Hi. Let’s talk about Texas wine. My first exposure to the wines of the state was in 2013 when I attended a brisket tasting hosted by Jack Timmons, now of Jack’s BBQ in Seattle. There were a wide variety of wines from across the country and world at this informal event (check out the lineup) but the surprise of the show to a group of writers, chefs, and critics was a bottle from the Lone Star State’s McPherson Cellars.
Vines at Messina Hof, one of the wineries discussed. / Image Facebook/Messina Hoff
So it’s been a spell since my last Texas wine experience. Luckily I know Fiona Adams, who works for Wine Enthusiast and reviews the state’s wines. She stopped by the What We’re Tasting podcast to illuminate me. Of course your first question may be, where the heck is Texas wine country? Don’t worry, we cover that by focusing on the two main regions.
There’s talk about the best grapes and where they are coming from. The latter is particularly controversial as there are a lot of “Texas wines” made with California grapes. (Huh?)
Also, we sip on a really interesting white wine from Southold Farm + Cellar. It’s a formerly Long Island (NY) winery that I (and many industry folks) had a soft spot for. But due to bureaucratic BS and local politics, they relocated their operation to Texas. NY’s loss, TX’s gain.
Get to Know Texas Wine
So while the West Coast rules the US wine world and the East Coast is making praiseworthy bottles, there’s a lot going on in the middle of the country that’s worth pouring into your glass.
