Invention
Vineyards – Fredericksburg, Texas
It
goes without saying that the legacy and history of this property goes way, way
back to the Guenther Mill days and a bit more. Its mark on the history of the Fredericksburg
area makes it a special site to appreciate. Before Invention Vineyards, two
other wineries were at this locale. 1851 for starters followed by Slate Mill,
each adding their own footprint and history to the rolling landscape. Much has
been updated, renovated, and expanded on the property since October of 2022
when the Heath family took over the site. For those new to the Texas wine
world, The Heath family brand also includes the long-standing Grape Creek
winery, Heath Sparkling, and now Kuhlman Cellars. This newest location is a 25000 square foot
facility with 35 acres of gorgeous looking vines. The focus for Invention is single
varietal wines as well as a modern feel to the tasting room and outside
patio. With a focus on old world grapes
for wine making, they have embraced a ‘crafted by imagination’ approach for
this brand.
Several
different white and red wines were sampled for this visit, all of which were
quite impressive. Starting off with the 2023 Mourvèdre Rosé, this wine featured
cherries and strawberries as the predominant notes for this summer sipper. For
the whites, the 2023 Viognier was tasted. Sourced from Lahey Vineyards of Texas
High plains AVA, the word is that these grapes were whole cluster fermented and
present a full bodied, clean, crisp wine with some excellent minerality. For a
take on a Bordeaux style white, try the 2023 Captivating. It is a blend of primarily Sauvignon Blanc
with some Viognier for added complexity. It shines with its yellowish hue quite
well and is equally pleasing with aromas of grapefruit and a bit of kiwi. Shifting
to the reds, was the 2021 RB. This French “right-bank” style red wine blend has
70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. It is an elegant wine that shows off those
blueberry and cherry notes quite well with just a touch of oak to pull things
together. Next, the 2022 Conflation was sampled. This inaugural Rhone style red
wine was quite nice. As primarily a 90% Mourvèdre with some Syrah blended in,
one can’t help but notice those intense fresh strawberry aromas that greet you along
with a bit of spice. It has bright acidity, and a refreshing soothing feel making
this a suitable red wine for food pairings during the warm days of Texas summer.
One of the newer wines in the lineup was the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon. This High
Plains sourced fruit is full of blackberry notes complimented by its deep
garnet color and full-bodied texture. Not to leave the other Bordeaux style bank
out, the 2022 LB was tasted as well. This “lefty” shows off its Cabernet Sauvignon
characteristics with lots of dark fruit flavors and a great balance between the
tannins and acidity, plus a soothing and long-lasting finish.
Your wine senses should be quite satisfied with
everything on the tasting menu. In the future they plan to release a new 100% Mourvèdre
that should be worth checking out. The enhanced interior tasting room and
expanded outdoor patio seating provides guests with an open and relaxed vibe
during their tasting session, plus you just can’t beat those sweeping views of
the surrounding vineyards. With a nice breeze, a great view and wonderful wine
in your glass, there is much to appreciate and enjoy at this location…can’t
wait to stop by again. Cheers!
www.inventionvineyards.com
