A Busy Fall: The Beginning

I found myself overwhelmed right after Labor Day. I had little time to attend to any writing. I stepped away from a project I am working on with my intrepid partner, Sean Bircher. And I provide only a small bit of content for my other writing gig, Texas Wine Lover. Mainly, I graded papers; I focused on providing detailed feedback to my many students, which left me with very little spare time.

In that spare time, we did squeeze in a bit of wine. We got away one day a week, and we wisely used that to try new wines and relax. We did take some notes here and there, as well as a whole lot of pictures. So during the next few weeks, I will post some of those pictures from Sean's and my adventures.

First up for our fall had both a beginning and an end.

The Beginning

One of my first fall assignments for Texas Wine Lover was to cover the grand opening of Torr Na Lochs in Burnet.

We arrived at a busy time, but toured about and learned a lot about this new gem. When we finished, we enjoyed a snack and some wine while appreciating the incredible view.

For more on this new winery, check out my post at Texas Wine Lover.

The End (and a new beginning)

Despite the joy of this new adventure, one of Sean's and my favorite wineries "rode off into the
sunset." On Labor Day, Alamosa Wine Cellars in Bend welcomed guests one last time.

The news may have seemed bad, but it was actually good news. Owners Jim and Karen Johnson retired. They celebrated for a few months leading up to the big day. Now they get to travel more and enjoy the days ahead.

And we found ourselves very lucky during our visit. Longtime Texas Wine Friends Jim and Julie Baker happened to swing by the same day. It lead to a great day remembering old times.

Though we will miss the bold wines of Alamosa Wine Cellars, we wish Jim and Karen the best of luck on their next adventure. To learn more, check out Jeremy Wilson's article on Texas Wine Lover.

NEXT TIME:

October is always a whirlwind of a month: midterms, Halloween, etc. But this year, we celebrated my fortieth birthday. Check out how we celebrated our birthday!

Texas Wine Month has Started!

The greatest celebration of Texas wine is upon us. October is Texas Wine Month, and wineries throughout the state are celebrating with special events and festivals. For me, that means a trip to the Texas Hill Country Wineries and 31 days on the annual Texas Wine Month trail.

For those that do not know, the wine trail allows those who purchase passes to sample wines from all 42 participating wineries -- without any additional charge. For $35 for an individual pass and $60 for a couple, this is an incredible deal.

When on the trail, guests an enjoy up to 4 full tastings a day. There was some complaint about it at first, as those that can't regularly be in the area would not be able to visit many wineries. This is true, but by moving to 4 a day, they can no offer full tastings (rather than the typical 3), which makes for a more thorough experience. I have already enjoyed my first trail day, and I can say that 4 full tastings is an ample amount. To complete that Herculean task, we devoted almost 6 hours to make those four visits to wineries that were very close to one another (someone within sight distance).  I can honestly say that I enjoyed the fuller tasting; it forced me to slow down and enjoy the wine and the company. Best of all, it allowed me to real get a full measure of what each winery had to offer.

The other new change is the use of a tasting booklet. In years past, trail goers took their paper ticket to each of the wineries. At each winery the ticket was stamped to track each guests' visits. After awhile, the ticket could get full, and so many of the stamps were hard to read. The new book provides four spaces for each of the 31 days of the trail; there is no problem with keeping track. In addition to tracking visits, the book becomes a souvenir.

In addition to the trail, the wineries host a kick-off party during the first weekend. This year it was moved to Saturday, which made it easier to actually come. So from 6-8 on the 3rd, guests enjoyed the beauty of Hye Meadow and drank wines from the host, as well as Alamosa, Bending Branch, Lewis Wines, McReynold's, and Messina Hof. Live music from the Flying Pig provided the evening's soundtrack, and KHill Barbeque served up great food. This night ended up being perfect, with the moon raising on side and the sun setting on the other.

