WW: Politics and Religion @ Hilmy Cellars

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to try a brand new release at Hilmy Cellars. The 2010 Politics and Religion red blend has been a mystery since the winery opened. From the very beginning, release dates were sketchy, but everyone knew something was coming. Early estimations had been July, but that month went and passed with no word. But as the Fall wine shipment appeared on the horizon, teasers came out. And before we all knew it, the new blend was about to see the light of day.

Politics and Religion at the tasting release party

A Little Back Story

This is one of the early wines made by the winery, but it was been left aging for quite awhile. This is a 2010 vintage that was bottled only days before the unveiling -- Tuesday and Wednesday before the Saturday release. As of right now, this wine has had time to develop in the barrel, and the early taste shows that this aging added a lot of earthiness and oak to the flavor. However, this wine is still very new to the bottle; the flavors are not yet melded and balanced, still struggling in their new container. It is still drinkable at this time, but it will be best left to rest in the bottle for a bit. I would easily estimate a few more months, so maybe a Christmas pairing is in order.

This blend is comprised of a popular Texas grape, Mourvedre, and the always blendable Merlot. The grapes make a nice pairing, bringing two different approaches to a wine. Without any other major grapes added, both are able to sing out. And that is perfect considering the quality of the grapes. The grapes come from Andy Timmons' Lost Draw Vineyards in the High Plains. The heritage of the grapes adds to the developing success of the blend.

Tasting

Right now, the dark fruit flavors are the powerhouse here, a dominating force throughout the entire tasting experience. They stride forth with the just the aroma. Dark fruit, especially the deeper berries (and to a lesser degree, plum) are strong from first smell to final taste. In fact, upon first tasting, the fruit is bold and heavy; it is a weight that settles in and fills everything. It is a sense of decadence with such powerful fruit.

The fruit starts to soften around mid-palate as the earth and oak begin to emerge. There is a strange dustiness to the final essence, like the ground beneath the summer sun. The earth and minerals tend toward this drier sense, playing with the hint of oak that seems just out of reach.

At this point, the fruit and earth are not well balanced. The fruit seems to rest on top of the earth, almost like a thick blanket on a cool day. This isn't unpleasant; the great flavors are clear and tasty,  drawing the taster back. But the wine is still young in the bottle. The earth has not collected and strengthened to match the fruit, and so they have not quite come together to create a more unified experience. However, towards the end, as both slowly fade, the earth is stronger, almost a match for the fruit. Here the flavors begin to weave. This was the sign I was looking for (a trait I noticed in the Vintage Texas Tannat from Bending Branch). This lush and desirable flavors are just starting to get to know one another in the bottle. Until they do, the one that comes first will remain dominate; however, with time, the other will grow stronger and join with its partner. In time, this wine will have a rich and luxurious complexity that will be a delight (just as I suspect from the Vintage Tannat).

Visual Tasting

This wine, right now, is an early summer, one that has already seen the force of the sun and the heat. The ground is dry, the loose grains rustling in a heat driven breeze. A few inches down is just more loosening dirt, lightening in color. Here it is not soil; it is not unified. However, just a little further, the ground darkens, softens, and knits together in the tightest of weaves. It is hidden and waiting for just the right moment to reach toward the sky.

And along this ground creeps dark green weeds. Clover and similar hearty plants dance along the surface of the loose dirt. The dirt can only be seen in patches, a hint visible through the skeletal lace of the tendrils and vines that reach out from the root. These tangled vines creep and crawl along the dirt, lacing their way along the surface, touching only lightly; the contact is limited. But at that root, those same vines turn into a great vein that suddenly dives deep and reaches for what hides beneath. It desires the comfort and strength of the soil; it reaches out to join with it. The two are almost one here, invisible to the sun's gaze. They hide and wait until the rains come, until the sun dims, and a new season allows them to fully be what they are meant to be.

