Becker Vineyards Fleur Sauvage: A Wild Texas Gem

If you look through the posts here, you’ll notice that reds get far more attention on the blog than white wines. The reason for this is simple, Pris and I prefer reds, so that’s what we buy more to try. But every once in a while I’ll pull out a white to go with a particular meal.  In this instance it was Becker Vineyard’s 2012 Fleur Sauvage, a crisp and refreshing Texas white wine blend. I’ve actually been keeping bottles of this wine stocked up for some time. It’s become a go-to over the warmer months if I don’t have a Vinho Verde handy.

The Fleur Sauvage certainly lives up to its wild flower namesake: bright, crisp, and sweet like a Texas wildflower in spring bloom. The sweetness of the wine hits you immediately on the nose with bright floral notes intermingled with sweet tropical fruit.  Crisp citrus notes cut through the palate followed by the cloying sweetness of the wines’ residual sugars. The after affect is very reminiscent of a muscat, though not quite as sweet.

I was fortunate to get to pair this wine with two very different meals over the course of the week. The first meal that led to the opening of this particular wine was a Ritz-crusted oven baked buttermilk chicken, sautéed sweet potatoes, and broccoli slaw. The sweetness of the wine complimented the rich buttery crust on the chicken, and the slightly spicy counterpoint of the cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Where the wine worked best was when paired against the tangy apple cider vinegar slaw.  Sweet and sour in perfect opposition to one another.

The next meal came about by happenstance. Pris pulled out some frozen homemade pesto to mix in with some shredded chicken I cooked up. The pesto was not your typical pesto made with sweet basil, but a far sharper affair with a much more robust bite. Again, the sweet floral and citrus notes of the wine were a fantastic counterpoint to the piquant bite of the pesto.

This is a great wine for lighter, or more pungent or spicy foods. In fact, it would probably be great with some buffalo wings, which may now lead to a follow-up post. With our warmer weather now upon us this would also be a great wine to drink on a warm afternoon. However, if you’re not a fan of the sweet wines, dessert wines, or wines with a fairly high residual sugar content then let this one pass you by.

HEB stores carry Becker Vineyard’s selections, and you can usually find this one at the 10^th & Trenton location for around $16-$19. For more information you can visit: https://store.beckervineyards.com/