Coming back to Texas with Messina Hof’s Winemaker Reserve

Messina Hof Winery will always have a special place in my heart. It was beautiful place to get away from school while I was at A&M. I enjoyed wine back then, but not to the extent that I do today. Like wine itself, appreciation only gets better with age.

My local grocery store regularly carries Messina Hof wines and I tend to grab the odd bottle on my trips there. A few weeks ago I picked up a bottle of their Winemaker’s Reserve. This is a non-vintage red wine made up of a blend of red varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tempranillo.  But the wine focuses more on the Merlot grape as its bedrock. Like most Merlots is has a good fruit nose with elements of blackberries and raspberries.  Spicy fruit is the first thing that hits the palate. This is followed by more spice, vanilla, and nice touch of mineral and tannin to finish. The Winemaker’s Reserve is a good medium bodied wine. Its dry, but not too much so.

I took the opportunity of a cool wet evening to pair the Winemaker’s reserve with a grilled cheese sandwich and a roasted red pepper tomato soup. This medium bodied red was a great accompaniment to the meal. It worked through the acidity of the tomato soup and the richness of the Mediterranean cheddar in the sandwich. Pair this one with pasta, with steak, a burger, or a good hearty stew. The richness of this wine will stand up to most meals.