Like the weeds that struggle through the harshest Texas summers, the wine waits until the right moment is upon it. At that time, the flavors will come together into something all its own. The weeds will wait, keeping their light dominance over the dust and soil (just as the fruit stays on top). When Fall rains arrive to soak the surface, the vein and soil below will reach up, gathering the tendrils to them, and a blanket will spread and fill the land, a carpet of green and lush scents only possible when the earth and plants are one. If we can just wait, the dust in the wine will clear, grow into a lush earthiness that will mingle and weave into the fruit to make a wine that will be one that all will agree on, unlike the two topics the name evokes.

WW: William Chris Wines' Enchante

William Chris Wines is one of the friendliest wineries along the Texas 290 wine trail. The staff is quick to welcome every visitor and work to make the newcomer feel like a part of the William Chris family. And once someone joins Hye Society, the wine club, a new family member is inducted. This spirit of friendship is expressed well in the winery's signature blend, Enchante. This wine is a wonderful introduction; it is a friendly and relaxed greeting that makes the drinker feel right at home.

Tasting

This Texas Hill Country red blend is mainly Merlot with a good proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. It is evened out with Cab Franc and Ruby Cabernet. This unfiltered wine spends twelve months in new French and American oak.

The current 2010 blend is a strong red with rich fruit scents on the nose. These ripe, dark berries dominate the palate during tasting. Despite this fruit forward nature, the wine is not sweet; it is a lush dry red. This is made possible by the hint of the Texas terroir, the mineral nature so common in much of the Texas soil, coming out, at first, at the end of the taste.  With continual tasting, the essence of minerals and soil comes through a bit more, starting at the middle of the palate. This flavor sits just underneath the fruit and intermingles with the fruit as one continues to sample the wine. At this point, a deeper complexity starts to take shape as the two flavors intertwine and mingle to make a wine that is not so easy to pinpoint. The aftertaste becomes increasingly harmonized between the two, making a pronounced last flavor. This flavor then melts away inviting the drinker to take another sip.

Visual Tasting

My first thought leaned towards the serene and a concept of two seemingly different parts going together. This made me think of a smooth, fluid brook that is taking its time as it makes its way through a wooded area.

The brook is at a state of ease while also moving. It flows naturally, unhindered, as it makes its way on its own time. There are no obstructions, no rocks or debris, littering and disrupting its path. This stream is idyllic, much like the taste of berries that predominates the wine.

The banks are the most interesting part. The stream has no defined edges. Instead, it melds with the grasses and soil that edge it. In some places the brook laps at the soil, and at others, the grass grows out into the water. The two seem intertwined; they fit together and cannot be taken apart. This is like the tannins and mineral quality of the wine that settles into the fruit but doesn't overpower it.

And of course, this stream is dotted with berry bushes. Blackberries and deep red raspberries pop up now and again. The berries are ripe; some are beginning to ooze and attract the occasional bee. The scent takes flight on the movement of the stream and fills the landscape. This is a place to rest against a tree and take a moment to drink it all in. Enchante asks for the same.

Secondary Tasting: A Real-Life Connection

The large oak behind the tasting rooms at William Chris, June 2012

 After I saw the stream, I thought back to the winery itself. The lands behind the current tasting room (and the new one that is nearly ready and looking great) include a large, beautiful oak and a great growth of natural Texas. This of course links well with my image. But this is not what I think about when I think of William Chris. I think about the people. And then it hit me: this wine is William Chris.

As I mentioned earlier, the winery is one of the friendliest. Every time I arrive, I am quickly welcomed. Someone sights me and calls out a greeting. Before long, I find myself hugged. I love this. I love the friendships I have formed at this winery. This matches the comfort and naturalness of the mingling flavors in this wine.

Bill Blackmon

But, this wine is also the two men at the helm: Bill Blackmon and Chris Brundrett. The two men in charge project very different personalities, but they are ones that blend well together. Chris is the fruit flavor of the wine. He is the obvious face of the winery, much like Enchante's fruit forward nature. I can't leave the premises without a hug from him. He welcomes everyone in his natural down home way. On the other hand, Bill is a quieter. He, like the tannins and minerals, tends to hide behind the larger personality. But also like those flavors, he shows to be a very important figure that is crucial to the overall success.This is evident in his dedication to the vineyards that supply the winery with some of the most incredible grapes.

