Wine Club Selections for Feb-2020
Happy New Year! Can you believe we are 20 years into the 21st Century? As is typical for this time of the year, Texas weather is weird. One day it is spring, the next is winter, always bringing some confusion as to how to dress for any given activity. Well, there are several activities on the horizon at 4.0 Cellars as February Wine Club Release parties are scheduled for Sundays 2-Feb, 9-Feb, and 16-Feb. If you, as a Wine Club Member, would like to join the party and share time with lots of other club members, check the website (www.fourpointwine.com) and make your reservations. We would love to share your company, and remember, not only can you register and bring guests, you can enjoy the 30% discount on wine purchases on-site on Club Sundays or online during the week-days in between. Here are the February 2020 Wine Club Release Selections.
Allocation Selection: R=Red, M=Mixed, W=White, S=Sweet
For this Feb-2020 allocation, three very tasty reds are included, as noted below.
Brennan Vineyards Protectors 2017 Texas
Grape(s): Alicante Bouschet 60%, Diamante Doble Vyd, Tokio, TX, Terry Cty, & Syrah 40%, Comanche Vyd, Comanche Cty, TX
Machine harvested, cold soaked 24 hrs, fermented with 10-day skin contact; frequent delestage events; blended & aged 12 mo in neutral oak barrels; 13.9% ABV, 0.1% RS (DRY)
The name Protectors stems from the early group of pioneers in Comanche that banded together to protect the settlers from attacks by Comanche Indians, and later became part of the Texas Range organization. The McCrary House, current Brennan Vineyards tasting room, was built by the leader of this group. And, both winemaker Todd Webster and vineyard manager Bill had relatives that served as Texas Rangers. This wine has a deep purple color; aromas of bramble berries, figs, plum jam with some gamey & earthy notes; flavors of sour cherries, black currant, & dark plum with nuances of leaf tobacco & cocoa powder; dry, full-bodied, rich finish; good partner with beef, game birds, & Texas BBQ.
Lost Oak Winery Crimson Oak 2017 Texas
Grape(s): Merlot 53%, Diamante Doble Vyds, Tokio, TX, Terry Cty; Montepulciano 15% & Ruby Cabernet 6%, Krick Hill Vyds, Levelland, TX, Hockley Cty; Petit Verdot 15%, Sprayberry Vyds, Midland, TX, Midland Cty; Tempranillo 11%, Bingham Family Vyds, Meadow, TX, Terry Cty
Fermented separately in SS tanks; 23 months average time aging in oak barrels (12% new); blended & bottled at 13.5% ABV, <0.1% RS (DRY)
This fun blend from Lost Oak winemakers has a dark berry-red color; aromas of cherry, black currant & vanilla; cherry flavors carry over with notes of vanilla, cardamom, mocha & cranberries; silky tannins on a lush finish; enjoy this with grilled meats & BBQ.
Lost Oak Winery Petit Verdot 2018 Texas
Grape(s): Petit Verdot 100%, Sprayberry Vyds, Midland, TX, Midland Cty
Fermented in SS tank; aged 10 months in oak barrels (25% new); bottled @ 13.1% ABV, <0.1% RS (DRY)
This dark red wine offers aromas of vanilla & soft leather; flavors of boysenberry, mulberry & hints of sour cherries & dark chocolate; moderate tannins on a lingering finish; enjoy with grilled fish or meats, roasted rosemary potatoes, richly flavored cheeses, & even dark chocolate covered cherries.
Petit Verdot – An important blending grape in Bordeaux, France, Petit Verdot at even small concentrations (4-10%), provides rich, dark color, solid tannins, and some black cherry/cocoa powder flavors to blends. It can be quite tannic if made with typical extended 20-30 day maceration of skins-with-juice. However, Texas winemakers have worked hard to tame this grape using shorter maceration times with extensive pump-overs or delestage programs that provide lots more air (oxygen) exposure to help soften the tannins via oxidation pathways. A pump-over is simply draining fermenting grape juice from the tank and then immediately pumping it back into the tank, over the floating cap of grapeskins. This helps with temperature control and color/flavor extraction. A delestage is a more intense pump-over where juice is pumped away from the skins to a separate tank, both juice and skins are exposed to air for some time, and then the juice is pumped back into the tank with the skins.
The white wines for this allocation include an offering from each of the owner-partners at 4.0 Cellars. They will provide pleasant drinking with spring picnics and grilling parties.
Lost Oak Winery Blanc du Bois 2018 Texas
Grape(s): Blanc du Bois 100% (90% from Skinner Bridge Vyd, Canton, TX, Van Zandt Cty, & 10% from Lost Oak Winery’s Village Creek Vyd, Burleson, TX, Johnson Cty
Fermented cold; aged in SS tank; 12.0% ABV, 0.4% RS (essentially DRY)
A light straw color with aromas of honeysuckle & guava fruit; flavors of Asian pear, delicate key lime citrus & hints of honey; this finishes light & crisp.
