Exploring the Purposeful Journey of Texas Wine

Here’s the story that I’ve created about Texas wine:

Every non-Texan can hold whatever belief they have about Texan wine. Whether we adore it, dislike it, or feel indifferent, a Texan doesn’t care. Texans will stand by their beliefs, and they will continue enjoying their Texan wine, thank you very much.

I’m not completely sure how accurate my story is. Still, I know that Texas frequently challenges New York for the spot of fourth-largest wine producing state by volume, and that the number of Texan wineries shot up from around 20 in the 1980s to more than 450 nowadays. I also know that it’s pretty rare to spot a Texan wine at a retail store or on a restaurant wine list. Clearly, a substantial number of people are enjoying all that Texan wine. And those people aren’t us non-Texans.

White, Red, Rosé wine glasses

Several weeks back, I hosted a wine tasting event for a group of friends and wine enthusiasts. Among the varietals on the tasting menu were wines from Texas, which, as expected, many of them hadn’t tried before. Just as predicted, some skepticism tinted the initial expectations due to unfamiliarity with Texan wines, coupled with personal wine preferences, mostly favoring Spanish, Italian, and Oregonian wines.

We approached the tasting mindful of the prejudices and preconceived notions that might affect our perception of the Texan wines. As we sipped and discussed, we acknowledged these biases and made a few collective observations about the Texan wines we tasted.

I should clarify that our tasting event was not an exhaustive representation of all Texan wines, and I’m quite sure that different selections would yield different reflections. However, from the ones we tasted that night, the red wines were the warm favorites over the whites and rosés. For instance, the intense flavors of dusty leather and plum found in the 2021 Montepulciano Reserve from Hillmy Cellars were reminiscent of some favored Spanish red wines enhancing the experience with unique notes of tamarind and horseradish, receiving much praise from the group.

Perhaps tasting these unfamiliar wines invited more creative and imaginative interpretations of the experience. Case in point: the tamarind and horseradish tones discoverable in Hillmy’s Montepulciano Reserve, or the diverse descriptors for 2021 Invention LB from Heath Family Brands like “leathery, more French than Italian,” “red pepper seed,” and even “the grape jelly on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

Receiving praise such as a wine drinker choosing a specific wine “on purpose”, or in other words, deliberately seeking it out beyond the confines of our group tasting, is one of the biggest compliments. Such was the case for the highlighted Montepulciano and Invention LB wines, as well as the 2021 Nichol from Airis’Ele Vineyards. This wine, a blend of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot, was the undeniable favourite for one taster. Another found it to be exactly “as advertised”, implying a favorable match between the aromas and the taste, where the latter successfully lived up to the expectations sparked by the former.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!