Sitting in at 14.2 abv, this translucent Texas Hill Country AVA Grenache is packed with some soothing sensational flavors. Black cherries and raspberries will be the main notes to greet your wines senses from this Hoover Valley Vineyard sourced fruit. There might be a touch of spice when you do your sip and swirl repeat, as well. Let’s call this wine medium bodied and on the low end of acids and tannins. This is a special wine at heart for sure, so savor well. Cheers!
Behold,
as one of the first set of estate wine releases, this Aglianico is a jewel to
have. It can be a bit grippy at first for this Hill Country fruit, so give it
some time to unfold. The wine pours a rich deep dark red color with notes of
red berries to sing to your wine senses. There is mostly a side-side mouthfeel
at first with this wine followed by a robust finish. Definitely let this beast
decant for a couple of hours for full enjoyment and if you are patient, save
some for the next day to be “wowed”. These bottles could probably sit a bit
longer if have any extra, so age them away and try again in a few years.
Cheers!
Getting
to try one of a winery’s first releases is always a big treat. This mighty
Petite Sirah was sourced from Hoover Valley Vineyards (now Uplift Vineyard) of
the Texas Hill Country AVA. This limited production has so much to offer. It is
rich in cherries and plums with a bit of pepper for added pizazz. This wine
also has a great mouthfeel along with a good balance between the marriage of
acids and tannins. Its name pays homage to the underlying cause that the winery
supports. This label donates funds to support the local food banks and as the
ancient name that honors the Roman goddess Annona implies, is about giving food
to help others. Enjoy this one well and share with a thankful heart.
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!
Coming
out of this bottle of Texas wine is the mighty Riesling, sourced from the High
Plains. At that first pour, you take note of the very light pale straw hue
followed by delightful moderate floral aromas that permeate the nose. Sip and
swirl and enjoy the peach and apricot flavors that dance across the palate and
meld with the wine’s mild acidity. It is a bit on the lighter side of some
Rieslings you may have tried before, but still quite satisfying and refreshing.
This wine is wonderful on its own, but also pairs nicely with small bites,
salads, soups and light dishes. A joy to sip! Cheers!
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!
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!
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!
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!
