Wines of Texas

Texas is the 5th largest producer of wine in the United States, but most of it never leaves the state. The Texas wine industry is still, shall we say, young (despite the long pre-Prohibition history), but they have been making tremendous strides lately and within a decade or two should be quite competitive on the world market (barring Texas' antiquated liquor laws).

Incidentally, the American rootstock grafts that saved European vines from phylloxera in the 19th century came from Texas.

What's out yonder in Texas?

There are, depending on how you count it, six or seven federally recognized areas in Texas.

Texas Hill Country, west of Austin and San Antonio, is a large region and is arguably the best.
Fredericksburg, is a subregion of Hill Country and lies right in the middle of it.
Bell Mountain, is also in Hill Country and is near Fredericksburg
Escondido Valley (Trans-Pecos), is near Ft. Stockton in southwest Texas
Texas High Plains, lies west of Lubbock to the New Mexico border
Texas Davis Mountains, near Ft. Davis
Mesilla Valley, near El Paso, is shared with New Mexico and is mostly a New Mexico region

Well over half of the fine wine action in Texas lives within a short drive of Austin and San Antonio in the Hill Country.

Lone Star Pride

In my opinion, Texas wines are where California was forty years ago. The climate is friendly and the land is good, but vines take time and winemakers need time to develop experience with the land. Many Texan wines are quite competitive with internationally marketed midrange wines already, and we expect only further improvement in the future.

It is not yet clear which varietals fare best in Texas. The classic varietals have met with varied success. The Cabernets and Merlots come off as very big or very fruity. The more unusual varietals and Rhone varietals have been well received and hold great promise. Ultimately, time will tell.

Wine Comments

Becker Vineyards, Viognier 2001 (Texas Hill Country)
Very round peach and dried apricot fruit. Lightly sweet and slick tasting, with earthy and floral tones. Playful.
$14 / bottle

Dry Comal Creek, French Colombard Demi-Sweet 2006 (unknown) Bright citrus and peach, with round white grape jelly and a crisp finish.
$17 / bottle

Llano Estacado, "Vintner's Selection" Muscat Canelli NV (USA)
Very sweet, with bold honeysuckle and melon, with a touch of spice. Round and plump. Sugary finish.
$9 / bottle

Messina Hof, "26th Anniversary" Pinot Grigio 2003 (USA)
Heavy and fat, brightness of fruit muted by wood. Long finish.
$9 / bottle

Becker Vineyards, Fume Blanc 2002 (Texas Hill Country)
Fat with heavy oak, suppressed fruit, creamy texture.
$10 / bottle

Fall Creek Vineyards, Johannisberg Riesling NV (USA)
Sharp apricot flavor and sweet texture. Short finish and a bit simple.
$8 / bottle

Flat Creek Estate, Moscato Blanco 2005 (Texas Hill Country)
Sweet and intense pears and apricots with light hints of nectar and tangerine. Smooth and not sticky.
$16 / 500ml

Texas Hills Vineyard, "Newsom Vineyard" Orange Moscato 2005 (Texas)
Sharp and racy with abundant citrus and spicy nectar. Crisp and not at all syrupy. Very high acid.
$18 / 500ml

Texas Hills Vineyard, "Newsom Vineyard" Orange Moscato 2003 (Texas)
Sweet peaches and apricot, mild citrus, honey, high acid. Tasty.
$16 / 500ml

Messina Hof, 25th Anniversary "Angel" Johannisberg Riesling Late Harvest 2002 (Texas)
Very floral with somewhat simplistic fruit. Full for a Riesling but light for a Late Harvest. Decent.
$15 / bottle

Fall Creek Vineyards, Chenin Blanc 2003 (Texas)
Tangerine, pineapple, and peach over tropical fruits and melons. Off-dry, buttery texture.
$5.50 / bottle

Fredericksburg Winery, "Texitage" 2003 (Texas)
Fruit-forward, with dark musky notes and heavy vanilla wood. A mix of slight tartness and sweetness on the finish.
$ ?? / bottle

Woodrose Winery, Rose of Sangiovese 2007 (Texas)
Smooth grape and citrus with a hint of berries. Dry and very crisp with a slight grape jelly finish. Tasty.
$18 / bottle

Torre di Pietra, "Rosa Flamenco" NV (Texas)
Fruity, with flavors of fresh apples and bananas. Off-dry.
$20 / bottle

Grape Creek Vineyards, "Cabernet Trois" 2006 (USA)
Restrained berry fruit with the slightest hint of smoke and peppers. Moderate wood and well-balanced tannins with potpourri and tobacco. Tasty and very French-styled. Made from the Cabernets Sauvignon, Franc, and Ruby.
$20 / bottle

Texas Hills Vineyard "Cinque" Vino Rosse 2004 (Hill Country)
Extremely tart and bold with spicy plums and potent tannins. Very heady. Blend of Cabernet (31.6%), Merlot (30.4%), Ruby Cabernet (22.8%), Sangiovese (12.5%), Syrah (2.7%).
$13 / bottle

Becker Vineyards, Zinfandel 2005 (USA)
Elegant jammy and plummy fruit with moderate wood. Well-balanced tannins and exceptionally smooth. Impressive and delicious.
$18 / bottle

Sister Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon 39% / Merlot 23% / Cabernet Franc 22% / Petit Verdot 16% Reserve 2006 (USA)
Bright and fruity with soft tannins and abundant wood. Plentiful cherry, currant, and smoke with good mouthfeel.
$30 / bottle

Cap Rock, "Palo Duro Canyon" Red NV (USA)
Very dry with muted fruit and muddled oak. Somewhat heady and astringent. Grapes from California, 85/15 Merlot/Cab, released 2007.
$13 / bottle

Peregrine Hill, Merlot 2001 (Texas)
Heavy aged tannins and stems over wood spice. Minimal fruit. Drink young.
$8 / bottle

Becker Vineyards, "les trois dames" Claret 2003 (Texas)
Dark, rich berry, smooth and abundant wood, heady, bold, and strong.
$15 / bottle

Fall Creek Vineyards, "Granite Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (Texas)
Very plump and fruity with moderate wood. Young, with bright and lively mouthfeel.
$9 / bottle

Twin Springs, Sweet Red NV
Plump, sweet grape, apricot, peach, and cherry. Tastes like white wine and cherry Kool-Aid. No tannin, soft, decently pleasant.
$6 / bottle

Sister Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon 60% / Merlot 28% / Cabernet Franc 12% 2001 (Texas)
Smooth, with heavy toast and vanilla over wood spice, with slight touches of leather and musk. Sweet plum finish. Bordeaux style.
$15 / bottle

Alamosa Wine Cellars, "Tio Pancho Ranch" Sangiovese 2000 (Texas Hill Country)
Big and tannic, with very little fruit and faint hints of chocolate. Minimal wood. Overly harsh.
$13 / bottle

Becker Vineyards, "Texas Iconoclast" Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Texas)
Bloody and thick, very forward. Plump palate with chocolate, tar, and smoke. Long, chewy, and slightly astringent finish. Big as Texas, but almost Australian in style.
$10 / bottle

Sister Creek Vineyards, Pinot Noir 1999 (Texas)
Dark, very restrained fruit, with grapeskin and jelly. Smooth but not soft.
$16 / bottle

Texas Hills Vineyard, "Port Bianco" White Port 2001 (USA)
Spicy honey, lavender, and exuberant flowers. Powerful and heady.
$16 / 500ml