Happenings at TWC
Montepulciano - 4.0 Cellars Italian Style 2019
A new release Montepulciano from Lost Oak Winery is now being featured in the 4.0 Cellars Tasting Room. Montepulciano is the second most planted red grape varietal in Italy. It is growing in popularity in Texas, too. Montepulciano is believed to have originated in the Tuscany region of Italy, but today is mostly found in the regions of Marche and Abruzzo located to the east of Tuscany, across the Appenine Mountain range. Because of its tolerance to heat and dry conditions, Montepulciano is generating interest from Texas winegrowers ranging from the Hill Country to the High Plains. Continue »
Oct 23, 2019 at 1:49 PM
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Rhône White Grapes in Texas 2019
As I am organizing several wine tastings for Industry meetings that will include several Rhône white grape varieties, it seems appropriate to focus on these grapes that are doing extremely well in the Lone Star State. Texas grape growers and wine makers are planting and vinifying 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 grape varieties include Viognier (vee own yay), 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. All three of these grapes have become well-established here in the Lone Star State. Continue »
Sep 26, 2019 at 1:00 PM
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What to do with Leftover Wine
What is “leftover” wine? For some, it is hard to imagine such a thing. This is a subject that has been addressed previously, but we still often get questions about it from customers at the 4.0 Cellars tasting room. So, here is my take on Leftover Wine. Continue »
Sep 11, 2019 at 1:22 PM
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Wine Club September, 2019
4.0 Cellars Merlot 2017 TX High Plains (by Lost Oak Winery) R/M • Grape(s): Merlot 100%, Bingham Family Vineyards, Meadow, TX, Terry County • Harvested in Aug-2017; fermented in SS tank; barrel aged 11 mo. in French & American oak; bottled at 14.2% ABV, <0.1% RS (DRY) • Dark ruby color; black cherry & ripe persimmon fruit mingle with vanilla, tobacco, & peppery notes; hints of smoke on the well-balanced finish with sturdy, ripe tannins; pairs well with Texas steaks & most grilled meats Continue »
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:01 PM
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4.0 Cellars Grape Harvest 2019
Those of you who have visited or even driven by 4.0 Cellars probably noticed grape vines growing near Hwy 290, in front of the three Logo tanks at the entrance to the tasting room and patio area. These are Black Spanish, or Lenoir, vines, a hybrid grape that grows well in the hot, more humid climates of Texas. The vines were planted in 2013 by folks from Lost Oak Winery, one of our partner/owners, and were intended to be a “show” vineyard, a garden really, so that visitors could see and appreciate grapevines. Continue »
Aug 15, 2019 at 12:09 PM
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Black Spanish Grapes – Update Aug-2019
Black Spanish grapes are common to southern states that tend to have hot growing seasons with higher humidity. Here in Texas, Black Spanish has been planted extensively from the Hill Country eastward to the Louisiana border, and southward to the Gulf of Mexico. The grape, also known as Lenoir and Jacquez, is relatively hardy and disease resistant, making it popular in areas where more traditional vinifera grapes are difficult to grow. This is the grape variety growing in the small 4.0 Cellars Vineyard, that will soon be harvested and used to produce a Portejas. Continue »
Jul 31, 2019 at 8:30 AM
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Dirt Can Make Wine Better
After spending time in the vineyard these past two weeks, irrigating, spraying, clearing weeds, and watching the grapes begin to turn from vivid green to soft pink and purple colors (veraison), I began to once again think about the upcoming harvest and the many tasks that will be required to convert these 2019 grapes into a wine and put that wine into a bottle. It is certainly true that the dirt in which the vines are planted plays a role in generating the quantity and quality of the fruit, but there is another type of “dirt” that plays a role in making quality wine. That dirt is an activated clay material (a special kind of dirt) known as bentonite. Bentonite is used in winemaking to clarify wine by attaching to particulate materials and to protein molecules that come from grapes. Bentonite has myriad other uses, including: moisture absorbent in cat litter, thickening agent in drilling muds, binder material in metal casting, water-barrier sealant layers for ponds and landfills, and, with its powerful absorbing properties, a purification & decolorizing agent for numerous liquids, like vegetable oils, dirty water and many beverages. Continue »
Jul 17, 2019 at 12:39 PM
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Wine Yeast Selection Criteria
One of the most intriguing issues facing a winemaker is the choice of a yeast strain to convert the sugars in sweet grape juice into wine. Simplistically, there are two basic choices – natural or native yeast that is present on the grapes themselves when harvested, or a designed commercial yeast strain. Both types of yeast will convert sugar to alcohol, but the choice of yeast can, and usually does, impact the aroma, flavor, and texture of a wine, as well as the conditions & rate of fermentation. Continue »
Jul 3, 2019 at 11:53 AM
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Summer in the Vineyard - 2019
This has been an unusual spring and early summer for the Texas Hill Country. The much greater than normal amount of rainfall has certainly been different, and made for one of the most abundant, colorful, and longest lasting wildflower displays folks can remember. The temperatures have also been moderate, typically below 90 degrees until just this past week. The rain and moderately warm temperatures not only inspired the Texas wildflowers as Hill Country vineyards have also seen a burst of growth, not only on the vines, but with the weeds, insects, and fungal diseases that tend to plague grapevines during humid conditions. The grapevines have flowered, set the fruit, and are now showing clusters of hard green grapes that will race forward to veraison (color change) in just a few weeks. It is an exciting time in the vineyard, but also one filled with lots of work. Continue »
Jun 20, 2019 at 11:07 AM
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Alicante Bouschet - A Really Red Grape
Alicante Bouschet (“alla kahn tay boo shea”) is one of only a very few varieties of teinturier grapes of the Vitis vinifera species that have both red flesh and red skin. The dark color of Alicante Bouschet provides winemakers with some advantages which can be important here in Texas. Continue »
Jun 5, 2019 at 6:00 PM
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