Chris Brundrett

In the end, Enchante is a wine to sit back and enjoy. It is easy to grab a bottle, find a comfortable shady spot, and let the day pass at the winery in Hye. Even at home, the tension slips away, and I feel transported and comforted by this wine. It is a good friend from a winery that wants to make every visitor a friend. 

Wine Wednesday: Pedernales Cellars 2009 Merlot

Last week, I found myself with tendinitis in my left arm and was placed on some serious meds -- ones that cautioned against even a single drink. This week, I am better and still taking some medication, but they say to limit alcohol. So with the prohibition lifted, I rifled through my collection of bottles looking for just the right one. After Sean's and my recent visit to Pedernales Cellars, as well as their kind visit to the Better Block Party in San Antonio, I knew I had to open one of their bottles. I side stepped my horde of Block One, which has been sold out since March, and  somehow came to the 2009 Merlot we bought a while back during a visit to Vinously Speaking. Ah, when I opened this wine this week -- after nine days of no wine -- I felt a relaxing satisfaction.

Pedernales Cellars 2009 Merlot

Tasting

This wine is subtle and surprising. When I took a few moments with the aroma, I caught scent of rich chocolate that was emboldened by the sweetness of dark fruit (more the sweet smell associated with the fruit rather than the fruit smell). After swirling and lingering, the strength of the wine moved forward, one of tobacco and earth. The scent went from lush to deep in just a few swirls.

The rich aroma gives way to flavors that are more subtle than rich. Honestly, I had been avoiding Merlots for a bit; I had gotten bored by them, especially the relative blandness I kept finding. When I tasted this wine back at the shop and this week, I was reminded about the interesting nuances Merlot can manifest when grown and matured in Texas. In this case, the flavors connected to the aroma -- the chocolate, the dark fruits, even the tobacco and earthier flavors -- are light and soft. They dance on the tongue and slide right by. Even as I sat chewing at the wine, I still had to hone in to find these flavors. They were only hints at first, but with care, they dance and mingle together.


What was noticeable was the warmth, or burn, in the wine. I was surprised that as I began to swallow, the heat suddenly picked up. It was a pleasant surprise that played with the tobacco in the wine. But even this strong sensation melded away. This wine enticed my palate but made me eager to drink more. It was as if there were hidden treasures still waiting for me or lost pleasures to be revisited; I had to dive right back in.

Visualization

Heat brushes my skin.

Across the sky, clouds slip and shift.

I stop to note it. 

This week saw me back to full time work (which means trying to teach six writing heavy college courses). My summer is past, and I find myself embracing the word Fall -- all this despite the heat outside that constantly reminds me that Summer doesn't end for at least three more weeks (officially) and will likely linger for a few more after that. And so it was no surprise that vacation was on my mind. But what was interesting was the sort of summer night that came to me as I pondered over this enticing wine.

I see a warm, dry summer night. The heat from the day is slowly dissipating but it still lingers on as night settles in. But it is the heat of night that is comfortable and just noticeable -- like the subtle flavors in the wine. The dry night whisks away the few beads of sweat that form, so there is just enough time to notice and feel the heat but not enough to be enveloped or overtaken by it -- and this is just like the heat I tasted as I drank the wine. There is a comfortable, relaxing quality about this sort of summer night. It is so easy to just sit outside and gaze up at the night sky.

Gardens by Moonlight -- San Antonio Botanical Gardens

And the night sky is full of long, thin clouds. The clouds swiftly move across the sky, shifting the colors just slightly: one moment it seems a flat black or maybe a dark charcoal gray, next a midnight blue peaks through, at another time it is a deep purple that spreads along the space. This fluctuating color is slow and subtle, despite the clear and constant movement of the clouds. But the clouds not only give way to different colors but also different views. Sometimes the sliver of moon shines bright or is obscured by a circle of clouds. Sometimes a cluster of stars, or maybe a rogue individual, blinks in the sky. And then there are the times that there seems to be nothing but open sky.

