Silver Spur Winery – Hico, Texas

Hico is a well-known Texas destination for pies, chicken fried steak, handmade chocolates, and Billy the Kid stories.  Now, add to this list, good wine with the addition of the latest boutique winery located in the heart of downtown.  Owner Phil Lopez is no stranger to wines and vines.  Having spent just over two decades in California working in the wine industry and vineyards, he is well versed in the art and science.  He is aware of the unique challenges that Texas poses grape growers, but that does not daunt him, in fact, it just makes him more determined to prove that he can use his experience and skills gained in California to improve and perfect his growing techniques and winemaking in Texas. Silver Spur has been opened for just over a year and currently offers eight wines on their tasting menu.  The ’15 and 16’ wines are from California. Phil has some vineyards he is leasing in Comanche County near Newburg, Texas to make his Texas wines.  He currently has one Texas wine available for sale while the others continue to mature.  His Texas Chardonnay is quite elegant and soft - not your typically strong oak and buttery Chardonnay, but it is quite pleasant for these hot Texas days when chilled.  The rest of the wines are California fruit, yet, worth your time to stop in to try.  The Viognier is very aromatic with honeysuckle notes.  The California Chardonnay is much different than the Texas one. It has more cream and vanilla notes with higher acids and is blended with Marsanne and Roussanne.  The first red,we tried was the 2016 Charbolla (Pinot Noir).  It had a light color and strong tannins affording a nice long finish.  Next up was the J.W II, which was a double blend Zinfandel with wonderful floral notes and dark fruit and pepper notes. The Cabernet Sauvignon, called Donaciano II, was lighter than most cabs yet still presented some bold earthy flavors and a touch of smokiness. Last, was the Flora, a full-bodied Syrah that was quite opaque and packed strong berry notes with a clean silky finish.  We got a bonus tasting of their upcoming inaugural Texas Tempranillo. It was aged in both American and French oak and had a smooth texture with some soft smokiness. It will be a few months before his first Texas red will be for sale.  Other Texas wines that are currently in the works include an Aglianico, Tannat, and Sangiovese.  We enjoyed our visit and having the opportunity to chat and learn more about their story. We look forward to trying these upcoming wines soon, as well.  Phil is very passionate about what he does and will be more than happy to talk to you about his love for wine making.  This winery fits right in with the town and is a great addition to the many shops and interesting places to visit when you pass through or stop and stay a while in Hico. Even if you still mispronounce Hico, they’ll be glad to teach you how to pronounce it correctly over some great wine. Do stop by and visit and enjoy meeting these fine folks and experience new and interesting wines you can enjoy as you try to beat this Texas heat! 

www.facebook.com/pg/silverspurwinery

Syrah – 2006; Texas Hills Vineyard; Johnson City, Texas

A well-aged red wine can bring many pleasures to those who can wait. The patience is worth its weight in wine barrels. This wine jewel has an added uniqueness that is incredibly pleasing to the eye and soul. A fantastic wine label and a great personal story. The art work on the label is fabulous. It depicts how the owners met while an artist was painting. A great story! Being able to bring that personal touch to the story of this winery and wine, adds additional character and charm. As for the wine itself, superb! After sitting around a dozen years, this intense Syrah can still hold its own. The grapes are estate and reflect the love and commitment the owners have in their work. The color has diminished by about 25%. The fruit forward aromas still held well. At first taste, it appeared that some of the fruit forward notes may have diminished by half, but what remains is still quite enjoyable. A touch of tobacco, a touch of leather, and still offered a great mouth feel. The tannins are still showing a nice long-lasting finish. There are no signs of turning, so this bottle could still hold up well for several more years. Yes, some sediment is present, but that’s where the “vitamins” are located! This is one of those wines that will reminds you why it’s nice to occasionally pop the cork on a beautiful red during the summer because it provides not only enjoyment in the glass, but in the journey to make it. Enjoy well and cheers!

www.texashillsvineyard.com

Rose’ 2010 – Vineyard at Gruene; Gruene, Texas

Imagine that you are on the back porch and it’s 110+ degrees outside.  The sweat is unbearable, the heat is unrelenting, and even with AC, it still feels like it’s roasting. Fortunately, there is relief in sight.  A great chilled Rose’ that can magically transport you to a cool place for a moment. Though we have no information on the bottle detailing the exact varietals this Rose’ was a blend of, we can tell you it’s still quite damn good for its age.  It’s smooth with a honey note and still very fruit forward. Sipping this chilled just helps cool your soul with satisfying sensations from the inside out.  If it’s not blistering hot outside, this wine still pairs wonderfully with a spicy dish and drinks nicely on its own, too. Stay cool, wine friends, fall is just a short few more weeks away! 

www.vineyardatgruene.com

8 year anniversary!

If you had given us a Magic 8-ball eight years ago and asked it to predict the future of this blog, who knows how those vague answers would have been interpreted.  So, let’s give it a shot today and see what it says:

Will we continue to make new wine discoveries?  Yes

Will our insane wine collection continue to expand?  Most Likely

Will this blog last another 8 years?  Without a doubt

Rose’, White, or Red? Concentrate and ask again

Will we eventually have our own Netflix show? Better not tell you now.

