Trebbiano – 2017: Pheasant Ridge Winery; Lubbock, Texas

Oh, how lovely it is!  This refreshing white wine is a blessing for all those who love Trebbiano.   Chilled, this relatively low acidity Texas High Plains wine makes a great pairing for vegetarian and spicy dishes.  The light bodied wine exhibits hints of apple and lemons.  Of course, as temperatures continue to rise, it will be a great one to sip on the back porch.  Enjoy and savor!

www.pheasantridgewinery.com

Merlot – 2000; Toasted Head Winery; Acampo, California

Look what jewel has been uncovered!  This delightful Merlot has stood the test of time. On the nose, you will detect subtle earthiness followed by cherry and coffee notes. The finish holds quite well for this medium bodied red wine. A bit dusty on the palate, but still lots of character left to it. Surprisingly, little sediment was found in the bottle.  Quite pleased with this lost little gem found hiding in the back of our wine vault and pleased that when uncorked and poured it has held up remarkably well for its age. Pair it  with your favorite hearty protein cuisine or enjoy on its own, cheers to a great turn of the century bottle that made it this far!

www.toastedhead.com

Viognier – 2010; Perissos Vineyards; Burnet, Texas

Great things come to those who await…or just lose track of a bottle, only to rediscover it!  This light bodied white wine is still holding up quite well. We are pleased to report that the bouquet was still intact with lovely bright fruitful notes. The color was darker than its original pale white spectrum, which is to be expected with aged whites.  There is some loss in flavor profile, but nothing to distract from the enjoyment as pears notes were a strong stand out that tapered off to a clean crisp finish. Due to the fruit notes, we feel this is a great white to celebrate the arrival of those warmer spring days!  Cheers!!

www.perissosvineyards.com

Viognier – 2010; Driftwood Winery; Driftwood, Texas

Oh man!  This white Viognier tastes amazing after all these years beyond its release. Color aging…almost nil!  Aromas.…very fragrant.  And the flavors…bold with some spice and mango.  The finish is even still quite long and overall this wine remains very refreshing.  Who is up for another?  Hats off to Driftwood for this excellent Viognier.  Double cheers that it lasted so long via cellaring and retained its beauty!

www.driftwoodvineyards.com

Southold Farm + Cellar – Fredericksburg, Texas

Perched up high on the hills of the Texas Hill Country is a great new Texas winery and vineyard for your viewing and tasting pleasures.  Originally from New York, owners Regan and Carey Meador are not only resident transplants, but have transplanted their winery to Texas as well.  They’ve picked one of the best Hill Country locations and views for their new adventures in Texas wines.  They have been opened since August and the interest in this brand-new place has grown.  While plans are in the works for their own Texas wine making, you can enjoy many of their great wines they produced from their former New York location.  The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc is well rounded and crisp for these never-ending Texas summer days. The 2015 Sparkling Lagrein is nice and we enjoyed this while celebrating their new opening in Texas. The 2015 Lagrein (non-sparkling) is another great comparison of this red varietal.  The “Devil Makes Three” is their Bordeaux style red.  It is a blend of Cabernet Franc 69%, Malbec 20%, Merlot 11%.  Keep holding on to this bottle and it will be even more delightful.  There are many more great options on their tasting menu, so it’s a good excuse to return!  The owner’s plan for an estate vineyard is to do hill side plots on the north side with low yielding vines.  This should bode well for their future Rhone style wine plans, minimal touching of grapes, and concrete tank fermentation.  What’s not to like about this place?  With their intuition and experience, they should do quite well on the 20-acre estate. Take a jog north of the busy HWY 290 wine trail sometime and check them out.  You’ll love the fantastic 360 views of the Pedernales Valley, the great company, and some great wine.  Enjoy, our wine friends!

www.southoldfarmandcellar.com

Touriga Nacional – 2008; Spicewood Vineyards; Spicewood, Texas

A little aging and a lot of patience does lead to great surprises!  This lovely inky red wine still has some very nice robust structure. We enjoyed pouring this wine into the glass and watching the colors unfold.  It’s part of the dedicated wine lover mission to enjoy our research and how the wine tantalizes the senses. We discerned some tobacco and leather on the entry, which tapered off quickly followed by hints of spice and nutmeg. The finish lingers with a cross between mint and bittersweet cocoa.  It is slightly acidic, so bring on those nice fatty dishes.  This wine is probably at the end of its peak.  Savor now and bid this fine classic from Spicewood “adieu”. Cheers!

www.spicewoodvineyards.com

South African Pinotage – NV; Water 2 Wine

You just never know what you may find in your cellar that surprises you.  This signature South Africa varietal still expresses some nice fruit.  The berry notes are quite favorable and still has a bit of earthiness to it.  It hinges on being medium bodied and has retained some of the tannins, which have softened over time.  This wine balances well with spicy cuisines and likewise can stand on its own.  Serve chilled and enjoy this tasty fruitful treat.

www.water2wine.com