Much has been written recently about the popularity of Texas Hill Country wineries (even by me).  This area just west of Austin has quickly grown to become the #2 most visited U.S. Wine Region, and is well deserving of that ranking.  Texans are fiercely loyal to their wineries, and there are many people that refuse to drink or even hear about non-Texas wines.  Personally, I understand their loyalty to local wines, but even the French have come to understand and even appreciate wines from outside of France, and will occasionally drink them, talk about them, and even give them awards.  Even a few of the Texas Hill Country wines have won some Gold and Double Gold medals in France recently.  These wineries are getting so popular that some of them are considering becoming “Members Only” wineries, where only members of their wine club are able to come in for tastings.  Personally, I think that is very short-sighted, as it severely limits getting new customers.  Who would want to join a winery if you aren’t even allowed to try their wines before joining?

I have lived in Austin for 3 ½ years now, and have taken day trips out to Hye, Stonewall, and Fredericksburg (all along a 20-mile stretch of Hwy. 290) over a dozen times.  Yes, I have my favorites, but I also try new places, and even give wineries a second or third chance, based on the opinions of friends.  Some of them, I love.  Others – I just don’t get why they are so popular. But that is the thing about wine. It goes to the old question and answer: “What is the best wine?”  “The best wine is the one that YOU like best – not what someone else likes best.”  So, in the spirit of trying to do a credible job for this blog, I want to give wineries the benefit of the doubt, and respect that there are people that absolutely love some wineries that I may think are just “OK” to me.

I usually like to take a Friday to go wine tasting, but last weekend my son Mitchell and his girlfriend Liz were visiting Michelle and me, and we played golf on Friday, so we decided to go wine tasting on Saturday.  The advantage on the weekend is that many of the wineries have food trucks on site, so there is plenty to eat.  The disadvantage of the weekend is… CROWDS!  I am generally not a person who likes to go wine tasting when it is crowded.  You feel rushed, and tend to lose much of the personal touch and opportunity for conversation with your server or sommelier, and also miss out on those weekday encounters with the owner or winemaker.  Last Saturday also had the disadvantage of… rain!  Rains do not keep the crowds down, but they do make it very difficult to get to the food trucks.  Many of the Hill Country wineries have either covered outdoor tasting areas or set up tents, and cold, windy, rainy days (although rare) make those areas mostly unusable.  Yet, the musical entertainment they brought in can still be heard performing out there, since that is what they are paid to do.

Since we had toured downtown Austin in the morning, we got out to Hye in the early afternoon, so we were limited to visiting (only) four wineries.  Our first stop was in the tiny town of Hye – located between Johnson City and the LBJ Ranch (home of the Western White House in the mid-1960’s) – a very nice place to tour. 

We stopped at the very popular William Chris Vineyards.  This is one of the wineries that has gone to reservations only on the weekend to get inside the building to taste.  But, they were able to accommodate us outside on their patio for a nice tasting.  In 2008, Bill (William) Blackmon and Chris Brundrett got together with their combined 35 years of Texas wine experience to open this winery.  In the past three years, they have expanded their tasting facilities twice.  The tasting menu offered a great cross-section of the many wines William Chris is capable of producing, combining single varietals and blends.  The Blanc du Bois was a crisp, clean, and refreshing way to start this $15 tasting.  Since I am not a “Hye Society” member, I did not get to try the Vermentino…  This was my 4th time visiting William Chris, and I have to admit it is starting to grow on me, although despite its overwhelming popularity, it still is not one of my overall favorites out here.  However, I will say that the Hunter (Merlot – Malbec) is a delicious blend, and a very nice dinner wine.

Of particular delight was a 100% Cinsault rose’ wine.  I’m a fan of a good dry rose, and this one brought a smile to my face.

 

 

 

 

 

Next we were off to Kuhlman Cellars, and another exquisite tasting and pairing with sommelier Jeremy Wilson!   Since I wrote an earlier exclusive Blog about Kuhlman Cellars, I’ll be brief here, but suffice it to say, this is definitely one of the best out in Hill Country!  Five great wines, paired with five perfectly created tasting treats.  Appointments are highly recommended for a tasting.

Kuhlman Cellars Pairing

Wine: 2014 Calcaria~ Fresh Seasonal Pineapple, Chile Con Sal and Jalapeno Aioli

Wine: 2014 Roussanne~ Guava Jelly, Cracker Jack Dust, Blue Cheese and Cilantro on a Rice Cracker

Wine: 2012 Alluve~ Kuhlman Cellars Herbed Almonds (substituted Asian pears, chocolate shavings, and herbs du Provence)

Wine: 2012 Barranca~ Five Spice Pork belly Terrine, Cherry Emulsion and a Scallion Sliver on a Water Cracker

Wine: 2012 KanKar~ Brie and Cream Cheese Spread in a Butter Tartlet Shell, Asian Pear Confit and Shaved Prosciutto with Minced Chives

Next post: The remaining two wineries of the day: 4.0 Cellars and Messina Hof!

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Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!