise with a bit of zest as well. A beautiful label, a lovely hue, and a nice easy and tasty sipper to enjoy. What’s not to love here? Cheers!

www.petersprairievineyard.com

Dry Rosé – 2022; Driftwood Estate Winery; Driftwood, Texas

This long-established winery in the Texas Hill Country AVA has been well known for producing some great wines. “Fresh off the assembly line” this 2022 dry Rosé is blended with most of the fruit coming from the estate.  It consists of 58% Syrah, 28% Mourvèdre, and 14% Sangiovese and appears to have a lovely earthy reddish clay hue of deep orange/red.  That first pour will greet your wine senses with aromas of ripe citrus followed by a lot of strawberry notes.  Chilled, this one shines as a great treat. Taste this pleasant sipper and let your palate be dazzled with rich berry flavors.  Let it linger for just a tad bit longer and your tastebuds will be amazed by the good acids followed by that clean refreshing finish.  This warm weather refresher Rosé made Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition beating out many well-respected wines. Cheers to this double gold winner showing how well Texas wines are made and earning world class respect!

www.driftwoodwine.com

Old Vine Petite Sirah – 2017; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

Pour this garnet-colored wine from the Paso Robles AVA into your best glass and be mesmerized by the notes of violet and black cherry filling the air.  This Shell Creek Vineyard sourced fruit was harvested from vines of over four decades old.  As you begin to admire that full glass of your first sip, you may note a bit of smoke and a velvety feel to this lovely beauty.  Rich black cherries will satisfy those tastebuds along with some blackberry and a dab of white pepper for added spice. This bottle is well balanced and quite smooth. If you have any lingering in your cellar, it is so worth sipping right now. Enjoy!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Misión Rosé – 2020; Saba Winery; Mason, Texas

Sourced from Buena Suerte Vineyards of the Texas High Plains AVA, this 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Grenache is a lovely refreshing wine for any time of day. It has a light fruity fragrance on the nose and ripe strawberries on the palate.  You may also discern raspberry and cherry notes, as well. The acids are relatively mild for this easy sipper.  The artistic label has a good story behind it, but you will want to visit the winery and hear it from the owner’s own words rather than just reading about it.  Should be able to sit for another year or two, so keep enjoying this one. ¡Salud!

www.sabawine.com

Uncle Aubrey – 2017; Rustic Spur Vineyards; Fredericksburg, Texas

Named after a beloved family member, this Texas Hill Country AVA sourced fruit is a great example of how well 100% Texas Semillon can be. The vineyard is located east of Fredericksburg and this wine made from there has a moderate golden color with subtle floral notes. There are definite apple notes along with some light honeysuckle to round things out.  The acids are spot on with this one and the mouthfeel can be quite lavish, soft, and lush. This wine is a fine example of this single varietal. An absolute delight. Cheers!

www.facebook.com/rusticspurvineyards

Gruet Winery – Santa Fe New Mexico

Having already established his own fine French champagne style wine in Bethon, France, winery founder Gilbert Gruet came across some winemaking pioneers while on a trip to the southwestern US in 1983.  Hearing of the experiences by these Europeans making wine from New Mexico grapes piqued his interest. The sandy soils and high elevations along with the swing in night and day temperatures seemed like ideal conditions for growing grapes that he was familiar. Two of his children ended up taking on the adventure to establish the state as a premier location for making fine sparkling wines in 1984. Focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, as well as some Pinot Meunier, their first sparkling release was in 1989 (from the 1987 harvest). In 1993, the Albuquerque tasting room was established and a Santa Fe tasting room followed in 2016. What began as a dream and possibility has now become a well-known source for some of the best sparkling wines made in the Unites States.  In addition to grapes from New Mexico, grapes are also supplemented from vineyards in California and Washington.  With a focus on Méthode Champenoise, you know you will be in for a fantastic tasting experience. We tried out the tasting room in Santa Fe.  When you walk in, you will instantly be mesmerized by the bright décor, easily viewable bottles of bubblies, and friendly staff members ready to assist you.  Tastings are typically done in different flights or customized ones, and there are non-sparkling wines to try as well.  We stuck with the Chardonnay/Pinot Noir sparkling flights for our visit. First up, was the Sauvage NV. Aged for 24 months, this Chardonnay bubbly is bone dry with fine bubbles and notes of apples and citrus. Next was the Blanc de Blancs NV. This Brut style sparkling has a zestier feel with tropical notes and apples. We were intrigued with the 2018 Blanc de Blancs. This 42-month aged en tirage has some toasty notes of almonds and mature apples along with an excellent long finish.  We were really excited by the 2016 Gilbert Gruet Grande Reserve. This Chardonnay based beast was aged one year in oak and three years en tirage.  Along with the super fine bubbles, there is some great minerality, plus citrus and apples, along with a luscious creaminess. Yes, wow!  The other four sparkling wines that we tried were Pinot Noir based. The Barrel-aged Bland de Noirs NV has 10% Chardonnay added to it.  Aged for six months in French oak plus 16 months sur latte, the strawberry aromatics were wonderful along with vanilla and pineapple flavors.  The Sauvage Rosé NV was all Pinot Noir.  This two-year aged jewel was also bone-dry and had notes of strawberries and cherries along with very fine bubbles.  The other 100% Pinot Noir sparkling we tried was the Brut Rosé NV. It was quite aromatic with more strawberry notes and a bit more acidity to the finish. Savor a great one for last and enjoy the 2016 Grande Rosé. Also blended with 10% Chardonnay, this lovely bubbly will hit you about mid palate with black cherries, some creaminess, and a very satisfying long finish.  Everything served here is quite good and we are sure you will be walking away with a few bottles as souvenirs, too. You will feel warm and welcomed here as well as being entertained by the friendly staff chat. Santé!

www.gruetwinery.com