Wine Life - Houston

Are you looking for a sparkling wine, white wine or dessert wine for your holiday meal? Wines of Alsace created a Thanksgiving wine pairing plan to make your day both easier and more delicious.  Check out their chart and my suggested wines before you head out to do your holiday wine shopping.  Lucien Albrecht Cremant D'Alsace Brut NV  - Wine-Thoughts sparkling wine of the week. The grapes for this dry, sparkling wine were hand picked and the wine was produced in the traditional method with a minimum of 18 months aging on the lees. Crisp and refreshing with light notes of green apple and citrus; perfect for appetizers, the cheese course and beyond. I have enjoyed both this style and the ros é   version many times. This wine was a media sample. Suggested Retail Price: $21.99 2013 Frey Sohler  Reserve  Pinot Blanc Vin D' Alsace-  This dry white wine has light aromas of honeysuckle with fruity flavors of pear and melon. It is ligh...

Sparkling Wine of the Week:  Desiderio Jeio Brut  Prosecco *   This non-vintage sparkling wine is produced by the Bisol family in northeastern Italy from 100% Glera grapes. The family has been producing wine in the Valdobbiadene region for over 400 years.  This DOC Prosecco wine is dry and refreshing with fruity aromas of peach and sweet citrus with a light floral note. It has flavors of green apple and melon with a soft lingering finish.  Perfect with weekend brunch at home,  approximately $15.  *Media Sample

Author of The Wine Bible,  Karen MacNeil, was in Houston this week to share some of her thoughts on the wines of Spain with local wine trade and media at a seminar and tasting held before the Spain's Great Match event. On the panel with Karen were Camarata at Paulie's wine bar owner, David Keck, and wine educator, Mark Rashap of The Iluminated Bottle . The Tasting: 2014 Bengoetxe Txakolina, Txakoli de Getaria (SRP $19)- Txakoli, pronounced sha-KO-lee, is from the Basque region in northern Spain and is made from an indigenous grape called Hondarribi Zuri. The wines of the region are typically bone dry and are defined by citrus, a briny minerality and what Karen describes as "a buzz of acidity". This dry white wine made from organically grown grapes had a smoky/savory character that Karen said was more unique to the producer, Bengoetxe, than the region. Fresh and food friendly-perfect with sheep cheeses and Serrano ham, versatile enough for poultry and s...

Sparkling Wine of the Week: 2012 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs - This  north coast   California sparkling wine is made in the traditional method from Chardonnay grapes sourced from cool climate vineyards. It is partially fermented in barrel for added  complexity  and small lots undergo malolactic fermentation before blending for a creamier texture. This wine spends approximately two years aging on its lees before it is disgorged which helps the wine to maintain its fresh taste.  Crisp, dry, refreshing with classic aromas of green apple and lemon with honeysuckle hints and a clean, mineral-laced finish. Perfect with hot buttered popcorn on movie night at home, approximately $40.

As originally seen in the November issue  of Galveston Monthly  magazine 

Open less than a year, the second location of Fall Creek Vineyards now sits on the Driftwood Wine Trail . While in the area for a Texas Wine Month celebration dinner, my husband and I stopped in to check it out and enjoy a tasting.  The new facility is a renovated former private home surrounded by butterfly gardens and native Texas plants. The tasting room opens out onto a relaxing tasting patio complete with a water feature. Some food is available in the form of a small bites menu with options such as cheese trays, p â t é  and bread or a grilled cheese sandwich. Fall Creek Vineyards is one of the oldest and most respected wine producers in the state. This second location has allowed them to expand. The property sits on 17 acres by the Salt Lick Vineyards, the source of some of their single vineyard wines. They are planting vines across the front with more planned. We sat out under the covered portion of the patio and I tasted the premium series  for $15...

The Texas Fine Wine Dinner was held at Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood, Texas on Friday evening. The group of four Hill Country wineries hosted this gathering to celebrate Texas Wine Month. The meal was served family-style with open seating and the atmosphere was festive. Guests were treated to a glass of the light and refreshing Duchman Trebbiano upon arrival which was served with passed baked gruyere cheese puffs while they mixed and mingled before choosing their seats. As each course was served, winery representatives shared the stories behind the wine being poured. Many of the guests were expecting to enjoy a full Texas culinary weekend with plans to attend the Fredricksburg Food and Wine Fest the following day. Table talk revolved around tales of Texas winery visits and comparisons on favorite Texas wines. The dinner: Lump crab salad with orange slices, crisp fennel and avocado served with the 2014 Brennan Vineyards Mourvedre Dry Rosé -  lighter bodied, fruity st...