| Wine Tasting Deep in the Heart of Texas | | | | By: Eve White | << back  Page 2 of 3 next >> |
I'm not one for sitting still for long, so I dashed off to buy a coveted cowboy hat and discovered nearby Bistro Blends of Texas, where oils, herbs and aged balsamic vinegars imported from Spain and Italy are blended into gastronomic delights. The Basic Garlic Parmesan was my favorite - tangy, flavorful with zest of almost sweet Parmesan, until Proprietor David Lewis served up a Raspberry Balsamic Sauce poured over vanilla ice cream. It was divine! Even my friend’s teenage daughter loved it. (“Vinegar on ice cream?” Melissa exclaimed.) We gobbled down our ice cream and headed over to the Grape Stomp to catch the 2-person teams competing for the coveted Purple Foot award. Stomping 20lbs of grapes for 1 minute each, the team with the most juice wins. After watching the competition, I only hoped that the freshly pressed grape juice wasn’t making its way over to our final GrapeFest destination – The People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic.
People's Choice hosted over 28 wineries representing 120 wines, and I was amazed at the variety of talent and diversity of Texas terroir. As a Texan, born and bred, I must admit I knew little about the history of this great state and the inimitable grape. Winemaking in Texas dates back to the mid 17th century when Spanish missionaries established vineyards near what is now El Paso, and a thriving wine industry took hold by 1900, but the arrival of Prohibition wiped out virtually all the wines in Texas (much like in California), and it was questionable if the industry could recover. But…Texans are resilient and by the 1970’s the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association was formed, boosting Texas’ wine industry growth from 50,000 gallons to 1.5Million annually and promoting Texas wine locally, regionally and nationally. Texas wines today are improving and attracting international attention, though the industry is still relatively young.
With my newly found Texas wine knowledge and a single-minded purpose, I made my way into the event for a 2 hour session of wine-tasting in the Texas sun, in scorching temps. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. So, accompanied by my festival tasting partner and sister, Amy, I sampled my way through the tables and found that some Texas wine makers are well on their way to success. We found wineries hailing from Lubbock to Tow, Bryan to Lampasas, Johnson City to Fredericksburg and, of course, Grapevine, offering varietals from Chenin Blanc to Chardonnay, Merlot to Muscat Cannelli, Cabernet Sauvignon to Sangiovese, and although many wineries produced a “sweet wine” blend (as necessitated by local market demand, I was told), I was surprised by the quantity of excellent dry wines that were poured.
Favorites included Cap Rock Winery 2000 Toscana Rosso, a blend with bright acidity and fruit character of Sangiovese and Barbera grapes, which faired well in the Texas heat, offering aromas of cherry and a subtle hint of spice. Llano Estacado Winery 2000 Viviano another Italianate blend in a Super Tuscan style that combines Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah for a red that was full flavored and layered. Texas Hills Vineyard 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, known as “Kick Butt Cab” exhibiting an interesting show of cherry and black fruit with a dry spicy finish. Messina Hof 2001 Paulo a Meritage, aged in new French and American oak had a prominent nose of wood, opening to a nice balanced wine with a slightly dry finish, and the 2003 Johannisberg Riesling exhibited a floral note with a crisp dry character; chilled to perfection, it was the antidote to the heat of the day. Fall Creek Vineyards 2002 Chardonnay showed distinct varietal character; apple and pear fruit on the nose, with a smooth, creamy vanilla finish. And yes, we found a sweet-wine that was chilled to perfection and delightful. Texas Hills Vineyard 2003 Orange Moscato (a Gold Medal winner!) was one of Amy’s favorites with tropical fruit overtones, and I must admit that even I was a bit partial to the refreshing quality of this interesting wine.
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