Luckily, this adventure is just getting started. There are still many days to visit the wineries and a second party on Saturday the 25 at Driftwood.To join the fun, head to the Texas Hill Country website and grab a ticket; they may just sell out. And then, let the Texas wine drinking commence.

An Affair to Remember: Main Street Affairs in Llano, TX

When I am out visiting wineries, especially those a little further from home, I look for certain businesses to enhance my trips. I look for good restaurants, places to stay, fun places to visit and be outdoors, and comfortable spots to relax. Yesterday, I found one of the places: a place to relax.

I realize that when visiting a winery, the best ones create an atmosphere where guests can sit back, sip their wine, and enjoy the scenery. But sometimes, you need something else. Sometimes the wineries are so busy you just want to get away from the crowds. Sometimes the weather makes outdoor seating painful. And at other times, the wineries are closed but the evening is still young. Finding one of these oasis is crucial, especially if you are staying in one of the many welcoming and quaint small towns in the Texas Hill Country. I found such a place in a town with no wineries but nestled between two wine trails -- Wine Road 290 and the Top of the Hill Country. On Main Street in Llano, I found Man Street Affairs.

This picture comes from Main Street Affairs' Facebook page.

I have to admit that I stumbled on this place. It was late in the afternoon and we were headed back to San Antonio from Fall Creek. I know I could drive good old reliable 281, but I prefer Highway 16 to Fredericksburg because it is often less busy and a lot more scenic. Just before we left the winery, I checked my Twitter account and found a promising last stop: Alamosa Cellars was about to start a tasting at a wine bar in downtown  Llano. We did not have the time to visit the winery that day, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to see Jim and Karen Johnson as well as try their new Rosata di Sangiovese. It turned out to be a lot more.

We couldn't find directions for the wine bar, so we had to search along Main Street. This was completely unnecessary as the wine bar is on the northeast corner of Main Street and Highway 16. The location was a bit plain in the front, especially at a distance; it seemed like many of those little shops squeezed into a small location. As we approached, I noticed that the outside was a lot nicer than I thought, and so was not entirely surprised by the rustic and classy interior. The space is a historic one, and the interior pay homage to that with a dusting of the modern. Despite the late afternoon sun shining into their western window, the place was a bit dim, a relaxing sort of dimness that could lead to someone becoming way too comfortable. The stone walls and dark wood made me think more of a wine cellar, which is a good thing for a wine bar. This little gem provided a wonderful retreat.

We first had a leisurely tasting with Jim and Karen, along with a few older couples from the area. The wine bar provided small stemless glasses for the tasting; I later found out they use them when someone wants to taste a wine or do a tasting. I really liked that they did more than serve wine by the bottle and glass; it is a treat to find a place that will actually do tastings. After the tasting, each couple went their own ways; one couple was joined by friends and sat in an open and full space so they could socialize, while the other one slipped off to one of the quieter spots in the back to enjoy a glass of wine with one another. We surveyed the rather spacious room as we made our way to a large and inviting bar.

This picture comes from Main Street Affairs' Facebook page.

The first surprise at the bar was that they only served Texas wines! Most of area wineries were there: Wedding Oak, Fiesta, Fall Creek, Alamosa (of course), Pontotoc, Dotson-Cervantes, and Sandstone. There were also a few more familiar wineries like Becker and William-Chris. Among the wines, they had offerings for white lovers, red fanatics, and even those with a sweet tooth. We settled in and found ourselves with far too many choices, a position I so rarely find myself in except at wineries.

I don't go to wine bars much. Many in San Antonio are expensive and have little choice in wines by the glass. And of course, few have any Texas wines (except Steinheimers at La Cantera). I had choice here, but price was my next concern. Well, price was not an issue. The average glass seemed to run $9, with some as little as $6 or $7. Few surpassed $10; the most notable was the most expensive, Perissos' 2012 Syrah for $15. Bottle prices were just as reasonable. In some cases, they were more than at the winery, but it was maybe one and half times the cost at the winery (if that). A good example in Pontotoc. Their wines run $25-$30 dollars; here a bottle only costs $39. While many were a bit more expensive -- which is to be expected -- a few were cheaper. Some of the Alamosa wines were actually cheaper than at the winery, so Jim encouraged people to buy a bottle here.

