Happenings at TWC
Blended Wines in Texas
One often finds a number of blended wines in Texas tasting rooms these days, and you may have wondered why that is the case. There are probably many reasons, but three key ones come to mind: 1) winemakers can often enhance the quality and flavor of a wine by making blends, 2) Texas grape growers are still experimenting with different varieties in their vineyards to find which work best, and 3) having multiple grape varieties that adapt and react differently to the highly variable Texas weather conditions can often be extremely beneficial. Continue »
Aug 2, 2017 at 12:55 PM
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Proper Temperature for Wine Enjoyment
With the hot Texas summer upon us, the thought of sipping a chilled wine on the patio or by the pool is most appealing. However, it may come as a surprise that many of us drink our wine at a temperature too cold to truly enjoy all the aromas and flavors that wine has to offer. It has often been said that in America we tend to drink our white and rose’ wines too cold. Conversely, we also tend to drink our red wines too warm. So, here follows a discussion of temperature and the role it plays in optimal enjoyment of wine. Continue »
Jul 20, 2017 at 9:23 AM
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Nero d’Avola – A Sicilian Connection
Nero d’Avola (also known as Calabrese) is an important and widely planted red wine grape variety on the island of Sicily. The name literally means “Black of Avola”, highlighting the grape’s extremely dark color. Although the grape may have originated in the Calabria region of mainland Italy, its strongest presence today is in Sicily. The primary growing areas are located in the countryside near the town of Avola on Sicily’s southeast coast – a key trade region in the Middle Ages. Since that time, and up to the present day, Nero d’Avola has most often been used in blends to add color and body to lesser wines, especially those from mainland Italy. Continue »
Jul 5, 2017 at 7:44 AM
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Symphony Grape Variety
Since 4.0 Cellars currently offers a bright, fresh summer white wine that contains the Symphony grape, it seems an appropriate time to tell you about this little-known grape. The wine of interest is the 2014 Lily by Brennan Vineyards. Symphony is a Californian crossing of Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris developed in 1948 by the late Harold Olmo, professor of viticulture at UC-Davis. As its pedigree suggests, it is an aromatic variety with aromas of peach, apricot and lychee with slightly spicy flavors. Symphony is mostly used in white-wine blends, where it contributes to the aromatic profile of the final product. A few varietal examples of Symphony are made in California, typically produced as off-dry or late-harvest wines. Continue »
Jun 21, 2017 at 7:35 AM
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Diurnal Temperature Variation – What and Why?
Let’s think about two questions. Why are 75-80% of the wine grapes in Texas grown on the High Plains, especially in Terry County? Why are pinot noir and chardonnay grapes not more commonly grown in Texas? There are probably a number of ways to answer these questions, but a key factor in any answer would relate to diurnal temperature variation (DTV). Continue »
Jun 8, 2017 at 2:00 PM
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Rhône White Grapes in Texas
Texas grape growers and wine makers are planting and vinifyingt more white grapes that originate in hotter climates, such as the southern regions of France near the Mediterranean Sea coast. The best-known of these include Viognier, the key grape in the northern Rhône appellation of Condrieu; Roussanne, an important component of white blends in the southern Rhône appellation of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and Marsanne, a primary grape in white blends from the famed northern Rhône appellation of Hermitage. Continue »
May 25, 2017 at 1:37 PM
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Aging Wine – Some Guidelines
How long will a wine age? Don’t wines get better with age? There are no simple answers to these questions, but the following guidelines should help you understand the topic of aging wine – all wines, not just Texas wines. Continue »
May 10, 2017 at 7:00 AM
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How Many Calories Are In My Wine?
Calories in wine are often a concern, especially for folks who are watching their calorie intake. Although wines are naturally very low in carbohydrates, calories in wine can come from two sources: 1) ethyl alcohol, the conversion product of sugar in the original grapes (or other fruit) and 2) any residual sugar left in or added to the wine before bottling. In general, dry wines, in which all grape sugar has been fermented to alcohol, tend to have a slightly lower calorie count. Wines that have been sweetened with addition of sugar or fruit syrup tend to have more calories. And, fortified wines with more alcohol, especially those like port which have significant residual sugar, will have the most calories. So, how does one determine how many calories are in that glass of wine. Continue »
Apr 27, 2017 at 8:42 AM
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Frost Protection for Texas Grapes
During a recent trip to the Texas High Plains, a major topic of conversation with grape growers was the concern over spring frosts and the 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. Four methods of commonly used frost protection are described below. Please note that none of these are fool-proof, and all are expensive, unfortunately adding cost to Texas grapes, and therefore to Texas wines. Continue »
Apr 14, 2017 at 8:00 AM
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Thoughts on Using a Waiter’s Corkscrew
A recent question and series of replies on Facebook prompted me to write about the use of a standard waiter’s corkscrew when opening a wine. The question that was asked related to whether users tended to pull the cork out of the bottle with the hand on top of the corkscrew handle, versus lifting the cork out with the hand underneath the corkscrew handle. I have a fairly strong opinion on this matter, but there are extenuating circumstances that should be addressed before making a final pronouncement. Continue »
Mar 29, 2017 at 7:00 AM
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