Happenings at TWC
Blanc du Bois – For the Hot & Humid
Blanc du Bois is a hybrid grape generated by Professor John Mortenson (a Texan) at the Univ of Florida in 1968, by crossing another hybrid, Florida D 6-148 with Cardinal, a CA table grape. The variety was named for Emile DuBois, a grower who emigrated from France to the U.S. in 1882. It was released to commercial growers in 1987, and has now spread across the southeastern states from Florida to Texas. Hallmark characteristics include crisp acidity, fresh fruit and floral aromas, along with citrusy flavors. Blanc du Bois can be used to produce dry, off-dry, sweet, sparkling and even fortified dessert wines, such as in the style of Madeira. Continue »
Jun 8, 2021 at 9:28 PM
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Getting Our Golf On!
For several years, TWC has supported the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce and the Hill Country University Center. Both hold golf tournaments each year to raise funds, and this means that a couple of us at TWC have spent a fair amount of time on golf courses in the past three or four years. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that both TWC Director of Operations Beth and I have spent more time on golf courses in these recent years than we have in our entire lives. Continue »
May 19, 2021 at 2:17 PM
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Tempranillo - From Spain to Texas with Style
Tempranillo is a wine grape variety native to Spain and Portugal. It is famous for making the fine red wines of the Rioja & Ribera del Duero regions of Spain, and as one of the key grapes (called Tinta Roriz) in Port wines. The climate in these regions is hot & dry with a desert-like diurnal temperature shift of 20-40 degF between the nighttime low and daytime high. These Iberian regions sit at relatively high elevations and look a lot like many Texas wine-growing regions, especially the High Plains. When Tempranillo was brought to Texas, it shrugged off the difficult conditions and adapted to become a key grape in both the Hill Country and High Plains AVA’s. Continue »
May 10, 2021 at 1:37 PM
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Texas Wine Collective Gets Out and About
Spring has (finally) sprung (as my allergies can attest), and town has been packed for the past few weeks. The sidewalks have been crowded, available parking spaces have been few and far between, and waits for tables at restaurants have been longer than usual…even on weekdays! Continue »
May 5, 2021 at 10:37 AM
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Brennan Vineyards Mistelle 2018
A wine newly released at Texas Wine Collective is the latest Mistelle Dessert Wine, 2018 vintage, from Brennan Vineyards in Comanche, Texas. Different from the previous edition of Mistelle made from the Bordeaux variety Semillon, this delicious wine is comprised of white Rhône varieties. The wine is relatively high in alcohol, 16%, and carries a balancing 7% level of residual sugar. Armed with this information, you may have already developed a notion of what this wine tastes like and whether you would enjoy it. Before making a final decision, please read on to get the rest of the story behind how Todd Webster, Brennan’s talented wine maker, produced this wine. Continue »
Apr 29, 2021 at 1:41 PM
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Which Wine Pairs Best With a Mint Oreo???
While I’m asked about wine and food pairings all the time at work, I’m finding myself thinking about these more and more outside of work. Just the other day, I made my husband linger with me in front of the Little Debbie snack section at HEB so that I could consider which wines would pair best with which snacks. Continue »
Apr 21, 2021 at 11:38 AM
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Wine Club Selections for Apr-2021
All of us at Texas Wine Collective hope you are safe, in good health, and enjoying a more relaxed and open springtime than we experienced a year ago. We are excited about the upcoming April 2021 Wine Club allocations and Member Pickup events scheduled for Sundays, 18-April and 25-April. As a Wine Club Member, you should have received an email with details on these events, information on wines in the allocation, and how to reserve a spot. Check the website for further details (www.fourpointwine.com). We sincerely appreciate our wine club members, and wish to do everything we can to keep you safe, and amply supplied with wine from our owner-partners: Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars. We hope you will make reservations to join us for one of the wine club event sessions and enjoy the wines and beautiful facilities at Texas Wine Collective. Continue »
Apr 12, 2021 at 8:30 PM
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Nero d’Avola – A Sicilian Connection (Update 2021)
Brennan Vineyards produces a bottling called Super Nero, a blend based on the Sicilian grape variety called Nero d’Avola. 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 »
Apr 1, 2021 at 5:29 PM
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Spring Has Sprung!
The other day I was serving wine from our patio bar, enjoying chatting with customers and coworkers, and regretting that I’d worn a sweater. As I watched people saunter by, glasses in hand, wearing shorts and sleeveless dresses, I realized that it was the actual first day of spring…and that I had once again underestimated the ability of temperatures in Texas to swing from 45 degrees to 75 degrees in a matter of, well, minutes. Continue »
Mar 24, 2021 at 11:00 AM
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Mac & Cheese - Comfort Food Extraordinaire
Texas Cheese and Wine Experience is a special pairing offered at Texas Wine Collective, and includes 5 different cheeses with 5 wines (usually 2 white and 3 red) from the TWC winery partners: Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery and McPherson Cellars. The pairings are guided by a knowledgeable TWC staff member, and normally last about 45-50 minutes. Advanced reservations are required for the pairings that are regularly scheduled at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4:00 pm, daily. Having the opportunity to host these pairings on Saturdays allows me to enjoy a wide range of delicious cheeses from a number of wonderful Texas creameries. This always gets me excited to discuss my favorite comfort food, Macaroni and Cheese. When guests also get excited about Mac and Cheese, we often talk about my special recipe. Yes, the recipe is special, but it is not a secret, so I am sharing it, including a range of optional upgrades and additions, with all of you in this edition of Carl’s Corner. Continue »
Mar 3, 2021 at 4:35 AM
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