So we had an entire Texas menu at good prices. Oftentimes, these wines are by the bottle only; that was not the case here. So we searched the menu and pondered our choices. And then we spotted the perfect last glass of wine for our day: the 2008 Dotson-Cervantes Something Red. Rumors of this wine have circulated for quite awhile; I can't even remember when I first heard about the expansion of the label. But there it was, and very newly arrived. We were the first to try it at the wine bar, which we happily did.

Dotson-Cervantes Someting Red

As we sipped on the red blend from Mason County -- the terroir is clear and alluring in this wine -- we chatted with the staff. They were very friendly and relatively knowledgeable -- there were still things the were learning and were eager to learn more (they have only been open about 2 months). So we swapped stories and information. We felt welcomed, which is just what we look for out visiting wineries.

I can't say enough good things about Main Street Affairs. The spacious and cozy interior are the perfect refuge from the sweltering summer sun. The wine choices rank as one of the best in the area, and the prices didn't hurt my budget (only Sandstone in Mason has comparable selection and prices). The staff was as good as any of the best wineries in the area. From here on out, this may need to be one of my favorite stops. For more info, check them out on Facebook.

Sean Fills Some Space: Saturday, 10/26/2013

Between work and an amazing round of awesome wine things to do, Robin has actually been too busy to get any wine writing done.  Since my schedule is a bit less busy, I thought I’d take some time out of my role-playing game blog to leave some comments over here.

First of all, I’d like to thank Mike and Lynn McHenry of Wedding Oak Winery for letting us stay at their beautiful home on October 26^th.  Not having to make the 2+ hour trip back down to San Antonio after a busy day along the Top of the Hill Country Wine Trail was a tremendous relief and allowed us to enjoy the area more.

The drive out to San Saba had to be one of the most pleasant and beautiful long-distance drives I’ve ever made -- even if we did pass at least a score of dead raccoons on the highways.  (Jebus Cripes, there were so many dead raccoons!)  San Saba itself is charming and we’ll have to make a weekend of just enjoying the town and its sights someday soon; we were stunned by the LCRA San Saba River Nature Park look forward to taking in more of the town and its environs. 

Saturday began by checking in at Wedding Oak Winery where Mike McHenry himself gave us our tasting.  Wedding Oak’s location, nestled right in the heart of San Saba, is gorgeous; I can’t think of a tasting room that exceeds its charm and ambience (even if a handful match it).  Winemaker Penny Adams’ work, of course, exceeds the beauty of its surroundings, slipping more toward the Italian side of reds than the French.  Wedding Oaks’ wines are athletic – playful but not immature, exuberant without being childish – in a way that makes me think they could win the FIFA World Cup.

We stopped for lunch at the Bar D Brewhouse, which was recommended to us on the strength of its home-brewed root beer (I’m celiac and so can’t drink real beer).  Honestly, they seemed a bit understaffed and our food took a good while to come.  Mine was a bit burnt, but still tasty, and Robin enjoyed her meal without quibble.  It was a good thing we weren’t in a hurry.     

From San Saba, we then drove out to Alamosa Wine Cellars where winemaker Jim Johnson stared at Robin for a couple of moments before recognizing her (“Wait… I know that hat.”).  I like wines that punch you in the face -- bold, earthy, ornery wines that swagger about like the Man with No Name – and Alamosa delivers those.  I hope that doesn’t make them sound undrinkable to people who prefer softer, fruitier wines, because they’re very, very drinkable.

