Friday, December 29, 2023

Texas Tannat – 2015; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

Clocking in at 15.4 abv, this big bold beauty pours a deep ruby red color with rich raspberries and blackberries to entice the nose. This complex wine dazzles the mouth with cocoa and a touch of baking spice.  There are also hints of leather and a bit of an earthy undertone to compliment that lovely finish.  Very nice Tannat. Enjoy!


www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Tannat – 2017; Ab Astris Winery; Stonewall, Texas

Sourced from Narra Vineyards of the Texas High Plains AVA, this big bold beauty pours a dark garnet color, and fills the air with luscious aromas of blueberry and fig. Follow that with notes of rich blackberries and raspberries and this masterpiece really comes alive. You may pick up on some white pepper, as well, in addition to good acids along with a touch of coffee. With a nice long finish that is to die for, what is not to like about this beauty? Pair this one with a nice meaty dish and wine and dine like there’s no tomorrow. Cheers!


www.abastriswinery.com

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Cabernet Sauvignon – 2017; Kiepersol; Tyler, Texas

This beautiful estate wine initial pour is fruit forward with red fruit aromas.  Black cherries and currant are some additional notes followed by blueberries and blackberries for this lovely red wine. You might pick up hints of vanilla, as well. It is smooth and elegant on the palate with medium tannins and a touch of spice on the finish. This easy drinking Cab is a treat to enjoy both with and without a food pairing. Cheers!


www.kiepersol.com

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Nebbiolo Rosé – 2022; Slate Theory Winery; Fredericksburg, Texas

Behold, this unique style of Rosé is crafted using Nebbiolo grapes. This is a crowd pleaser for sure. Sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA, this Rosé pours a deep salmon pink shade with scents of rose petals and herbs. Take a few sips and let your palate relish the crisp acidity along with notes of raspberry and watermelon.  You might want to take another sip and let that full mouthfeel experience dance across your palate spreading joy to your tastebuds.  This a is a great one to just savor all day and easy to pair with food as well. Cheers!


www.slatetheory.com

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Calcaria – 2016; Kuhlman Cellars; Stonewall, Texas

This seven-year-old Trebbiano blend still teases some great fruit and zesty citrus aromas. At this age, you will notice the deep golden straw color of this wine sourced from Texas High Plains fruit. As a blend of 78% Trebbiano, 13% Roussanne, 7% Viognier, and 2% Albariño, hints of apples shine through accompanied by some honeysuckle, peach, and pineapple notes. It packs some great acids for a tantalizing palate sensation and there is the slightest effervescence. This pairs nicely with you best fatty fish. It could probably age a couple more years in a good quality cellar, so it would be interesting to see further changes with age. Cheers!


www.kuhlmancellars.com

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Aglianico – 2014; Perissos Vineyards and Winery; Burnet, Texas

Relish this red wine gem for all it is worth! This estate Texas Hill Country AVA wine has an enticing Purplish-red rim hue accompanied by aromas of cherries, plums and some pepper to greet you on the initial pour. Wait for that first sip, and you just might discern a lovely hint of currant too.  Sip and savor those flavors of raspberry and spice coupled with some chalkiness. It should not be a surprise that this wine was a Best of Class in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in 2016. This full-bodied treat is aging quite nicely and still has time to continue to evolve further. A lovely bottle to enjoy now if you have any in your cellar. Cheers!


www.perissosvineyards.com

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Blanc de Blancs – 2018; Gruet Winery; Albuquerque, New Mexico

You will be thrilled with this lovely Blanc de Blancs. Aged 42 months in tirage, this enticing Chardonnay bubbly pours a pale straw color with medium to fine bubbles coupled with aromas of toasty almonds.  Apples and pears will complement the tasting profile. Take a few sips and savor that lemon zest along with the medium acidity. It will put that soul satisfying expression on your face.  The excellent long finish is just icing on the cake for this bottle.  This is a great sparkling jewel from New Mexico worth enjoying and sharing. Cheers and savor well!


www.gruetwinery.com

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Petite Sirah – 2019; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

There is something extra special about this single vineyard sourced fruit from La Pradera Vineyards. Could it be that it was made from free run juice? Could it be that it was aged for 22 months?  Or could it be that certain things aligned in 2019 to help make this magic happen?  Maybe all of that and more, but this inky red wine packs some elevated acidity with notes of blueberry throughout.  Add to that a bit of herbaceous notes for this dry red beast, and you have an excellent wine to pair with cheese, charcuterie, and hearty meat dishes. It is a cellar worthy bottle for the long run, so stock up and enjoy for the next decade or perhaps more.  Santé!


www.frenchconnectionhye.com