Thanksgiving Wine Selection

This past Wednesday, my wife and I proceeded to our local liquor store to survey their wine selection in hopes of picking up a bottle for the Thanksgiving festivities.  As we examined the many choices, we found many familiar labels including McPherson, Llano, Fall Creek, Becker, and Messina Hof.  Knowing that my aunt would be joining us for this year’s family gathering, a red was a must have.   While my wife and mother are fans of the “sweet” or dessert wine, my aunt enjoys bolder reds with preference to selections from Napa or Chile.  So we ventured out of the Texas aisle and broadened our search to labels less familiar to us.  We did eye a Meeker “Rollercoaster” that looked tempting.  However, we thought better of using a Thanksgiving feast as a proving ground for an untested wine.

As with all family gatherings a compromise came in due order.  We picked up a 2008 Layer Cake Shiraz, following the recommendation of some friends who were really impressed by this South Australian wine after trying a bottle at a local restaurant.  I am happy to say that it was well received by all those who partook.  As it turned out my aunt also brought a Barefoot Moscato to appease the “sweet” palates of our family.

All in all, the selections were enjoyable as was the time spent with family.

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2008 Austin Street Muscat Blanc

2008 Austin Street Muscat Blanc

Several weeks ago, my wife and I enjoyed a great Brennan Vineyards Wine Dinner.  We departed this event with a bottle of Brennan’s Austin Street label 2008 Muscat Blanc.  This is a light desert wine that was paired with a peach champagne sorbetto at the dinner.  I believe Vianei Robinson sums it best when in 2006 she reviewed the Austin Street Muscat Blanc for the Abilene Reporter News and commented, “It has the classic floral aromas of the Muscat grape and a light sweetness that is refreshing, not cloying.”

Muscats are one of my wife’s favorite wines.  Our first introduction was a Becker Vineyards Muscat Canelli eight years ago.  After this, we happened upon a wine tasting storefront in the DFW airport and had our first taste of Sister Creek Vineryards’ Muscat Canelli.  More recently, in 2008, we returned from an extended wine touring weekend with a bottle of Texas Hills Vineyards Orange Muscato.  Overall, my wife favors Sister Creek Vineyard’s Muscat Canelli, but Brennan’s Austin Street Muscat Blanc is a close second.

While the Brennan’s grow their own Muscat de Alexderia grapes, the Muscat Blanc is made from Reddy Vineyards fruit.  Reddy Vineyards is just east of Brownfield, Texas and produces grapes for several wineries around Texas, most notably Haak Winery’s 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon which received several awards.  Dr. Vijay and Subada Reddy have been growing grapes since 1997.  According to a May 2009 High Plains/Midwest AG Journal article, the Reddy’s started with five acres and their current operation has 105 acres, 105,000 plants, that produce 400 tons of grapes in a year.   The Reddy’s website details that 4.5 acres has Muscat Canelli, or as the French refer to it Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.  These were planted in March of 2004.  In a September 2008 Lubbock Avalanche-Journal article, the Reddy’s indicated they plan to expand their current vineyard operation by another 60 acres over the course of five years.

Brennan’s Austin Street 2008 Muscat Blanc was a great close to an excellent dinner.  If desert wines are your forte, I’m confident you’ll enjoy this Muscat Blanc.

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Twin Springs Sweet Red

Twin Springs Sweet Red

Last week my wife returned to the house holding a bottle of Twin Springs Sweet Red.  Our first introduction to this wine came several years ago, during a stroll down the main drag of Fredericksburg, Texas.  We stopped in one of the wine tasting rooms, and was pleasantly surprised by a sweet red with the Twin Springs label.

Twin Springs is a brand produced by the Fall Creek Vineyards located in Tow, Texas.  Indicated by the Twin Springs website, this brand is dedicated to making wine simple,uncomplicated, and approachable without compromising quality.  Twin Springs offers three wines in addition to the Sweet Red: Sweet White, Sweet Blush, and ED’s Smooth Red.

Ed and Susan Auler, Fall Creek Vineyards owners, are considered icons in the Texas Wine Industry.  Fall Creek was established in 1975 when Ed purchased 400 acres on the northwest shores of Lake Buchanan.  Ed was the first person to bring wine-growing to the Texas Hill Country, and Fall Creek is the third largest winery in sales in the state of Texas.  According to Russ Krane, writer and publisher of the wine blog Vintage Texas, Ed Auler is the “Texas Robert Mondavi”.

Twin Springs was created in 2000 in response to the recognition that sweet wine drinkers comprise a significant percentage of the overall wine market.  To this end Twin Spring Sweet Red, a blend of Merlot and Zinfandel, was crafted for wine consumers who drink sweet wines and would like to broaden into red wines.  The lack of complicated descriptions and hard to pronounce varietals on the label coupled with an inexpensive price point positions this wine as consumer friendly.

