Vinovium – Johnson City, Texas

Well, you’re in for a treat with a totally different wine tasting experience!  Owners Craig Mayer, Daniel Kelada, Travis Graves, and Allen Lucarelli have kicked started a new and refreshing way for customers to enjoy their tasting sessions.  Vinovium Partners has actually been around since 2012 offering services and products to the industry.  Their tasting room along Hwy 290 started soft openings back in early July.  What you’ll first notice about this place when you’re in the tasting room are the taps for pouring wine.   Yes, how cool is that? Vinovium (and yes, the name does reference the roman fort in England) uses a keg solution for pouring wine and selling to customers. Besides reducing cost, this also helps promote to customers that their wine is ready to drink now and drink well.  After your tasting session in the Growler Lounge, all you do is select what wine you like and they bottle it for you in a growler.  Bring it back when it’s empty, and you can enjoy more great wines from their selection.  (Nice way to recycle the bottles!) Once you get the hang of how it works, you’ll walk away and come back a satisfied wine lover and customer.  They try to use Texas grapes when the can for their wines, but they also have a great selection of wines made from grapes from around the world.  On the tasting menu, you’ll also get to see who the wine maker was for each wine.  Some of you may notice some familiar names from the Texas wine industry!  We got to try a great selection that included bubbly, whites, Rose’, reds, and then some using their “Old World style” glasses.  They happened to have a great Prosecco to try that was quite delicious.  We’ll save that bottle for a special celebration posting in the future.  The 2015 Texas Rose’ is made by Llano Estacado.  This blend of Cinsault, Zinfandel, Carignan, and Grenache has nice melon notes. The 2013 American Lot 37 is made by Tim Drake from Flat Creek.  There is nothing Tim touches that won’t turn out great!  This white mixture of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Pinot Grigio has refreshing lemon flavors and some hints of avocado.   The California 2014 Chardonnay is very smoky, with a creamy texture. The 2014 Oregon Pinot Noir greets you with ripe bright berry flavor with some earthiness to it. The second Tim Drake creation is the Texas lot 83 NV blend.  Think of this Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo blend as the Super Texan NV. Yes, it is quite good and does Super Texan proud!  The California 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty on the nose with some light herbal notes.  Next, was the Two Worlds NV blend.  Made from many different wine makers of old and new world grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Carignan, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay), you’ll get a complex meld of licorice notes with some nuttiness.  The 2012 Montsant is made by the famous former Becker winemaker Russel Smith.  The Master made a fantastic red blend of Grenache and Carignan.  It’s leathery rich and dark texture only adds to that full body experience and makes you want to linger over this glass. We also tried the Italian Moscato on hand made from the same place as the Prosecco.  It was sweet, dripping with a honeysuckle nose and pure joy on the palate. A great way to end the tasting session!  Did we mention that have espresso, too? How many times have you been on 290 and craved a shot of espresso or some great coffee and agonized that you have to drive all the way back to Fredericksburg or Marble Falls to get your fix?  Wine tasting or not, you can now stop here for an espresso shot too.  Vinovium plans on holding wine education classes.  These are a great educational opportunity to enhance and appreciate wine even more.  The great location and nice hill country scenery in the back makes for a great new place to sip and relax.  Staying open till 9pm just adds another spot to extend your day as you hang out with friends enjoying your trek into the Hill country wine region. They have definitely raised the bar on what’s trending with Texas wineries.  We look forward to many more visits and new wine offerings coming in the future. Because they produce small lots, they can turn over wine faster and provide broader options on their tasting menu, leaving you more opportunities to check out new things with every visit. Looking forward to seeing how their vision unfolds in the future. A bright new beginning on the 290 Hill Country wine trail. Cheers!

www.vinoviumpartners.com

Origen 43 - 2014; Casa Magoni; Baja California, Mexico

This lovely Italian style wine from Mexico is a treat to be had.  It's a blend of Montepulciano 30%, Aglianico 30%, Canaiolo 15%, Sangiovese 15%, and Cabernet Sauvignon 10%.  Holding your glass up to the light, you'll notice a nice garnet hue.  On the nose, this wine is quite fruity and floral with notes of cherries and raspberries. What your tongue will notice are spices, smokiness, some pepper, and soft tannins.  The mineral notes are quite pronounced, but the acidity is mild to moderate and it does have a refreshing aftertaste.  Overall, a nice medium bodied red blend to ease the long day.  Enjoy!

www.casamagoni.com

Chopo Monastrell - 2014; Finca Bacara; Murcia, Spain

This wine is a good example of not judging a wine by its price.  Let's start with the initial pour.  It will be quite hot at first, so wait a good ninety minutes before you enjoy this one.  Otherwise, your pre-judging will kick in. After that time, it really begins to open up.  You'll enjoy the fruit forward aroma.  The tannins are medium, yet the finish is somewhat light and smooth.  Pair this with neutral foods and you'll have an easy drinking wine for many occasions.  Oh....and the price point...under $10!  For this wine and this price, you're definitely getting a good bang for the buck!

