A Fine Wine Tasting

These wines were sent to me from the Texas Fine Wine Group as part of an online group blind wine tasting. They were bagged and taped to conceal their identity. My husband uncorked them for me so I did not see any branding prior to tasting. Tasting notes were written before the reveal. Afterwards, winery representatives discussed each via zoom.

The Texas Fine Wine group is comprised of five well respected wineries who have set the goal of making high quality, benchmark wines from 100% Texas grown grapes. They make estate wines as well as source from some of the top growers in the state. All of the following wines are recommended and are excellent examples of the caliber of wines that Texas can produce.

Bending Branch "Lost Pirogue Vineyard" Texas Hill Country Picpoul Blanc 2019 - Clean, fresh, and dry with notes of honeydew, pear, and lemon zest on the nose. The wine is medium bodied with medium+ acidity and flavors that echo the aromas with the addition of a grilled pineapple note in the lingering mineral-laced finish. The wine was fermented and aged in barrel giving it a more rounded texture, it is very balanced and easy to enjoy. (12.7% ABV) Only 250 cases were made of this wine but Bending Branch does have several other Picpoul Blanc options, $32

Brennan Vineyards Comanche County Texas Dry Rosé 2019 - Beautifully aromatic, the floral notes distinguish this wine immediately on the first sniff quickly followed by orange zest and red fruit aromas. The wine is dry, medium bodied, and refreshing with medium acidity and ripe raspberry and red plum flavors in the lively finish. Crisp, elegant and pleasing. An unusual blend of 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Muscat of Alexandria. (12.1% ABV) $22

Spicewood Vineyards Texas Hill Country Estate Tempranillo 2017- Vibrant black cherry and dried leaf aromas with a full body, smooth, integrated tannins, balanced acidity and flavors of blackberry with hints of sage and red pepper continuing through the persistent and slightly spicy finish. This wine was sourced from the estate vineyard which sits on sandy loam soils and was planted in 2008. About 50% of the wine was aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months. (14.9 % ABV) $40

Duchman "Oswald Vineyard" Aglianico 2016 - Rich and dark with black cherry, plum and sweet spice aromas, the wine is full bodied, dry and well-structured with high acidity and smooth, ripe tannins and matching flavors of black plum, black cherry, and white pepper with a slight savoriness in the long finish. (14.5% ABV) $40

Pedernales Texas GSM Melange 2017 - A blend of more than the GSM would imply, the mix is 43% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignon, 14% Cinsault 25% Grenache, 4% Syrah, and 4% Petit Sirah which creates a very complex and layered wine. Robust yet approachable with blueberry, chocolate covered cherries, baking spice, and hints of leather and smoke, this wine is medium+ bodied with smooth tannins and medium acidity and a lingering finish. (13.3% ABV) $35

Winemaker, Andrés Sánchez of Alcance

I was invited to a media and trade tasting lunch at Backstreet Cafe with Andrés Sánchez, the winemaker for Alcance, a Jackson Family winery. As guests arrived, we were greeted with a glass of lightly chilled Alcance Chardonnay 2016, a perfect start for a hot summer day in Houston. This rich and elegant Chardonnay is grown on granitic soils in a coastal mountain vineyard in the Valle de Itata. Despite my multiple wine classes, this was a growing area with which I was not familiar. This vineyard is located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean about 12 miles from the coast which as Sánchez pointed out adds a nice sea influence to the wine. The Chardonnay was pleasantly fresh with light citrus notes and a touch of butterscotch with a distinct saline mineralty throughout the slightly creamy finish. A mixed appetizer platter with Gulf Coast Beignets, duck spring rolss, asparagus and zuchini flatbread, and lump crab cakes on red pepper beurre blanc were br...

Darioush Wine Tasting at Pappas Grill

I went to a Darioush wine tasting last Friday. What a delight! I found every bottle we tasted to be exceptional. Darioush is well-known for their Bordeaux styled wines so I was already familiar with both the Darioush "Signature" and the Estate Caravan Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. They are both highly rated and consistently good. The Caravan is the lower priced of the two and is something that I keep in stock at home. The wines in the line up for the evening were all from Napa Valley and included: 2008 Signature Viognier, 2005 Signature Chardonnay, 2005 Signature Merlot, 2007 Signature Shiraz, 2007 Estate Caravan Cabernet Sauvignon, and both the 2006 & 2007 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 was opened by mistake which was a bonus to all who were present. The Viognier varietal has been hit and miss for me at tastings in the past but this offering was an absolute stand out. It was very fragrant with floral notes of jasmine and or...

"The Zen of Zin" Tasting at Fleming's in River Oaks

On Friday evening, my husband and I attended the Zinfandel wine tasting at Fleming's in River Oaks. My husband gets totally pumped up for any and all things Zinfandel but what I found really intriguing in the line up of wines were the aged offerings. Brent Sloan, managing partner at Houston's premier wine storage facility Nos Caves Vin, had provided Fleming's with four 18 year old bottlings and one 17 year old bottling from his collection of some of his favorites. I found this interesting because 1. I don't believe that I have ever had an 18 year old Zinfandel before this evening and 2. From various wine classes, I had always heard that at best Zinfandel had very limited aging ability. So, I was definitely excited to give these wines a taste. There were also an additional five younger Zinfandel wines that are some of Fleming's best sellers. The entire tasting line up for the evening included: 2009 Orin Swift Saldo - California 2007 Schulz "Lampyridae...

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