We mainly stopped in at Fiesta Winery because it’s conveniently close to Alamosa, but were pleasantly surprised to discover they’ve added some actual dry red wines to their fruit-infused line-up.  Hooray!  I apologize to Pilot Knob Vineyard for not swinging by there because the next event took us out in the opposite direction…

Sandstone Cellars Winery – another one of those awesome, face-punchin’ wineries – had a “Hallowine” get-together on Saturday night where they brought in the rest of the Mason County wineries for FREE TASTINGS!  Compass Rose Cellars, Dotson-Cervantes Wines, Fly Gap Winery, and Pontotoc Vineyard were all there GIVING AWAY WINE!!  FOR FREE!!!

(Also, Santos Taqueria is awesome.)

I’m torn.  On the one hand, I am happy that Hallowine was not packed to the gills.  I don’t like crowds and I was happy to have space to breathe.  On the other hand, I am bitterly disappointed that some of the absolute best wineries in Texas were giving away free wine and the streets of Mason were not a jam-packed bacchanal.  What is wrong with you people?!

Seriously, despite all the love I have for the 290 Trail and the Texas wine industry as a whole, I really think that Mason County has the capacity to be our Bordeaux, our Napa, our breakout wine region.  There’s something distinctive about the Mason wines, something that unifies them into one distinct taste sensation (with the exception of Gotas de Oro, which is still awesome).  Maybe it’s the terroir, maybe it’s the Touriga Nacional; I just know I like it.

We also met Bill Worrell.  He's fun.  And we finally met winemaker Don Pullum in person.  He is also awesome.

Unfortunately, all of this awesome was then followed by a terrifying drive back to the McHenry’s house as we kept our paranoid eyes peeled for small, furry mammals.  We really didn’t want to add to the heap of dead raccoons.  We got back to the McHenry’s amazing, bread-and-breakfast-worthy guest suite and promptly fell asleep.

WW: Alamosa Cellars' El Guapo

When Sean and I visited Alamosa Wine Cellars back in May, the first wine that really impressed us was the El Guapo 2010. For starters, we are both great fans of Tempranillo (this is 75%). Next, the blend of the two other grapes, 20% Graciano (another of our Alamosa favorites) and 5% Garnacha, added an extra layer that we had yet to experience with a Tempranillo blend. Recently, we opened up the bottle we brought home with us when we visited the winery in Bend. Right away, I found myself seeing the wine.

From Alamosa Wine Cellars

The Image

A Texas Garden

It clings, humid air holds
the heat close to everything.
The over ripe blackberries,
maybe dark raspberries,
ooze on the bush. Their scent
fills the air. Everywhere

it smells of fermenting and aging
fruit, and the tang of the top soil
collected around a hole; mounds
of it, little grains sticking together,
sticking to everything, clumping
and collecting. Full and heavy,
with water or with vitamins,
with something that gives it weight;

it is rich, yet, soft, malleable
under the slightest touch; moving,
enfolding, falling away.  Every inch
a dark contrast to what rests just below it.
Strength: drier, grayish grains bound into clots,
larger than the rocks
found interspersed between them.
Fortified, resistant to pressure,
except for the flaking pieces
that take to the air as dust.

The clots can shatter, scatter
into raged pieces,
but they still remain as they come to rest
along the hole's mouth.
And at its bottom, still,
rests the caliche. A mineral barrier
but also a foundation. Everything
sets here, finds support here:
the earth, the soil, the fruit. It lingers here.
It collects here,
all finds its way here.

Here, the pieces come together
in the garden.

Alamosa Cellars' El Guapo

The Basics

Drinking Notes

We decided to let this sit awhile. After opening, we let it rest over an hour. This allowed the wine to really open up; both aroma and taste seemed heightened.

Tasting Notes & Interpretations

As the poem suggests, when I taste this wine, I think of a backyard garden, not so different from my own. It is pungent and seducing on a hot humid day. The berries are ripe and have broken under the sun. This is the wine's scent; it smells so thoroughly of dark fruit, fruit I imagine to be just shy of going bad. And the first taste, the first experience mirrors that, but it is more.

