Happenings at TWC
Délestage, An Important Winemaking Technique
The term délestage often comes up when discussing wines and winemaking techniques, so it seems appropriate to define this term for Carl’s Corner readers. The word is pronounced “day-leh-staj” and literally means “making lighter” in French, referring to the process of making the grape juice less dense by separating the grape solids (skins and seeds). Délestage is a technique used in fermenting red grapes that helps produce softer wines with less astringent tannins, more fruit character, and a mellower finish. Continue »
Oct 11, 2023 at 4:58 AM
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Wine Club Release – Sep-2023
Summertime is nearly over (maybe?), even though temperatures are still flirting with that 100+ degree mark each afternoon. Labor Day holiday is just around the corner and football season has begun. That means it is time for the TWC September Wine Club Release events – scheduled for Sundays, September 10 and September 17 with sessions scheduled for11:00-1:30 and 2:30-5:00. Reservations are required and wine club members are encouraged to sign into the website at www.texaswinecollective.com to select your session. Four adults are allowed per wine club membership to attend one of the sessions. Continue »
Aug 30, 2023 at 10:03 AM
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World of Blends
Another Texas Wine Collective Texas Tasting Series is planned for Sunday, 20-Aug-2023 with sessions at 12:30 and 2:30 pm. The topic is Blends and attendees will taste six wines produced from multi-variety grape blends – 3 from TWC winery partners, Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars – and 3 wines from other important wine regions – Rhône Valley, France, and Southern Australia. Tasty food bites will be provided to accompany the wines. Advance registration and payment are required. See the www.texaswinecollective.com website. Continue »
Aug 11, 2023 at 8:17 AM
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Texas Tasting Series - Texas vs Spain
A tasting to compare and contrast Spanish grape variety wines made in Texas and Spain is scheduled Sunday, July 23, in the Texas Wine Collective Event Center with sessions at 12:30 and 2:30 pm. Many regions in Texas have similar climates and soil compositions to those in Spain, and the same grape varieties can thrive in both places. That is a key reason so many Spanish-origin grape varieties show up in Texas tasting rooms. Attendees will taste wines from traditional Spanish grape varieties – Albarino, Mourvèdre/Monastrell, and Graciano, produced by the TWC winery partners – McPherson Cellars, Lost Oak Winery, and Brennan Vineyards – paired with three Spanish wines from the regions of Rias Baixas, Alicante, and Rioja. Amber Saidler, TWC Operations Manager and Chef, has arranged three delicious small food bites to accompany the wines. Skewer with ham, cheese, olives, cherry tomato Black Bean Empanada Buñuelos with Chocolate Dipping Sauce Continue »
Jul 15, 2023 at 2:38 PM
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Mourvèdre or Monastrell
Another TWC Texas Tasting Series event featuring Texas and Spanish wines will include the grape variety Monastrell, or as it is more commonly known by its French name, Mourvèdre. This event is scheduled for Sunday, 23-July, with sessions at 12:30 and 2:30 pm. Attendees will taste, compare, and contrast traditionally Spanish grape varieties grown and wines produced in Texas versus key regions in Spain. Continue »
Jul 5, 2023 at 2:05 PM
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Tempranillo Showdown – Texas vs Spain
A pairing event will that allow attendees to compare and contrast Tempranillo wines grown and produced in Texas versus key regions in Spain is scheduled Sunday, June 25. Three Texas Tempranillos from our TWC winery partners – Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars – will pair with three Spanish Temps from the regions of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Toro. Amber Saidler, TWC Operations Manager and Chef, will present three delicious small food bites to accompany the wines. There will be two sessions, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Continue »
Jun 16, 2023 at 9:12 AM
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Spanish Grapes other than Tempranillo (Jun-2023)
An article by Madeline Puckette (1) focused on Spanish-origin grape varieties, besides the most obvious, Tempranillo, the key grape in Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Toro regions of Spain. Most of us are well-aware that Tempranillo is widely planted and produces delicious Texas wines, but for this Carl’s Corner edition, let’s look at other Spanish grape varieties that can enhance our summertime wine drinking pleasure. Continue »
Jun 8, 2023 at 10:58 AM
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Wine Club Release – Jun-2023
It is summertime, folks. Even though temperatures have stayed below 90 degrees and there has been some welcome rain, those searing hot days with lots of bright sunshine are just around the corner. That means it is time for the TWC June Wine Club Release events – scheduled for Sundays, June 4 and June 11 with sessions scheduled at 11:00-1:30 and 2:30-5:00. Reservations are required and wine club members are encouraged to sign into the website at www.texaswinecollective.com to select your session. Four adults are allowed per wine club membership to attend one of the sessions. Continue »
May 31, 2023 at 6:08 PM
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BBQ and Wine – Getting Ready for Summer
The next pairing in the Texas Wine Collective Texas Tasting Series is once again something new – Barbecue and Wine! On Sunday afternoon, May 21, Carl Hudson will host an event featuring 3 different meats barbecued with 3 different sauces and paired with 6 wines from our TWC partners – Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars. While tasting the BBQ and wines there will be a lively discussion of the concept and history of grilling and smoking meats, along with an exploration of what wines and what wine flavors may match with certain meats and BBQ sauce ingredients. Continue »
May 10, 2023 at 7:25 AM
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Alicante Bouschet - A Really Red Grape
Alicante Bouschet (“alla kahn tay boo shea”) is one of only a very few varieties of teinturier grapes of the Vitis vinifera species that have both red flesh and red skin. This grape originated in France as a cross between Petit Bouschet (also a teinturier grape) and the better-known Grenache or Garnacha as it is called in Spain. The grape is named after Henri Bouschet the Frenchman who first generated the cross in 1866. Continue »
May 3, 2023 at 1:12 PM
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