To
say this is a one stop shop for everything wine getaway related is an
understatement. The 38-acre property just about has it all. Owners Jim and Dawn Carter are no
strangers to the winery business. Having
run the successful South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula, California,
the Carter Creek location is their first Texas based winery. Jim has had a long
and different career ranging from tree farming and real estate in addition to
the winemaking business. The Carter Creek location isn’t just a one stop
tasting room experience. Like their
sister location in Temecula, there is a fine restaurant, many villas, a spa,
brewery, and a nice member tasting lounge with windows overlooking the famous
Hill Country highway 290 winery corridor and beyond. The open courtyard between the tasting room
and event center is amazing. You are
just up high enough to soak up some scenic views of the hills of Johnson City. Jim has John McPherson helping with the
winemaking. They met in California where Jim made his first Petite Sirah wine.
John is certainly no stranger to the winemaking business. His Father “Doc”
McPherson helped pioneer Texas wines in the early days and his brothers have
made their own contributions to the industry as well. Carter Creek has been making Texas wines
since 2016 and opened the winery resort location in 2019. Also onsite, is a vineyard of new UC Davis
Pierce resistant varieties, Paseante Noir and Errante Noir. Paseante Noir has
most of its parental material from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet
Sauvignon while the Errante Noir has most genetics from Sylvaner, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Carignane, and Chardonnay.
There
are quite a few amazing wines to try from the list. For this visit, the first
one sampled was the 2017 Gloria. This
Texas High Plains blend of 76% Gewürztraminer, 18% Riesling, and 6% Muscat
Canelli is light in color with stone fruit and some solid minerality. It is
truly an easy sipping summer wine. The next white wine was the 2017 Viognier/Roussanne.
It has a Rhone style feel to it with great acidity, tropical notes, and superb
mouthfeel. Moving on to the next one was the 2018 Plateau Rosé. This High
Plains sourced fruit wine is a blend of 62% Cinsault, 23% Grenache, 8%
Tempranillo, and 7% Carignane. It's a nice BBQ pairing wine, as this bottle has
notes of strawberry and raspberry with a nice acidic finish. For the sparkling
wines, you will be in for a treat with their Sparkling Brut. With mostly Chenin Blanc along with a touch
of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, your nose will be pleased with the fruit notes on
this sparkling white wine. The other bubbly is a Tempranillo Sparkling Rosé. It
has bright acidity along with notes of cranberry and pomegranate. As for the red wines, you can’t go wrong with
the 2017 Maverick. This Rhone style red blend has 25% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre, 23%
Counoise, 23% Cinsault, and 6% Viognier. It is quite big on the berry notes,
very well balanced, and has a touch of coffee to balance things out on the
flavor profile. The second red sampled was the 2021 Plateau Red. This wine is
typically made from the best grapes of the vintage. This Tempranillo blend
includes some Grenache and Touriga along with a touch of Tinta Cao. What you
get is some spice with a touch of floral sensation and a fine lasting finish.
Speaking of Tempranillo, the 2017 release lives up to the great vintage year
expectations for wines from Texas. With big blackberry notes and a touch of
smoke, it’s a bit lighter than other Texas Tempranillos and has a pleasant
smooth finish. Roll back just one year
and get a bottle the 2016 Tempranillio if you can. This wine tastes more
mature, mellow, and smooth. Yes, Texas can make good Cabernet Sauvignon. Their 2017 vintage is from 30-year-old vines
Doc McPherson planted. This wine is big on blackberries with some blueberries
and a bit lighter bodied with a touch of silkiness. There is just a splash of
Merlot and Petit Verdot for added depth.
While you are in the Cab drinking mood, give their 2018 Cabernet a taste. This one is much bolder and deeper than the
previous vintage so be prepared. You can’t leave without dessert, so make sure
to get a little sample of the Dominum Tino. This Portuguese blend of Tino Cao,
Touriga Nacional, and Tinto Nero has ripe fruit aromas, great blueberry notes,
and a bit of cocoa. There is just a dash of Muscat in this dessert wine for an
extra delightful note. Future releases will include a peach sparkling wine,
cuvee, and one called Group Therapy (love this name).
There
is everything to like about the property whether you’re here for the wine or
other amenities this place offers. The
staff is quite knowledgeable and engaging and ready to help guide you and
answer your questions. Everything on the menu is worth your tasting time, plus
the grounds are a great place to just sip, and soak in the Hill Country Zen.
Cheers!
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