From the onset, this particularly wine is fruity, but it tends toward the dark side. For me it is reminiscent of dark berries -- blueberries, blackberries -- just before they are too ripe to eat. The darker flavors of chocolate, especially bitter, dark chocolate, slip in and make the wine seem heavy and rich. This reminded me of fresh top soil. It is also the part of the wine that is deceptive. It seems like the wine will overpower everything, like the dense and rich top soil. I first wondered if these fruit and chocolate flavors would control everything; however, like the top soil, they prove malleable. They shift and give way to the leather, the earthier flavors of the garden's natural dirt come into play.

Then the wine's strong, resilient flavors emerge: tones of leather and the earthy minerals that linger on afterwards and can stand on their own. They quickly become the focus of the wine, the other flavors slipping into memory. But they also balance with the richness, provide depth instead of overload. This is much like the garden. Top soil is often too weak to stand on its own, it falls apart with ease. When placed on a firm bed of natural dirt, it seems even and stable. But even this bed cannot stand alone.

These flavors transition quickly and naturally. They give way to the fuller picture of the wine that dominates every sip after the first few. After awhile, the full range of flavor seems to dominate from the very beginning of a sip. A structural element is needed to provide a founding and connective force between what seems two very different aspects. In a Texas garden, this is caliche -- calcium carbonate. The mineral represents the tannins and acid at the end of the wine. They hold the two seemingly divergent parts together, provide a greater structure. It helps make the wine complete.

A garden is easy to appreciate it. It, of course, can provide beauty and sustenance (or even the grapes for wine). But those who have found the joy of getting their hands dirty, there are other sensual pleasures: there is the smell, the feel. Alamosa's El Guapo wine brings all of this together to make for a wonderful experience.

20. Northern Hill Country Landscape -- Visiting Alamosa Wine Cellars

Purple horsemint in the Northern Hill Country

20. Northern Hill Country Landscape

Purple horsemint fills

a blanket of wild yellow

broken by cacti hills:

A horny toad greets me here

with stubborn, bold swirls of wine.

I have to say that I am very glad I made the trip to Alamosa Wine Cellars. This out of the way place – part of the Hill Country wine trail and the Way Out Wineries trail – is a gem hidden in the northern hill country. In fact, this was everything I want in a winery: great wine, neat set-up, and great company.

Alamosa Cellars

When Sean and I first stepped in, we were greeted by the winery dog. He welcomed us in quickly – offering a belly to scratch. A little bit of time with a friendly pet passes the time well, which we needed because the small tasting room (with only winemaker Jim Johnson at the bar) was packed. A calm friendly welcome was a good sign. We relaxed until the crowd moved out, and we were rewarded with a long, meandering tasting and chat with winemaker Jim Johnson. He is a fount of wine knowledge, especially Texas wine knowledge.

Looking at the front of the tasting room.

On the side of the tasting room

First, the wines are great. I tasted much of the selections and was pleased with everything. The reds here are a BIG score. The El Guapo is an exciting blend that is held together well by Tempranillo – a neat tidbit learned is that Alamosa pioneered this grape in Texas, which is quickly becoming one of Texas’ best grapes. The other grapes used add complexity to the wine, a trait many of the wines share, especially the 2006 Port. These blends really matched the landscape. The odd collection of plant life seems to blend and mix seamlessly here – wildflower, prairie grasses, and cacti bundled together in waist high fields that stretch along the hills. As far as the eye can see in the northern Hill Country (in spring), one can see a variety of colors and textures that create a distinctive and complex landscape.

A Northern Hill Country landscape

Beyond the complexity of the landscape is the various nature of it. Depending on the direction one looks, the same elements – hills, rock outcrops, wild flowers, and sun – combine in different ways to create different views.  If I look one way, I may see rolling hills and soft wildflowers, another way may be jutting rocks with sparse flowers peeking out of a few spots, and then there are the spots that are parched from the heat of the Texas sun. The same goes for the blends at Alamosa. Most of the blends rely on the same sorts of grapes, but the proportion and technique used to fashion them from grape to wine creates variety of flavors. And with summer’s heat creeping back, I recommend the blush – Mouverdre never tasted so smooth.

