County Line – 2021; Blackmon Wines; Mason, Texas

Blackmon Ranch, located in Mason County within the Texas Hill Country AVA, has been growing some incredible wines for a very long while. This estate crafted blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon stands out as a bold red wine to enjoy. This robust wine is best enjoyed after decanting for a good hour, allowing its excellent balance between tannins and acidity to shine. On the nose, you'll find enticing berry aromas, while on the palate, blackberry and blueberry flavors dance together, creating a memorable tasting experience. Cheers!

www.blackmonwines.com

Viognier – 2023; Parr Vineyards; Mason, Texas

This classic French white wine shows off quite well the power of the Texas Hill Country AVA, and hopefully one day Hickory Sands AVA. This Mason Country grown fruit holds up nicely with inviting notes of apples and peaches, complemented by subtle hints of flower aromatic sensations. The wine has a light-tinted golden hue to entice your visual wine sipping experience, as well. It is a bit lighter body than previous vintages from the winery but still holds up well to its well known elegant character. Cheers!

www.parrvineyards.com

Michael Ros Winery – Fredericksburg, Texas

Located just off the Old San Antonio Road near Fredericksburg, one of the newest wineries has joined the Texas Hill Country family. This venture has been a longtime dream realized for owners Mike and Rosann Mitrione, who went from tinkering with the idea, to planning, to developing, and now truly living their dream. Their first vineyard was established in the Texas High Plains in 2018, where they planted around 15 varietals across 27 acres. In 2021, they began designing and planning their new 38-acre Texas Hill Country vineyard. They started planting their estate vineyard in 2022 and have now expanded to 9 acres of vines including Albariño, Petite Sirah, Montepulciano, Syrah, and Aglianico. Since opening to the public in summer of 2023, they’ve maintained a steadfast commitment to producing quality 100% Texas wines and delivering an exceptional customer experience. When you enter the tasting room, you will immediately notice the impressive Texas granite structure adorned with a symbol that reflects the Ross family’s core values: Faith, Family, Friends, and Fellowship. The two-story, eco-friendly tasting facility is semi-circular and built into the hillside – reminiscent of a piazza in Italy. It has an upscale vibe, high-end design, and comfort in mind lending to its artistic flair. Facing east, the tasting room stays cooler both inside and out, enhancing the guest experience. Another notable feature are the large tables made from old pecan wood, repurposed from trees found right on the property.

Well known Texas winemaker Tim Drake has been assisting in the crafting of some very fine wine from Texas grapes here. Most of the focus has been primarily on Italian style wines which reflects the owner’s wine travels. Most grapes are sourced from the High Plains vineyard estate with some future Hill Country estate wines to come. First to sample was the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc which is sourced from the estate vineyard in the Texas High Plains AVA. Citrus and melons will be the first notes to light up your wine palate followed by zesty acidity and a refreshing feel. The second white wine sampled was the 2023 Bisaccia. This Italian style blend, named after Michael’s grandfather’s Italian town that he came from, was crafted with 57% Trebbiano, 39% Albariño, and 4% Pinot Grigio. It is dry and you will pick up on the dried apricot and minerality in addition to the clean crispness of this wine. An extra white wine treat was the Windswept. This Rhone style blend (yes, departure from the Italian theme, but that’s ok) is a blend of 52% Viognier and 48% Roussanne. It is a lovely lighter Rhone style wine with buttery notes, a tango between apricot and pear, and a hint of minerality. Moving to the Rosé wines, the first to sample was the 2024 Sangiovese Rosé. This was also sourced from the estate High Plains vineyard. It had a pink colored hue with notes of watermelon and strawberry coupled with good acids and balanced minerality. It also had more of a Provence style feel to it for an added pleasant surprise. The next Rosé wine sipped was the 2024 Vega. It is Malbec based with some raspberry notes and a nice soft and refreshing feel. Moving into the reds, the first to sample was the 2023 Grenache. This pizza lovers red wine was aged in Russian oak (yes, for real), exhibited a deep brick rusty color, lots of good fruit forwardness and a touch of smoke. Serve that one a bit chilled. Next, was the 2022 Piazza Rossa. This super Tuscan style wine has 67% Sangiovese, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Merlot. To say it has a big nose is an understatement, but you will also be impressed by its deep dark color, notes of fig, pecan, and jam. Plus, that 14.8% abv shows off those legs quite well. Plus, the finish is to die for! Saving the best for last red to sip, was the 2022 Envisage. This right bank Bordeaux style wine (yes, not exactly Italian, but still great) was carefully crafted with 46% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Malbec. It has nice rich dark fruit, some baking spices, good tannins and acidity, and a smooth finish. Overall, it was a very fine and enjoyable tasting session with everything being spot on.

When dreams are realized, magic happens. You can see this not only in the quality wines produced, but the tasting room design, décor, and cool vibes. Speaking of pizza wine mentioned previously, there is a food truck on site that will whip up some good eats for you to pair with your favorite wine. You will experience great hospitality here as well. The team is very professional, knowledgeable, and attentive to help ensure you have the tasting experience you desire. You will feel well cared for and comfortable here and will want to return. Simply fabulous! Cheers!

www.michaelroswinery.com

Sparkling Rosé of Sangiovese – 2023; Pebble Rock Cellars; Johnson City, Texas

This lovely crafted Sparkling Rosé of Sangiovese, sourced from Narra Vineyards in the Texas High Plains AVA, features some lively characteristics. Having been fermentation in the bottle adds some extra bubbly “umph” to this treat along with intense notes of strawberries and cherries. It shows off a beautiful darker color than what you might get with most sparkling Rosé wines with acidity clocking in at about medium, along with a fair amount of minerality. It’s a great one to highlight at a party. Cheers!

