It’s
amazing to see the evolution of what started out as an incubator project that
has now flourished into a full-fledged winery and vineyard location. Such is
the dream come true for owners Janet and Mark Miertschin. Having done some world traveling and sampling
many fine wines in the past, they felt the allure of having their own vineyard.
Their experiences sparked their own interests into growing and making their own
wines. Fortunately, they came across this lovely 28-acre estate that suited
their dreams of their future endeavors. Janet enrolled in wine programs at
Texas Tech and Mark attended UC Davis to help them build confidence in the
success of their new life adventure. Both had no problem getting their hands
wet, or rather purple in some cases, to make their place a success. The name of
new location came from a locale on one of their trips to Scottland. Just one
360-degree panoramic view of this estate and you can see how the rocky
landscape is reminiscent of that Scottish locale. Although the estate site has
been open for tastings since December of 2023, many have had an initial “sneak peek”
at pop-up tasting events or at John Rivenburgh’s incubator project site events.
The brand new 5000 sq ft tasting room is quite amazing. Aside from the “fresh
construction” look and feel, are nice high vaulted ceilings, comfortable
seating areas for tastings, and excellent works of art to complement the
wonderful views of the Hill Country.
The
estate location has about seven acres of grapes planted consisting of
Aglianico, Tannat, Fiano, Mourvèdre, Malvasia Bianca, and Touriga Nacional.
Although most current wines on the menu are from the Texas High Plains, plan a
return visit in the future as you anticipate some fine estate wines. The hospitality
and service of the staff are only equal to the quality wines you will sample
here.
Starting
off this tasting session was the 2022 Sangiovese Rosé. Sourced from Lahey
Vineyards of the Texas High plains AVA, this wine had only a few hours on the
skin to yield a vibrant peach color with rich notes of strawberry and
cranberry. It is a porch sipping Rosé and a versatile wine for pairing. Following
up on that was the 2022 Semillon. Also sourced from Lahey Vineyards, this white
wine was aged in new French oak and exhibits excellent pear and citrus notes
with good acids and a crisps finish. The third wine sampled was the 2021 Red
Blend. This Bordeaux style blend of Texas Hill Country AVA fruit is crafted with
50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Syrah. It is a very dry medium bodied red with ample
red fruit notes, a touch of minerality and good earthiness. Who can’t turn down
a good Texas Mourvèdre? The 2021 Parr Vineyard sourced fruit in this one had pecan
notes, dried cranberry, light smoke, great tannins and a nice moderate finish. To
finish out the tasting session, the 2021 Tannat from Lahey Vineyards was
sampled. This red wine showed long term aging potential. It was a bit grippy initially,
but allowing time to breath provided the opportunity for those dark fruit notes
to unfold with a nice long finish. If you get a chance, you should try their
Fiano and Teroldego, as well for something unique and delicious since those are
not varietals you find frequently in Texas. Also, look for a Mourvèdre
sparkling coming on the menu soon.
There are lots of great wines to try, so do not
refrain from booking a long visit. Check out what was written about their 2021
Fiano on this site last year, too. It is always great to enjoy the “newness” of
a winery in the beginning, then return later to see the evolution of the
journey. This winery is a destination worth your visit and time. With
spectacular views, great staff, and enthusiastic owners, there is much to enjoy
in this new winery. Looking forward to seeing how they continue to grow in the
years ahead. Cheers!
www.portreecellars.com
