Llano Estacado THP (“Texas Hocus Pocus”) Tempranillo is a great and bold red wine at a bottle cost of $20 with initial aromas of cherry and plum, mixed with savory tomato, and it offers a tart fruit finish with notes of leather, ushering in a smooth, velvety finish. Likewise, Grape Creek Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Trois leads with an amazingly fresh mixture of red and black fruit and finishes with hints of smoke, ending with soft tannins which are well integrated.
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In the range of $20 to $30, many spring wine selections not only offer the drinker great pleasure resulting from their simple deliciousness, they speak volumes about where they’re derived from and those who helped to produce them. These wines will not only appeal to your taste buds, but also your heart and mind. If you’re only beginning to explore what wines could yield you great pleasure, a couple excellent whites come to mind. Pedernales Cellars produced a 2016 Viognier Reserve with characteristic floral notes that amalgamate nicely into apricot and citrus notes. With a crisp finish, you won’t regret this wine’s hints of grapefruit as a memorable complement to your spring wine tastings. Similarly, the Duchman Family Winery Vermentino is suggestive of tart citrus flavors, with a floral bouquet presenting strongly and finishes of tropical fruit. Now, if that doesn’t speak to springtime, I don’t know what does!
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Selecting some roses in the mix is never a bad thing for spring wine selections, although being cognizant of what you’re eating, what supports the backbone of the meal, and how you want to remember the vintages of the season will guide your selections best. There are literally dozens more great Texas wines from which to make excellent selections without repeating any of the choices I have just suggested. You can view entire AVA details for the Texas High Plains as well as the Texas Hill Country, if you’re so inclined, to learn more about what makes the particular types and tastes that come from these parts of the state. Or you can establish a spring wine route on which you can sip and sample your way to spring wine drinking success so superb you’ll want to shout it from the rooftops (just make sure it’s not at 3 a.m. because of noise bylaws and all). It’s not the weather that dictates the wine as much as the drinker, the reason, and the food. Follow this, and your budget will help you maneuver through the wine aisle with ease, if you just let it!
This article was originally published in Heart of Texas Magazine, Spring 2019.