A glimpse of the moon -- William Chris Vineyards 2012

This subtle and slow change in the sky is matched only by the activity that surrounds me. An animal's call may pierce the quiet, but it always fades away. The laughter of playing children breaks the silence, but they quickly return to it knowing that they need to make sure their parents don't remember what time it is and force them to go in and go to bed. The sounds seem to appear suddenly, but they do not break the mood, and they fade away naturally. And just as they appear and disappear, so do the birds that sweep out of the trees from one branch to another. Or, maybe, without warning, a bat glides into view and moves smoothly from one peripheral to the other. This is a night of natural and smooth peaks and valleys.

Out in the open, I sit and enjoy this, concentrating on every stimuli I can. The ground around me has seen the worst of summer; the grass comes in odd shaped and sized clumps of faded green and crunchy brown. There seems to me more dirt than grass. But that is okay; it gives me one less thing to focus on. It is stable and simple. In this open space, I can feel the heat as it seems to breeze by. I can follow the clouds on their trek across the sky. I can listen for the sounds that murmur and crescendo. I can watch as the world moves on.

I remember so many nights like this as a child. The kids on my block would come back out after dinner. With the day cooling, it made for a great time to run. And with the dark, hide and seek became a real challenge. Even a good journey into the realm of make believe was aided by the darkness and its sensations. As we gathered to play, our parents gathered to chat. They would come together in someone's driveway -- lawn chairs and cool drinks in tow -- to share the news of the week. I made use of those summer nights and wish I could recapture them. As I sipped and savored this wine, I felt they were back again.

26. The "Twin" Wineries: Pillar Bluff and Texas Legato

26. The "Twin" Wineries
Pure Hill Country
Grape vines wrap around,
cradle a humble refuge:
effortless, wine flows.

Hill Country Song
Carefully they move,
crisp, light shifts to deep and dark:
a wine symphony. 

A word of warning: This is a long entry. I was compelled to write about the two wineries -- Pillar Bluff and Texas Legato -- together. This was due to the strange and fascinating connections the two share.

The last day of our wine trip in the Northern Hill Country found us visiting two distinct wineries with a common heritage. Pillar Bluff and Texas Legato present a different take on wine, from the wine to the bottle. Despite such differences, the two wineries (around the corner and within sight distance of one another) are owned by twins. This provided a unique and exciting wine experience.

The vineyards at Pillar Bluff

Texas Legato

The Twins' Shop: Drops of God, Vol. 2

I first want to talk about the twin thing. Heather, at Pillar Bluff, made it clear that these were very different men. Gill Bledsoe (at Pillar Bluff) spends as much of his time as possible tending the grapes and making the wine. He lives and breathes the whole thing. Bill Bledsoe (Texas Legato) is equally in love with this endeavor; when we were there he was intimately involved. However, this is his weekend job. During the week, he knows the professional world like most of us (I could easily relate). I think their philosophies -- simplicity and complexity -- derive from this. But for me, the most interesting part of this all is the connection to my current favorite comic, Drops of God. 

The Twins: Drops of God, Vol. 2

 One of the main characters, Miyabi, grew up with a pair of twins, Kenya and Junya Ishikawa. Their father owns a wine store that is to passed down to the both of them. Like Gill and Bill, they approach wine differently. One brother is more sophisticated; his appearance is sharp, crisp, and professional, and he focuses on premium wines. The other brother is a former bosozoku -- a biker gang member -- that still retains a bit of that style, the more denim themed clothes and a bit of a 50s throwback (even a pompadour). He wants to find the best wine at the best price, to make it available and enjoyable for all. Though their appearances didn't match, the idea of twins with different takes on wine piqued my interest.

 We started at Pillar Bluff, owned by Gill, after a supportive recommendation from family friends Steve and Kathy Feinstein (see there music work with Fein Tuned and The Tim and Bob Show). We arrived to a small and cozy tasting room; I was grateful, due to size, that we were the only ones there. Heather, who works the tasting room during summer break, greeted us as we entered and welcomed us to taste and chat. We felt very welcome here and enjoyed the conversation as much as the wine. We were told us about Gill but also Bill. We gained insight into the the history of the winery and Gill's philosophy. Then we found the most interesting news of the day: we all attended the same college and studied the same degree for at the same time. Well, that lead to a lot of reminiscing too.

