Texas Wine Gal

Pontotoc, Texas

Ever heard of it? You will soon. Carl Money and his family, which owns Pontotoc Vineyard, have big plans to turn this small section of a beautiful Texas highway into a Texas wine destination.

Read the front-page San Antonio Express News story by Jennifer McInnis who provides a great overview of the winery, its history and what’s to come. 

Our group headed to Pontotoc to see first-hand the property and hear from Carl about his plans. Carl, his wife Frances and his uncle Ronnie (who runs the vineyard with the detail of a hawk) graciously welcomed us to their place, even putting us up for the evening in their several-bedroom home on the property (which has terrific potential to be a future B&B).

Vineyard with home in background

We met Carl at TEXSOM last year with one of our favorite Texas winemakers Don Pullum of Akashic Vineyards, who makes the Pontotoc wines and will soon start his own Akashic winery in this new development that is scheduled to open in October in time for Texas Wine Month.

Don, Ronnie and Carl

In addition to Akashic Vineyards, Alphonse and Martha Dotson will also open a winery here. Alphonse and Martha’s first wine has been a huge hit — the Gotas de Oro - and I can’t wait to see what else they plan to make.

Pontotoc sits between Mason and Llano — in what I would call, the most perfect bike riding stretch of the Hill Country. Absolutely gorgeous country.

The home overlooks the vineyard and immediately upon settling into one of the chairs around the fire pit or on the porch, you start to slow down and just enjoy living.

Carl Money

Don Pullum

Jessica and me

Alissa, Margaret and Carl

We enjoyed a lovely dinner prepared by Don, and of course, shared several bottles of Pontotoc wine, which is 100 percent estate Tempranillo and absolutely delicious.

The tasting room is gorgeous — can’t wait to return for harvest (yes, I will get my hands dirty!) and for Texas Wine Month.

Clink!

Lucky girl

Yes, I really am one of the luckiest people I know.  I spend lots of my time enjoying wine and visiting Texas wineries.  The best part is the friends I travel with and the friends I make along the way, including the winemakers, winery owners and grape growers in the Texas wine industry.

This weekend, Jessica Dupuy of Texas Monthly, Alissa Leehner with SAHMmelier, Margaret Shugart with Wine Roads of Texas and I headed out for a Texas wine journey. 

Destination: Mason and Pontotoc. 

Of course, we had to make a few stops along the way, starting with Hye. Texas and William Chris Vineyards.

Tasting with Chris Brundrett of William Chris.

My two favs:

Next stop: 4.0 Cellars — the tasting room with McPherson Cellars, Brennan Vineyards and Lost Oak Winery.

Had to pick up Brennan Vineyards Lily and Buffalo Roam.

Next up:  Mason and swinging by Sandstone Cellars.

Scott Haupert with Sandstone Cellars

Beautiful, rich, dry reds powered by Touriga

I went home with this piece of art — not sure I will ever want to open it because it’s so beautiful!

Sandstone NV Port

#happygirl

Cheers!

Chillin’ with Cowboys and Gauchos

The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas has some killer events, and today’s Cowboys and Gauchos was one of them — super fun and laid back, with great wines and amazing BBQ meats prepared by local chefs.

The wines were primarily from Texas and Uruguay, both countries sharing similar climates.  More and more Texas wineries are making wines from Uruguay’s Tannat grape — including Bending Branch and Alamosa Wine Cellars, which includes Tannat in its Texacaia red blend. Alamosa’s Jim and Karen Johnson have also been pleased with their Graciano, the first of this Spanish varietal to be produced in Texas.  Super nice wine with chocolate-cherry flavor.

My wine favorites included some new Texas wines I have not tasted before:  Becker Vineyards Provencal Rose, the first Provencal made by their new winemaker John Leahy, and Flat Creek Estate’s Cuvee Blanc and Tempranillo.  I also enjoyed old favorites including the McPherson Cellars Albarino,  Duchman Family Winery Vermentino and the Pederales Cellars GSM.

Hye Meadows Winery is set to open in several months and will offer wines from Washington state, including a lovely Edelzwicker, Chardonnay and Sangiovese. Today, they shared a tank sample of their first Texas Tempranillo.

My food favorites: Jack Allen’s cabrito tacos and Cafe Josie glazed pork with a sweet sauce and served with the most amazing, super crisp sweet but peppery cookie. 

Salt Lick Pavilion meat pit

Jim and Karen Johnson with Alamosa Graciano

Alyssa @Sahmmelier and Matt @whatareyoudrinking

Hye Meadow Winery owners Mike and Denise Batek with Matt McGinnis

Hye Meadow Winery wines

David Mayfield, king of Tannat and importer of Uruguay wines

John Bratcher and Kassie McPherson, McPherson Cellars

Cheers!

My little sweet one

Yes, that’s what Dolcetto means in Italian and let me tell you, I love this red wine. Lots of black cherry, red plum and hint of pepper on the finish, with soft tannins make this a red wine to pair with pasta or meat.  Me, I like it as a red sipper.

Duchman Family Winery makes Dolcetto in Texas and it’s one of my favorite Texas reds.

Cheers!

Texas Monthly Top 20 Wine Picks for 2012

My friend Jessica Dupuy with Texas Monthly has shared her Top 20 favorite Texas wines — and lucky for me, I have tasted most of these.  I must admit the Brennan Vineyards Lily, the Duchman Winery Vermentino and Trebbiano and Perissos Roussanne are among my favorite white white wines.

For the reds, I am intrigued that two of the Top Reds are Nero D’Avola.  I have not tried either of these wines but will pick them up soon! I love the McPherson Sangiovese and William Chris Hunter for lighter style reds, and the Pedernales Tempranillo Reserve and the Pontotoc Vineyard San Fernando Academy when I’m hankering for something with some weight.

While I was getting over bronchitis last week, I sipped on the Hilmy Cellars Muscat Canelli and it was like enjoying a Clementine. It has nice acid to balance out its slight sweetness.  The Messina Hof Moscato is also a nice dessert wine that is not too sweet.

Go try some of these wines and let me know how you liked them!

Cheers!

Dry Comal Creek “Bone Dry” French Colombard 2011

My friends at HomeAway presented me with this beauty for my birthday and it remains one of my favorite Texas whites*.  The Dry Comal Creek Bone Dry French Colombard is a full-bodied white with tropical notes and at first sniff, you would think it would be sweet.  But it’s minerally and dry — just like the label says.

*As one might expect, Colombard is not widely grown in Texas.  This is a wine “for sale in Texas only” which means its fruit comes from outside of the state.  Thanks Dry Comal Creek for making a great wine from that juice!