Views of the vineyard.

What was best about the winery was the company. Jim had great insight – he warned me that my grape vine will likely be struck by Pierce’s  disease – as many vines here are. He then encouraged me not to give up growing, suggesting Touriga or Blanc du Bois, as they are rather hearty and easy to grow in Texas. Besides great wine lessons, especially about what will grow well here in Texas, he had great stories. I had already heard some funny tales about Dr. Becker (from Becker vineyards), but now I was getting it from one of the former Becker winemakers – the staff there never knows what Dr. Becker gets into (he is very hands on) until they find the mess later. This is both a frustrating story and a charming one.

Views of the vineyard.

The best of the stories was about the raccoon. They were unloading Grenache recently brought in from Mason when the grapes got loose and fell. Well, they salvaged what they could, but had to leave some behind – no one wants gravel with their wine. The grapes began to ferment under the late August sun, being one of the hottest times of the year. Then one night, Jim found a ball of fur where the grapes should be. He went up and discovered a very drunk raccoon. The raccoon had been feasting on the fermented grapes and looked up at Jim with that relaxed stare we all get from time to time. So, even Texas wildlife likes Alamosa wine. And if anyone’s interested, this wine can be found in the 2002 port.

Before leaving, we also got to meet Karen, Jim’s wife and an active member of the Texas wine world. She encouraged us to come back out for the WOW (Way Out Wineries) event at the end of June. The details were intriguing – a sample of wine (in a WOW stemless glass keepsake), a sample of each wineries’ chosen cuisine, and judging. Her enthusiasm was contagious, which makes the drive out to Alamosa worth it.

In fact, if Alamosa was the only place I visited, I would have left happy. I felt welcome at Alamosa, but I also learned so much. And the best thing I learned, I was missing out on some great wines.Even as I write this, I am enjoying my bottle of Texacaia. This wine, labeled as their Super Texan, is a smooth and balanced blend of Sangiovese, Tannat, and Petite Verdot. This wine is the late evening warmth, the heat of day waning in the summer dark. It is rich and full, deep and dark like the promise of the night. The warmth and spice of the day hints just above the rich flavor that saturates everything. I am so glad that the sun is setting, but another day for Alamosa is just past the horizon.

Winery Adventure Day One

This next week, I will get to have more than my share of wine as I visit a large number of Texas Hill Country wineries. The first leg was a trip to the northern hill country. My husband Sean and I decided to split it into two days. Day one is now in the books.

We started at Fall Creek, one of the best known and most commercial wineries in the hill country. When I go check out wine at my local grocery store -- HEB -- they dominate the shelves with their Fall Creek label, the Ed's label, and the Twin Springs label. This beautiful place -- stunning actually -- provides a great entry point into Texas wine. The wines here are solid and nice, and best of all, they are very affordable.

Next we traveled on to the best spot of the day: Alamosa Wine Cellars. Winemaker Jim Johnson saw to our tasting -- of really great Texas wines -- and our education. We stuck around for awhile, chatting with Jim and then his wife Karen. I have to say this is a friendly place and reminds me of my favorite 290 wineries. This is a MUST visit, and I recommend a visit to the winery if possible (they also have a conveniently located tasting room in Lampasas). And best of all, we can thank Jim for the next big Texas wine, Tempranillo.

We ended at Fiesta.Winery. This quaint winery was one that challenges convention. Much of their selection is not just wine but wine blended with fruit. There are some interesting flavors to be found, but it isn't just wine. Their strictly wine options are very typical of reds, and the stand out is their Tempranillo.

What vast diversity met us on day one. It was a lot of driving and sight seeing along the way, but the drive provided nice breaks between the wineries. It was a great way to start my week.

NOTE: I will provide more extensive posts on all the wineries, especially Alamosa, so check back soon.