www.pebblerockcellars.wine

Mourvèdre – 2019; William Chris Vineyard; Hye, Texas

Harvested from Moonlight Vineyards of the Texas High Plains AVA, the wine presents a light ruby red color on the first pour that immediately catches the eye. Notes of raisins and tobacco mingle with hints of strawberry, creating an enticing layered experience. This medium-bodied wine offers a good balance of tannins and acidity, contributing to its pleasing palate sensation. As it continues to age, the wine maintains its integrity and shows impressive development, promising even greater enjoyment with time. Cheers!

www.williamchriswines.com

Blanc de Blancs – 2021; Heath Sparkling Wines; Fredericksburg, Texas

This Blanc de Blancs is crafted primarily from Chardonnay with just an every so slight dash of Pinot Blanc. It shows off a medium straw hue in the glass right along with medium bubbles everywhere. It is dry and crisp with an elegant structure, delivering bright notes of melon followed by apples and pears. There might be a touch of caramel in there as well upon the second sipping and will then unfold more tantalizing flavors to keep your wine senses happy.  It’s one sophisticated and lively to have. Cheers!

www.heathfamilybrands.com/heath-sparkling-wines

Petite Sirah – 2015; Bending Branch Winery; Comfort, Texas

Coming in at a whopping 16.5 abv (yes, 16.5!), this Texas Petite Sirah is quite bold and still packs in some good flavor for being just over a decade old. Crafted from grapes grown at Newsom Vineyard in the Texas High Plains AVA, the wine continues to reflect the vineyard’s quality fruit.  Not much color has changed in this full bodied red wine as it still pours a good solid purple hue and will wake up your wine senses with some fruity aromas. What stands out now are notes of cherry and caramel with a little bit of current. It still holds up as a lovely smooth wine and reveals subtle espressos upon subsequent sipping. The high alcohol content is integrated quite well and is a nod to the quality craftsmanship. The smooth finish lingers beautifully, making each sip worth savoring. Cheers!

www.bendingbranchwinery.com

Teroldego – 2021; Foradori; Mezzolombardo, Italy

Behold! The mighty Italian Teroldego. Cultivated in the Vigneti delle Dolomiti wine region, this bold red wine is not for faint of heart. Do let this beast aerate for a good long while before your first sample sip. It pours a magenta like color followed by notes of cherries and raspberries. You’ll pick up on two things right away: high acidity and firm tannins. If you pass that taste “test”, then you’re on to something very enjoyable. It comes across as full bodied upon further tasting with some secondary notes of blueberries emerging. Nothing less than a full on fatty protein dish is demanded for this heavy weight wine. Once you’ve sipped and feasted, give yourself a pat on the back…you’re now a serious red wine lover. Cin Cin!

www.agricolaforadori.com

Grenache – 2019; Ab Astris Winery; Stonewall, Texas

For a six year old Grenache, this wine varietal has been holding up quite well. Clocking in at 14.8 abv, this mighty wine expresses pronounced red fruit notes for an impressive first try. Harvested from Desert Willow Vineyard of the Texas High Plains AVA, it pours a rustic pale color with prominent cranberry aromas. Take a sip or two and you’ll also pick up on some nuances of pepper and balanced acidity for this medium bodied treat. The finish is excellent with a touch of cloves for tease. You’ll savor this one for sure all day. Cheers!

www.abastriswinery.com

La Vie Estate Winery – Blanco, Texas

Nestled along a scenic back road between Stonewall and Blanco in the Texas Hill Country, a boutique winery sits perched on the hillside, offering breathtaking views of the Blanco valley. Originally part of the Circle H ranch, it is a great local spot with a laid-back vibe, perfect for those seeking authentic Hill Country charm. Owned by Kara Cleaver, who developed an interest in wines during her 30s and eventually decided to embark on this new adventure, the winery has been open since 2021. Kara has collaborated with experienced winemakers to craft her exceptional wines, each themed around the unique stories of the land from which they originated. The winery places a strong emphasis on sustainable practices, from grape growing to winemaking, and remains actively involved in local Blanco community events.

The tasting room has a cozy feel inside and is built from repurposed and recycled materials, not to mention (again) the great views one can enjoy from the hilltop vantage point. There is a patio on the back and side of the space and ample outdoor seating with tables for folks to enjoy. There are several wines to select from on the menu. So, no matter what your fancy is, there is probably something on the menu you can find that suits you. For this visit, six of the wines were sampled. The first was the 2023 Trebbiano. This lovely white wine is light bodied with notes of stone fruit and lemon zest making this white wine very appealing on a hot summer day. Next was the 2021 Albariño. This full-bodied white wine sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA has citrus on the nose followed by a fair amount of minerality and good acidity. For the Rosé wine, the 2023 Ranch Road stood out as a light bodied and fruit forward wine with a light ruby red color. It is a blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris, sourced from Reddy Vineyards. Moving on to the reds, the 2023 Circle H was sampled. This red field blend from Reddy Vineyards circle field plot has a mix of just about everything. It is medium bodied with notes of blackberries, tobacco, leather and a touch of smoke. The next red wine sampled was the 2023 Petit Verdot. It has a lot of dark fruit going for this full-bodied beast and some firm tannins that grab your attention. Lastly, the 2023 Barrel Racer was sipped. This port style wine was aged in Garrison Brother’s used whiskey barrels. Made with Syrah, it expresses some good notes of tobacco, cherries and chocolate all in one sip! It is a definitive sipper that is worth enjoying after your meal, or with dessert or cheese.

The tasting room also has a kitchen in case you get the munchies. Live music from local musicians helps complement the cool laid-back vibe of this place along with your favorite glass of wine.  The staff are very personable, welcoming and attentive. They want to ensure you feel right at home. Kara’s new adventure is proof that life changes can be successful. Cheers!

www.lavieestate.com