Happenings at TWC
Join Us at TWC as We Begin Paying It Forward
We’re launching a new program to expand our impact in our local community. We’re excited to do more for others, and we hope you’ll join us! Continue »
Jul 15, 2021 at 1:38 PM
Permalink
Sparkling Wines – Ways and Styles
This edition of Carl’s Corner was inspired by McPherson Cellars Sparkling Wine currently available and often enjoyed at the Texas Wine Collective tasting room. Sparkling wines are very popular in the wine world today, including Texas. Making sparkling wines can be technically challenging and time-consuming, but for those who enjoy the final product, it certainly seems worthwhile. There are actually a number of methods used to produce sparkling wines, and this post will explore five (5) primary methods, each providing a level of carbonation and a particular style of wine. Continue »
Jul 7, 2021 at 2:25 PM
Permalink
Cinsault – A Blending Specialist
Cinsault (sin-SOH or san-SOH) or Cinsaut (without the “l”) is a common red grape in the Rhône Valley of southern France. Because Cinsault is heat and drought tolerant, it is also important in the southern French region of Languedoc-Roussillon and former French colonies of Algeria and Morocco. The origin of the grape is uncertain, but it likely came from some place along the eastern Mediterranean. Cinsault produces brightly colored red wines with a softer, less tannic character, and is often blended with grapes like Grenache, Carignan (care-in-yawn) and Syrah to impart softness, spicy flavors, and fresh fruit aromas Continue »
Jun 20, 2021 at 11:45 AM
Permalink
Roll Out the Barrel, We’ll Have a Barrel of Fun
Confession: I haven’t always known much about wine. And to be clear, I still have lots to learn. For many years (let’s say beginning in college), I was primarily a beer drinker, with some tequila thrown in here and there. I do recall hosting a dinner for friends during my Junior year and serving up some pink, boxed wine with the spaghetti meal. We thought we were so classy. And didn’t Mad Dog count as wine at that time? Continue »
Jun 16, 2021 at 9:43 AM
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink