A couple of Sunday afternoons ago, the Wine and Food Foundation hosted its Toast of Texas featuring some 30+ wineries pouring wines at Star Hill Ranch. While you expect to see some of Texas’ wine pioneers at this event, it’s always fun to meet and taste wines from some of the newer or more far-flung wineries in the Lone Star State.
What’s interesting about Texas is its diversity of wines. There’s not – and shouldn’t be – a signature grape here because of our size and huge geographical and climate differences across the state. At Toast of Texas, the whites ranged from Albariño, Viognier and Malvasia Bianca to Chenin Blanc, Roussanne and Sauvignon Blanc. For reds, I tasted Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Montepulciano, Malbec, Merlot and more.
While all the wines showed so well, here my top 15 picks from this year’s Toast of Texas.
Pink Wines
Nobleman Wines 2021 Piquette of Mourvèdre and Teroldego ($20) – one of only a few Piquettes I have had (and this one made by Kerrville Hills owner/winemaker John Rivenburgh), the Nobleman wine intrigued me with its red plum, cranberry and cola notes and its 7% ABV, which is typical for a Piquette. With a slight spritz that would make pool day that much better, enjoy this one chilled. (Piquette wines are made by re-using leftover grape skins; they are placed in a tank and hydrated, which allows another fermentation to happen.)
Pedernales 2020 Kyla Pet-Nat ($35) – year after year, this is one of my favorite sparkling wines, always stocked in my fridge. Pronounced “shoola,” (Swedish for “chill”), this pet-nat of Tempranillo has cherry, tangerine, floral and fresh bread notes.
Spicewood Vineyards 2021 Grenache Rosé ($28) – made from 100% Grenache with a dark pink color, this rosé has notes of strawberry, cream and watermelon. And speaking of pet-nat, owner Ron Yates makes two-pet nats at Spicewood, one from Grenache and another from Tannat.
White Wines
CL Butaud 2021 Blanc de Noir ($48) – this limited-production white makes the list for one of the more unusual wines I tasted at Toast of Texas given it is a still white wine (with a barely-seen pink color) made from the red grapes Grenache and Mourvèdre. (Champagne is also a white wine made with the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Refreshing with white melon and strawberry notes, this wine is a great conversation starter.
Crowson 2019 Malvasia Bianca ($30) – Crowson wines are for the purist, natural wine lover because owner/winemaker Henry Crowson relies on spontaneous fermentation, no adjusted sugars or acids, no fining and no added sulfites. A bit funky and fun in style, the Malvasia Bianca flavors shine through with floral, pineapple and mango notes.
Duchman Family Winery Roussanne, Oswald Vineyard ($26) – Roussanne is a rising “bellwether” white grape for Texas given its reliability during Texas’ crazy growing seasons. A terrific Chardonnay alternative, the Duchman Roussanne has notes of pear, stone fruit, lemon/lime and great minerality.
Haak Winery 2021 Blanc du Bois ($25) – Raymond Haak’s Blanc du Bois was my first-ever Blanc du Bois wine, some 15+ years ago. Today, winemaker Tiffany Harrell continues this winery’s legacy with an aromatic, citrus, dry white that’s a great alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.
Pebble Rock Cellars 2019 Chenin Blanc ($30) – a refreshing white wine with notes of apples, pear and that wet stone and wooly socks notes you expect from Chenin Blanc. Owner/winemaker Rob Nida and his wife Lydia opened their Johnson City tasting room in January 2021.
Skeleton Key 2021 Sauvignon Blanc ($24) – there’s not a lot of Sauvignon Blanc in Texas; good Sauvignon Blanc comes from very specific sites. This Skeleton Key Sauvignon Blanc, with a bit of Semillon, comes from Dell City in far west Texas and makes a light, yet creamy white wine with lemon and stony notes.
Texas Heritage 2020 Viognier ($28) – Viognier is another well-recognized white grape for Texas, known for its floral aromatics. This one spoke to me with its orange blossom, orange marmalade and honeysuckle notes and bright acidity (which can be hard to get with this grape in Texas).
Vinovium 2021 Chardonnay ($36) – made by Hilmy Cellars winemaker Michael Barton, this Chablis-meets-Gruner Veltiner style of Chardonnay caught my attention with its notes of apple, white pepper and zingy ginger on the palate and lean, almost spritzy finish.
Red Wines
Bending Branch Winery 2018 Petite Sirah, Newsom Vineyards ($38) – this big, bold red has rich, dark, ripe fruit notes of blackberry and black cherry, leather and sage. Pair this big boy with a steak off the grill, or better yet, put it down to age.
Hye Meadow 2018 Montepulciano ($45) – this juicy red wine with notes of cranberry, blueberry, black cherry, a hint of eucalyptus on the finish, and grippy tannins would be a great pairing with hamburgers off the grill or beef brisket.
Wedding Oak 2020 Sangiovese ($31) – a self-proclaimed Sangio gal, I am always looking for Texas Sangiovese, given these grapes were some of the earliest planted grapes in the Texas High Plains. The Wedding Oak Sangiovese reminds me of Old World Sangiovese because the tertiary notes of tomato leaf, herbs, and dusty earth jump out as much as the bright cherry fruit.
Wine for the People 2020 La Valentia Carignan ($34) – served with a slight chill, this light Rhone-style red from owner/winemaker Rae Wilson is a crowd favorite with notes of cranberry, strawberry, cinnamon and clove. Absolutely loved the finish on this one – spicy!
Cheers to Texas wine!
Denise Clarke is an avid wine enthusiast who loves sharing and teaching people about wine. She is a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier, WSET Advanced graduate and an expert on Texas wine. Owner of Denise Clarke PR, she currently represents Texas Fine Wine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Marketing Program. She has lived in Austin for more than 30 years and when she is not swirling and sipping wine, she can be found on her bike, climbing every hill she can find.
Follow Denise on IG at @deniseclarkeTX for more wine recommendations.