As you can see, the Magic 8-ball can still be interpreted as a positive outlook for the future.  It is always enjoyable writing about what comes to mind with the wine we try and wineries we visit.  Who knows, with continued healthy wine in our diet, this blog might last 80+ years!  Oh yes, we can say that there will be a few surprises for the upcoming year!  Stay tuned, our wine friends.  Same wine time, same wine channel! Salud!

Tempranillo – 2007; Texas Hills Vineyards; Johnson City, Texas

Well, damn!  Sit back and enjoy these precious moments, because they don’t come that often.  This Tempranillo certainty began with some quality fruit and add to that a winemaker’s skillful talent, plus an owner’s patience in allowing the bottle to cellar in a constant temperature for years and you’ve got yourself a fine present! Although the wine was quite strong when first opened, it settled down quite nicely after an hour. Some of the fruit flavors have faded, yet it still held up very well. Overall, it had a good balance of fruit.  Notes of plum and pepper stood out for this 11-year-old Texas wine.  The tannins likewise held up well allowing for a pleasant lingering finish. This one could still hold the test of time for a couple of more years, but we were awfully glad we had the chance to enjoy it now. Cheers to another fine Texas Tempranillo!

www.texashillsvineyard.com

Horn Winery – Hye, Texas

Welcome to Hye, Texas.  This town has now become the next fast-growing destination of new wineries in the Texas Hill Country while keeping its local charm.  Horn Winery is the latest addition to open here by owner Ryan Horn on his 16-acre estate.  We were fortune to catch him on grand opening day on June 16^th. Ryan is certainly no stranger to the industry. He operates Vintner’s Vault next door which has become a one stop shop for all things a winery would need…. except the customer. Having spent a good amount of time with the California wine industry, Ryan is well seasoned at this and shows a lot of promise at making quality Texas wines. The tasting room is filled with musical instruments and records on the walls to help accent the theme. The current wines available for tasting are from Paso Robles.  Ryan currently has Texas wines aging in the back. The first Texas white should be ready in the next several months. The wine bar features eight wines available for tasting of which you can try six with a tasting. While enjoying your wine tasting at the bar, you get a clear view of the production area and tanks.  For the grand opening, we were fortunate to taste all the wines on the current menu! The 2014 Verismo is a Chardonnay that is crisp with a slight buttery note.  The Rosé is called Segue and you will note it has unique complex notes due to the oak it was aged in.  It is 2014 blend of five varietals and is very refreshing for those hot summer months of Texas heat. The first red on the menu was the 2014 Crescendo. This Merlot has some dusty notes with a strong enticing nose. For the 2014 Rhapsody, it is a Petit Verdot that along with its deep color, delights your senses with cherries and strong tannins.  The 2014 Duet is a 50/50 blend of Petit Syrah and Syrah that is pleasantly smooth with a touch of pepper and a light finish. Onward to the 2014 Melody, and you get to enjoy a Bordeaux style blend of one third each of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has light acids and a light body with a nice balance. The 2014 Aria is a Cabernet Sauvignon aged in Hungarian, American, AND French oak, so you will experience some intense black berry notes, yet a smooth and fine finish. Lastly, the 2006 Portamento is a Tawny Port. Made from Touriga Nacional, this bold dessert wine packs a bold mouthfeel and melds flavors of chocolate and raisins followed by pecan notes.  If you enjoy their wines, then hang out for a little while to pause for a bit before you go into the Distillery. Yes, right within the facility in a separate room is their onsite Distillery and cocktail lounge that is for members only. They feature their own Grape and Apple Vodka, Apple Brandy, Rum, Moonshine, Bourbon, Tequlia, and more!  They produce their own spirits and during their grand opening, guests were invited to stop in and visit their cocktail lounge.  It offers something unique to other options on the 290-wine corridor and is worth a visit. Horn Winery has a great future and a theme going for it. The staff are all knowledgeable and make you feel very welcomed.  Another great reason to stop in and say “Hi” in Hye!

www.hornwinery.com

Loken Cabernet Franc – 2007; Pahrump Valley Winery; Pahrump, Nevada

We could hardly believe that we were saying, “Wow! This wine can just keep aging…” Take note at the exception of this well-made hand-crafted wine from Nevada.  The acids are perfect for this beauty. The excellent tannins present a pleasant long-lasting finish. This one exemplifies why Cabernet Franc can be addicting. On the nose you will note the enticing aroma of black licorice tempting you. The notes range from bell peppers, to plums, and a hint of strawberry in this medium-bodied wine.  The flavors meld nicely and allow this wine to pair nicely with many dishes. If you’re patient and want the best that this wine has to offer, make sure you allow it to breathe for an hour or so before you drink it. Best of all, if you are really patient and have some of these bottles in your cellar, just let those extra bottles sit a little longer, as this one can still cellar for a while longer. There were no signs of degradation in this 2007 vintage. A wonderful long-term wine for the cellar to be enjoyed throughout the years to come! 

www.pahrumpwinery.com