With
not one, but two locations in Texas (Bedford and Johnson City), this winery is stocked
with “A to Z” wines for everyone’s taste preference. What started out as a
visit to the few wineries that once graced Highway 290 in the 2000s, has led to
a must stop destination for would be wine travelers. That initial visit sparked an idea and
interest in the minds of owners Richard and Melanie Bowen. Next thing you know,
they were trying out wine making kits and the rest is history still in the
making. Originally opened in 2015 in Bedford and then again in 2020 in Johnson
City, the Bowens dream and love for wine is demonstrated well. Not only are there
good wines to try, but their in-house restaurant will cook up some great food
to go with it. Rumor has it, their pizza
is super!
There
are two main lines of wines to try. The Bowen line is sourced from Texas
grapes, primarily from Texas High Plains AVA and in North Texas. For the Silver
Dollar wines, you will come across mostly Washington sourced grapes. It is a
great opportunity to compare the two during your tasting session. For this
visit, the Hill Country location was visited to try out their fine wines.
There
are almost two dozen wines on their menu to sample, so it should offer
something for everyone from sweet to dry wine lovers. For this visit, the Texas
Redback Riesling was sampled first. It was off-dry with notes of pears and
apricots to balance out its crispness. Next was the Bowen Marsanne/Viognier
blend. This 77/23 percent mix had great fruit aromas, a touch of minerality and
was well balanced. Rosé lovers must try Roosevelt. This dry
Malbec/Tempranillo blend packs flavors of cherry and blackberry and is quite
soothing when chilled for those Texas warm winter days. Moving on to the reds, was
Ike’s Red. At 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Sangiovese, and 20% Tempranillo, the
wine was rich in fruit forwardness and had a wonderful balance of tannins and
acids. For the 2021 Bowen Nobel Blend, this combination of Cabernet Franc and
Tempranillo will dance with flavors of blackberries, plums and cherries across the
palate and crescendos with just the right balance of tannins and acids. Merlot
lovers should like the Bowen Merlot Reserve. It is soft and smooth with lovely
notes of raspberries and cherries. Moving on from there, is the Cabernet
Sauvignon wine (Wild Bill Gunslinger). With flavors of almonds, currant, and a
touch of oak, this Cab comes across smoothly and elegantly. If you are someone
who likes Cabernet Franc, then you are in for quite a treat. Start with the 24-month
aged 2021 Bowen Cab Franc. This full-bodied jewel not only has a fine finish,
but also the smoothness complimented with herbs and currant. To compare, try
the Silver Dollar Cab Franc. It has a much darker color, some smoked tomatoes,
and good mouth smacking tannins. For fun, check out their Jalapeacho wine. You
get not only fantastic peach flavors, but just the right amount of jalapeno
spice to give this fruit wine something a little extra. It was a magical little
delightful surprise during the tasting. Moving to the sweeter wines, the Chocolate
Boot Scootin' Boogie was a good light sweet wine on the menu. This
Merlot/Mourvèdre blend had a bit of chocolate added to compliment the cherry
and vanilla notes. For a hint of both chocolate and orange, check out the Bold
Orange Moon. This fortified wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Merlot
packed some well-balanced flavors all around. For the white port style wines,
you will not be disappointed. The Chisolm Trail Portejas, a fortified Blanc du
Bois wine made in the Maderia style, was quite lovely. However, don’t end
without also sampling the White Gold Texas Portejas, made from Blanc du Bois,
as well. It’s nutty, rich, and almost sherry-like.
Well wine friends, this is just one sampling, but there is certainly more to try. The Hill Country location also has Hye Cider there as well, which you can also sample through their lineup. Some were sampled, too, and were just full of fantastic flavors and quite soothing. The inside tasting room has a great down- to-earth rustic style and the staff are friendly and eager to help with your questions and offer suggestions of other items on the menu for you to try. They also have lots of space outside to soak up the beautiful scenery and good country air. If you need a place to stay in the area, they also have cabins for rent. Until next time, Cheers!
