First Impression: Texas Hill Country Wine
Sally is from Texas.
This means we have friends and family from Texas. Which, in turn, means we've been exposed to a few bottles of Texas wine. We're fans of any wine that tastes good, and some of it definitely tastes good.
So a recent family wedding in the Texas Hill Country town of New Braunfels gave us the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the local wine region. With Sally's mom, Mabeth, generously handling the driving duties, the three of us set out to taste some wine.
We were lucky to find two gems on a three winery tour. Not bad for any day of tasting. You can find these and other wineries on the Texas Wine Trail website.
Sister Creek Vineyards
Much of the wine we discover comes from shared bottles. Longtime family friends Robin and Dick Hesse shared a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Sister Creek Vineyards. It was really good, so we added the winery to our list.
The visit started with a self-guided tour of their winemaking operation. Next, we did a flight of several wines, including a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and several Cabernet Sauvignons.
Prices were reasonable at $13.95-$39.95, which seemed right because these were everyday drinking wines to our palate. Good mellow flavors, a little acidic (which is great with food), and not too much heat.
Oh, and the winery was in an old barn that used to be a cotton gin.
Clockwise from top left: The Cotton Gin, me and Mabeth sharing a toast, the Sister Creek tasting lineup.
Bending Branch
Mabeth picked this one out, and it turned out to be a wise choice.
The winemaker, Bob Young, smartly chose grapes that were well-suited to the Texas Hill Country climate such as Cinsaut, Charbono, and Tannat. These grapes tend to fare better in warmer summers than cooler-climate grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The 2012 Texas Tannat was a standout for us. It's what Sally calls a "fighter grape" because the vines' roots had to work hard to find water in the soil, which leads to smaller grapes but more intense flavors.
This one had big tannins, with a splash of bright fruit up front along with some mushroom and earthy undertones.
And of course there was this pick-up truck parked outside!
Bonus Knowledge
The Texas Hill Country consumer loves sweet Muscat. Every winery we visited sold it, and our host at each one said it was one of their top sellers.
It's not our style, but you can't argue with them for knowing their customers!