Hensell – 2015; Kuhlman Cellars; Stonewall, Texas

If you like Provencal-style Rosé, then you are going to fall madly in love with this one. Dry…..YES!  That makes this a wine worth enjoying daily. Made from Cinsault grapes, that initial pink salmon color pouring into your wine glass is just the first sensory step.  Take the time to breath in all those fresh ripe aromas and prepare yourself to enjoy the way a Rosé was meant to be enjoyed.  Strawberries, raspberries, and crème…oh my!  You want to enjoy what you’ve just sipped now!  That’s ok.  In this case, it would be a crime not to overindulge a little.  That second sip just reinforces those first flavors plus that satisfaction of pucker along the corners.  The acidity on the front and back is just icing on the cake, however,  the long lasting finish is the pièce de résistance!  Buy enough cases, and you just might want to bathe in it as well.  Santé ! Santé !

www.kuhlmancellars.com

City Scape Winery - Pelzer, South Carolina

If you want to take a drive off the beaten path and really get way out into the middle of nowhere in the country,  then this might be your winery destination. Stop, relax, and have fun while you get ready to sample a wealth of offerings at City Scape Winery.  The current owners, Josh and Deb Jones, bought the winery from Wayne and Anita Tamme last year.  The winery has been open for about eight years. Josh and Deb had been practicing wine making prior to buying the winery and were delighted to take over the business at City Scape when the opportunity arose. The location and setting is quite beautiful.  The tasting room is relaxing with a welcoming cozy feel. There are about two acres currently planted on the twelve-acre estate.  Carlos and Noble Muscadine vines can be found here in addition to some Black Spanish. They also source from other vineyards to help supplement their production.  All wines are made on site.   You'll get to  try a nice selection of wines from whites, to blushes, to reds, and yes....dessert!  The Pineapple Riesling is really special and will put smile on your face.  Their white Muscadines are a nice surprise. The Palmetto Gold white Muscadine has a little bit of a whisky taste to it!  You'll really like the Raspberry White Zin which has the expected raspberry notes.  Their red Muscadine wines are not harsh at all and pack lovely fruit flavors that make them quite pleasant.  The Carolina Nights is a mix of Blackberry, Merlot, and Noble.  Nothing is overpowering and it comes across as well balanced.  Their Dark Chocolate Red is a proprietary blend that pairs very well with dark chocolate.  They've also made a good light tasting Blackberry Merlot.  When you end off your tasting with the Coffee Delight (port style wines) you might want to be outside on the patio to relish the surrounding scenery.  These are some good quality wines to enjoy at a great price. The owners have plans for renovations and enhancements for the estate that include a bed and breakfast. It’s a super friendly place to sit, sip, and enjoy the pleasant county side of South Carolina. Stop by and sip a spell!

www.cityscapewinery.com

V - 2015; Casa Madero; Valle de Parras, Mexico

Add this Rosé to your hot afternoon summertime treat list.  Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, this Rosé wine is quite aromatic.  On the nose, this wine greets with peach and melon aromas as you begin your tasting journey.  Next, your palate is met with a sweet and slight zing of subtle effervescence, which quickly dissipates to flavors of tart green apples and herbs. This is a semi-dry to crisp wine.  It is a fine testament to what Mexico has to offer in producing some great wines. Though you may not be very familiar with wines from Mexico, we welcome you to get acquainted with this one and this winery, which is one of the oldest in North America and in Mexico. Enjoy this one and relish what it means to be living well!

www.madero.com.mx

Aglianico – 2012; Duchman Family Winery; Driftwood, Texas

Oh man, yes this wine is that good!  Take that initial gaze into that vibrant ruby color.  Spiced berries, cigars, and floral notes will be there to great your first sip. After the first few sips, you’ll pick up flavors of cherry, strawberry, and elegant spices.  It has a light body at first, but really develops more moderate density after being opened.  It’s about medium acidity, so it should pair well with many fine foods.  With a nice structure and well-rounded feel, you’ll savor those lasting moments of a fantastic finish!  Yes, the pronunciation can be a challenge, but it shouldn’t deter you from trying this varietal or this wine. It is very aromatic and flavorful with sufficient body and soft tannins to satisfy those who love a good rich red wine. It is a worthy successor to the 2011 vintage. Enjoy well!

www.duchmanwinery.com