Happenings at TWC
The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker
During my tenure at 4.0, I’ve seen lots of staff come and go…though most have come and stayed (I’ll get to why that is in an upcoming post). Some of our staff are “regulars” who work a few times each week, while others work only one or two Saturdays per month. Still, despite our varying schedules, we get to know one another and learn to appreciate our different styles and our shared love for all things wine and 4.0. Continue »
May 15, 2019 at 10:59 AM
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What does Reserve mean on a wine label?
When a wine is offered for tasting at 4.0 Cellars that includes the word “Reserve” on the label, customers and tasters typically recognize the designation and are curious as to what it means. In the United States, and several other key wine countries (Australia, New Zealand, Chile), the term Reserve has little or no meaning, at least that which is defined. The following explores this issue and will hopefully inform the reader about the term Reserve on a U.S., especially a Texas, wine label. Continue »
May 8, 2019 at 8:26 AM
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Three Sundays a Month, Five Times a Year, Fifteen Days of Fun
I look forward to our Club Sundays. In fact, they’re my favorite days to work. One summer, I missed all of the Club Sundays in June because I was traveling overseas, and I honestly felt like I’d missed all the fun (kind of took me back to my middle school days and that awful adolescent feeling when you just know you’d missed something exciting that everyone else got to experience). Club Sundays at 4.0 are “happening.” They’re where all the cool kids want to be. Continue »
May 1, 2019 at 9:48 AM
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Aging Wine on the Lees
Recently the question was asked of me, “What are lees, and why do winemakers age wine on the lees?” First of all, lees are essentially dead yeast cells that have already done their job of fermenting sugar in grape juice into alcohol in wine. Once the fermentation process is completed, these dead yeast cells, let’s call them lees from this point on, begin to settle to the bottom of tank or barrel, allowing cloudy wine to become clear over time. Discussed below are several options that the winemaker now has regarding handling lees, and some technical descriptions of what lees actually do for and to a wine. Continue »
Apr 24, 2019 at 12:10 PM
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Springtime in Texas: Wildflowers and Wine
I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t experienced the beauty of spring in the Texas Hill Country. Yes, the pollen is annoying (as are the allergies that come with it), and some days it’s hard to know how to dress (by my count, we just had our “fourth winter” of the year). But on the good days, it’s hard to beat our gentle breezes, warm sunshine, and of course, our flowers. Continue »
Apr 17, 2019 at 11:20 AM
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Pink Wines – Hot in Texas (Update 2019)
Warm weather is the time to enjoy pink wines, and Texas is now producing some of the best available. These pink wines can be dry, off-dry (slightly sweet) or medium-dry (even sweeter) to provide great warm-weather enjoyment for picnics, deck-sitting or lazing about the pool area. And, don’t forget, they can take the place of white wines and many lighter reds at the mealtime table. Continue »
Apr 10, 2019 at 7:00 AM
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4.0 Celebrates Dogs
We love having dogs at 4.0. Our hostesses keep a jar of dog treats at their stand, and we know many of our club members’ dogs by name. On a typical spring Saturday, it’s not unusual to find staff members starting the day with a friendly bet: How many dogs will we see today? 12? 15? 20? Usually, the biggest number wins. Continue »
Apr 3, 2019 at 12:55 PM
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4.0 Cellars Wine Club Release – Apr-2019
It is time for another Wine Club Allocation release of delicious 4.0 Cellars wines. Texas springtime weather, as expected, has been weird! We in the Hill Country barely dodged a very damaging cold snap recently that would have damaged a lot of the peach and grape production for 2019. However, reports from growers indicate that damage was minimal. Now we just have to worry about any other bad weather, freezes or hail, over the next month or two. Continue »
Mar 28, 2019 at 7:42 AM
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New Digs (or We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!)
I started working at 4.0 Cellars in August 2014. Earlier this week, as I enjoyed a glass of McPherson Marsanne at one of our new tables outside our new event space, I found myself reflecting on how much has changed at 4.0 in the time that I’ve been here. Continue »
Mar 20, 2019 at 2:15 PM
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Frost Protection for Texas Grapes – 2019 Update
In April, 2017, following a trip to the Texas High Plains, Carl’s Corner addressed the topic of protection for grapes from spring frosts and methods available to mitigate freeze damage to young vine tissue and grapes. Texas in general, especially the High Plains, is noted for turbulent and unpredictable weather that often brings frigid temperatures soon after bud break when grapevines are most susceptible to frost damage. Just in the past week or so we have experienced overnight temperatures in the low twenty-degree range here in the Texas Hill Country. This has raised serious concerns for not only grapevines but peach trees, too. Posts on Facebook and Instagram have highlighted these concerns, and just in the past few days limited information has become available about the damage that was or was not observed. More on this part later. Continue »
Mar 13, 2019 at 7:00 AM
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