As for the wines, they are simple. Gill seems to be a bare bones sort of guy. He dedicates himself to every aspect of the wine, from the grapes to the wine. The dedication shines through the wine. The MOST perfect example is their 2009 Double Gold Merlot. This wine is deep and complex, more akin to a Cabernet Sauvignon than a Merlot. The color is deep, and the aroma drifts up and hints at the wines subtle flavor. And that is just how it starts; there is a subtle development of flavors until a penultimate point is reached. Here the wine plateaus, and the flavor is rich with fruit that doesn't have much of a sugary feel. The undertone is earthy, but it doesn't get taken over by the mineral nature of most Texas wines. It ends smooth. When I opened my bottle after a bad day about a week back, it seemed to sink in and relax everyone of my muscles. Another stand out was the Tyler, a Rhone style blend. This wine, named for a family member, was more luxurious and closely resembled its French counterpart.

Outside at Pillar Bluff

Before leaving, we did take a bit of time to explore the grounds. Now, despite the small tasting room, the outside had a beautiful open pavilion in a circular form. This area had both an air of classicism and local flavor. It was classy and comforting. Too bad the sun was high in the sky and starting to bare down on us, otherwise sipping on a glass of wine in this peaceful landscape would have been wonderful.

After leaving, we drove around the corner to Texas Legato. This tasting room was homey, obviously made to be a home away from home for the owners. The inside seemed a bit kitschy or over-the-top at first glance, but the friendly greeting and the rapport of everyone there made it seem natural. Now I have to admit that it felt a bit tight and anxious during our visit, but that was because they were bottling when we arrived. The tasting room had a section that was stacked high with newly bottled wine, as well as the extra seating area over taken by labeling. Many of the folks at Texas Legato were running around between the back -- where they were bottling -- and the front. Despite all the activity, time was made to sit down and welcome us. We were even invited to the back to see the bottling firsthand.

At the tasting bar at Texas Legato

It was made clear that this was an example of a small winery bottling. The process was simple. One person took the bottles, usually two at a time, and placed them on a rod that shot water up into the bottle; this effectively cleaned the bottles. This, on occasion, often resulted in the person getting wet. Then the bottles moved through the makeshift assembly line to be filled. Wine was passed through a large steel container into the bottles. Though it seemed the machine knew what it was doing, Bill, who was operating it at the time, often had to check to make sure that enough was put in. Then the bottles had a cork inserted into them. After that, a covering was placed over the cork. The final step looked like placing the lengthwise portion of a hair dryer over this top. This strangely familiar looking tool sealed the material to the bottle. From there, bottles were boxed for labeling, and unlike at Perissos earlier in the day, they did this by hand. NOTE: if you want to see a larger wineries production in the hill country, I would suggest Duchman in Dripping Springs.

Blurry picture of bottling at Texas Legato

As for the wines, these were a more complex array. Blends and less common varietals (compared to the nearby wineries) were the offering. It seems that Texas Legato likes to provide a more complex wine. This is very easy to see in the more complicated and detailed labels (as compared to Pillar Bluff). The blends, such as the Family Reunion, and the ports were the standouts here. The Family Reunion was a bold complex blend that matches the larger wineries (especially the HWY 290 ones) similar red blends. It was rich and bold. As for the ports, well, they are a delight. I am not a port drinker; I often find them too sweet. My husband loves port; he would fit into the traditional formal meals found in Regency and Victorian England (you can also get a feel for it by watching Downton Abbey). The ports here were drier, mellowing the sweetness. But by doing that, other richer flavors came out. Instead of a strong sugary taste, I tasted other flavors, the berry and more earthy flavors. And with Texas Legato's port sippers, those flavors came bursting through.

After these last two visits, we were quite sated, and it was both easy and hard to make the long drive home. We had found two wonderful little gems. The wineries provided some of the most exciting wine and visiting experiences. We knew we had found the great time we had been looking for, and so felt comfortable heading home. On the other hand, these were wines we want more of; these are wineries we want to visit more. This made it very hard to leave. And of course, we are definitely planning on going back.