Blanc du Bois is an American hybrid grape created by in 1968 John Mortensen at the Univ of Florida Agriculture Dept. The French name translates to “white of the wood”, but was actually named in honor of Emile DuBois, a noted French winemaker who emigrated to America in the mid-1800’s. It was hoped that Blanc du Bois would flourish in Florida’s hot, muggy climate and provide a fruit product to use citrus processing equipment during the periods that orange & grapefruit juices were not being made. This never really worked out, but the grape has found a nice home in east, southern, and central Texas which is now the leading producer of Blanc du Bois. One major advantage is that the grape is resistant to Pierce’s Disease, the biggest threat to Texas grape vines. If I could change one thing, it would be the name – to Blankie Dew Boys, sort of like an infamous outlaw gang of the West.
McPherson Cellars Picquepoul Blanc 2017 Tx High Plains
Grape(s): Picquepoul Blanc 100%, Timmons Estate Vyd, Brownfield, Terry Cty
Fermented 18 days at 58oF with no skin contact; aged in SS tank (no Oak); 12.9% ABV, 0.4% RS (essentially DRY)
This relatively unknown variety has proven to be a stalwart producer in warmer regions of southern France, and in Texas; subtle aromas & flavors of apple & citrus fruit; lighter bodied with food-friendly crisp acidity at the finish.
Picquepoul Blanc – A little-known variety from Southern France that flourishes in warm, arid climates. It is mostly used in white wine blends in the Rhône or Languedoc regions. It made its first big splash in Texas when fruit grown in 2015 by Andy Timmons in Terry County was acquired by Kim McPherson who made a very special wine that was awarded the Best White Wine in Show at the 2016 San Francisco International Wine Competition. After that, a lot of growers, in Texas and elsewhere, wanted Picquepoul Blanc, but there were few if any vines being propagated by U.S. nurseries. In 2017, a lot of nurseries began to prepare Picquepoul vines, but they are just now being released to customers around the country. It will take another 2-3 years for these vines to be planted and become mature enough to provide good fruit. So, for now, we in Texas and at 4.0 Cellars can enjoy a “Picquepoul Party” with very little competition.
Brennan Vineyards Roussanne 2018 Texas (High Plains)
Grape(s): Roussanne 100%, La Pradera Vyd, Brownfield, TX, Terry Cty
Mechanically harvested, fermented cold at 52oF; aged on the lees in SS tank with no malolactic transformation; 13.9% ABV, <0.1% RS (DRY)
This delicious white has a golden straw color with green hues; tropical aromas of banana, honeydew melon, pineapple with floral nuances of jasmine; fruit flavors of gala apple, papaya, dried mango & key lime with lingering notes of wild honey; sturdy finish with well-balanced acidity; great with turkey, ham, & most seafood dishes.
The three sweet wines for this allocation represent new versions of some past favorites.
Austin Street Comanche Rose 2016 Tx High Plains (by Brennan Vyds)
Grape(s): Cinsault 91% & Roussanne 7%, Reddy Vyd, Terry County, TX; & Mourvedre 2% (color!), Newburg Vyd, Comanche County, TX
13.0% ABV, 3.5% Residual Sugar (medium sweet)
This has a pale fuschia color; fruit forward with aromas of pomegranate & strawberry; delicate floral nuances of lilies; sweet, light, refreshing on the palate with strawberry & pear flavors, and notes of hibiscus and rose hip tea; soft acidity at the finish means easy drinking with spring picnic & spicy Mexican or BBQ fare.
Lost Oak Winery Orange Muscat 2018 Tx High Plains
Grape(s): Orange Muscat 100%, Diamante Doble Vyd, Tokio, TX, Terry County
Fermented & aged 6 mo in SS tank; sweetened at bottling to 3.5 RS, 11% ABV (semi-sweet)
This wine was made with a “stop ferment” process to preserve natural grape sugar. Most sweet wines are made by the simpler method whereby the fruit is fermented to dryness, and sugar or sweet grape concentrate added back to the appropriate level. This has candied orange slices & ripe peach aromas & flavors with a smooth, sweet finish.
Lost Oak Winery Sweet Duet 2017 Tx High Plains
Grape(s): Riesling 50% & Orange Muscat 50%, Diamante Doble Vyd, Tokio, TX, Terry Cty
Fermented cold & aged 13 mo in SS tanks; blended, sweetened to about 5% R.S. (sweet); stabilized & bottled at 12.0% ABV
Aromas of ginger & sweet pea flowers are followed by flavors of nectarine & blood orange; a pleasure for those with a sweet tooth.