La Connection White – 2020; French Connection Wines; Hye, Texas

Clocking in at 14.2% ABV, this Rhone-style white wine blend has some beautiful aromatics with lots of mouthwatering flavor. Citrus and lemons will be the initial notes greeting you for this 53% Roussanne, 45% Marsanne, and 2% Viognier Texas High plains sourced fruit. Add to that, some pear and honeysuckle as that combination of fruit and floral makes your senses say, “oh wow! What a nice treat to enjoy”. The added buttery notes on this medium bodied wine along with fresh acidity round out the tasting experience.  This is a great white wine that is holding quite well for five years old. If you have any bottles in your wine cellar, enjoy them now. Santé!

www.frenchconnectionhye.com

Viognier – 2022; Parr Vineyards; Mason, Texas

There is something magical about fruit grown from the Hickory Sands in Mason County. Just take all the things you like in a good wine and multiply that times 100! This Viognier vintage is an exceptional one that truly showcases the unique terroir characteristics of the region. After taking a few moments to indulge, enjoy the exotic aromatic sensations of citrus and flowers. Then, note the lovely light golden hue of the wine in the glass. That anticipation of peach and apple notes does not disappoint on the palate which is followed with touch of pepper in this to die for vintage. This Viognier likewise has beautiful minerality and decent depth to round things out. What’s more to enjoy than another glass to savor all over again. A perfect example of how great this varietal can be when grown in Texas’ newest soon to be AVA. Cheers!

www.parrvineyards.com

Presidio – 2019; Saba Winery; Mason, Texas

This slight twist on a Rioja style blend is quite nice and bold. Sourced from Texas High Plains AVA, rich dark jam notes will greet you at first for this blend of Tempranillo 80% and Souzao 20%. There is a slight grippiness after the initial sip or two, so just be prepared. Acids are about medium for this Texas red wine blend with a big mouthfeel. It might hold for a few more years if you would like to reminisce about the former winery’s days since it has now permanently closed. If you happen to still have any bottles or can source any, you cannot go wrong with a good meat pairing for this wine. Sip and feast well. Cheers!

Tr4nsc3nd4tion – 2020; Fly Gap Winery; Mason, Texas

What’s in a wine produced by a small winery? An abundance of blood, sweat, tears, and joy to make a wonderful product. Sourced from Gotneaux Creek Vineyards in London, Texas, this far west Hill Country Alicante Bouschet has some pretty good bad-ass mojo going for it. Besides all those jammy dark fruit notes to get you sipping more, this light purple hued beauty has just the right balance of tannins and acids to pair nicely with charcuterie and food. Drink this wine paired with some great food to experience what “soothing and savory” is all about. The only thing left for you to do is to head on out to Mason to get your hands on some of this delicious red wine. Boom!

www.flygapwinery.com