To compliment this approach, it’s not surprising to see Twin Springs Sweet Red represented on Corkd.  Corkd is described as a social media site that makes wine accessible, approachable, and fun.  Initially developed in 2006, Gary Vaynerchuk purchased the site in 2007.  Gary’s love of wine, people, and social media have combined to create a Facebook equivalent for wine enthusiasts.  On Corkd, Twin Springs Sweet Red is rated above 87 by a couple of reviewers.  Twin Springs Sweet Red has also been featured by Mark V. Fusco on his wine resource site, 1337wine.com.  In his video review, Mark indicated he was “impressed with it,” offered a rating of 84, and suggested pairing it with a peanut butter and strawberry Jelly sandwich.

While I’ll pass on Mark’s pairing offer, I will agree it’s a good wine to close out a long day and enjoying good company.

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Brennan Vineyards Wine Dinner – Pairings

Brennan Vineyard’s Wine Dinner on September 11, 2009 start with assorted cheeses, crackers, and fruits paired with a choice of Brennan’s Austin Street labeled wines: 2008 Comanche Rose or 2008 Three White Chicks.  The 2008 Three White Chicks was among the last of those bottled and rare treat consider it is no longer available for purchase.  The 2008 Three White Chicks is a fun blend of Semillon, Chardonnay, and Viognier, which the Brennan’s were delighted with the response this particular wine had throughout the year.  The 2008 Comanche Rose is what the Brennan’s refer to as a “True Rose made from Nero d’ Avola and Muscat of Alexadria” grapes, according to their Fall 2008 Newsletter.  Previous vintages of the Comanche Rose have won a gold medal at the Texas Open and a bronze medal at the Lone Star International Wine Competition.

As dinner started, a fresh green salad was served followed by a spiked cream of squash soup.  Pat Brennan, winemaker and dinner host, paired this course with the Brennan Vineyards label Viognier.  By Pat’s own admission in a GOTEXAN wine cast on Viognier, the Rhone varietal is the “signature white wine of Texas.”  Brennan Vineyards produces the fruit for Viognier for several other wineries in the state.  Along with other Brennan’s Viognier that have garnered awards and metals at Houston Rodeo International and Lone Star International, the 2008 vintage received a silver medal at the Indy International and at the Finger Lakes International.

For the main course, guests had a choice of grilled beef tenderloin with Henry Bain sauce and creamed potatoes or ginger glazed mahi mahi with yellow saffron rice.  Both were accompanied by sauteed onion and aspoaragus.  Both dishes were paired with Brennan’s Austin Street label Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.  The 2005 vinage received a Bronze medal at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition.

To complete the dinner, peach champagne sorbetto with ginger cookie was paired with Brennan’s 2008 Austin Street Muscat Blanc.  While Brennan grows Muscat of Alexadria, they purchase fruit from the high plains to make their Muscat Blanc.  Surprisingly the pairing with the sorbetto balanced the sweet normally encountered with Muscat.

While the dinner and wines were excellent, seated at a table with two other couples who were attending their first wine dinner truly complimented the evening.  One couple was from Brownwood, Texas and the other from Whitney, Texas.  Sharing our impressions of wine, food, and travels, the three hour affair drew to a close before anyone realized.  Whether with friends, old or new, an evening of fine food … paired with excellent wine … paired with great conversation … makes for a most enjoyable evening.

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2007 Hook, Line, & Sinker White

2007 McPherson Cellars Hook, Line, & Sinker White

Earlier this week, my wife brought home a bottle of 2007 Hook, Line, & Sinker White Wine from McPherson Cellars. While the label defers from McPherson’s recognized label, just the name McPherson contains significant credentials.  Wine Enthusiasts familiar with Texas wines recognize the name McPherson and the legacy that accompanies it.  Dr. Clinton “Doc” McPherson is recognized as a pioneer of of the modern Texas wine industry.  Kim McPherson, “Doc’s” son, has been made his own mark over the last 30 years.  Kim has been the winemaker at Llano Estacado Winery and Cape Rock Winery before starting his own winery, McPherson Cellars Winery, to Honor his father.

According to the McPherson Cellars Winery website, the Hook, Line, & Sinker labeled wines indulges Kim’s “whimsical and irreverent personality while maintaining his commitment to making only high quality wines at affordable prices.”  Recognition of this quality is evident with the 2007 HLS White garnering a bronze medal at the 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ International Wine Competition.  The 2007 HLS White wine is an intriguing blend of all-Texas white grapes – French Colombard, Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvgnon Blanc.  In an interview in the Dallas Morning News Easts Blog (November 19, 2008), Kim indicated he modeled HLS White after the Southeast Australia wine, Shoofly’s “Buzz Cut” which has a blend of 35% Vignier, 26% Rieslin, 16% Chardonnay, 12% Verdelho, and 6% Semillon.

This is a nice subtle wine.  It has a hint of fruity or tropical notes, but these are balanced by it’s crisp dry tones.

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