Happenings at TWC
Italian Grape Varieties for Texas
Two sessions of an Italian-origin grape variety wine pairing are scheduled for August 22, 2021 – 12:30 and 2:30 pm. McPherson Cellars Reserve Sangiovese, Brennan Vineyards Super Nero, and Lost Oak Winery Montepulciano will be paired with comparable wines from the appropriate regions in Italy accompanied by tasty Italian food bites. It will be a lot of fun to develop this pairing, and it should be a lot of fun to attend and learn more about these grape varieties. Continue »
Jul 22, 2021 at 10:42 AM
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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
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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
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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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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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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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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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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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Wine Club Selections for Feb-2021
Special Note: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, is hosting their 2021 Annual Conference as a Virtual Event on-line, Feb-23,24, and Mar-2,3. There will be presentations and discussions on Vineyards, Winemaking, Tasting Room, and Marketing. There will also be a virtual tasting of Texas Gold Medal wines in which you can choose to participate (with wine purchase). You do not need to be a member of TWGGA – just have an interest in Texas wine. To learn more and see the full program, connect to the registration site – https://www.txwines.org/2021-texaswineandgrapevirtualforum/ Carl will be involved in several of the sessions, including the virtual tasting. Continue »
Feb 18, 2021 at 5:35 AM
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