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.

The Modern Complexity of Tormaresca’s Primitivo

If you’ve been tracking with the blog for the last couple weeks you’ll notice I’ve been enjoying the joys of Italian wines lately. This is because I really enjoy the Italian varietals, which also seem to do especially well here in Texas. Over the years I’ve managed to work through most of the local grocery store's selection of Texas wines, and now I generally have to venture to Feldman’s or points north for more variety. However, the HEB on Trenton has a pretty decent selection of Italian and Spanish wines to choose from. One of these wines was Tormaresca’s 2013 Primitivo Puglia.

The Primitivo is comparable to the Zinfandel, and this particular wine is very similar to some of the old vine Zinfandel I’ve enjoyed. The Primitivo is all fruit on the nose, with strong ripe berries leading the charge. On the front of the palate you’ll get loaded up with rich raspberry and cherry. This is followed by luxuriant anise and spice that add a complex sweetness to the wine. This bottle finishes with mellow tannins and a slightly cloying sweetness. 

While this particular wine is a bit sweeter than what I usually gravitate to I still enjoyed it immensely. In fact, I had to restrain my enjoyment to one or one and a half glasses. Any more than that and I probably would’ve finished off the bottle in short order. The balancing of sweet and spicy was the key here.  The richness of Tormaresca’s Primitivo would work well with a variety of deep rich dishes. Pair it with tomato based pastas or roasted beef to get the most out of its well balanced richness.

You can find Tormaresca’s 2013 Primitivo Puglia at the HEB on Trenton in McAllen. It retails about $16 which is a pretty good deal considering there are several 90 point rated iterations of this wine in its history.  However, if you’re not a fan of the sweeter wines, give this one a pass. Or give it a shot, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Simi Merlot: A Reminder of Why California Knows Its Stuff

As Pris and I continued to work through our wine stash I came across a 2009 Merlot from Simi. Like many of the older items in our wine storage, its acquisition is now lost to antiquity. But I know where it ended up. 

This seven-year-old wine seems to have just hit its sweet spot: old enough to mellow and venture into an unparalleled smoothness that only older wines possess, but not old enough that it's turned. Though it was probably not too far off from the latter.  Rich dark red coloration hinted at the mix of berry to come. Once the bottle was allowed to breath properly, which is very important, aromatic spice is the first thing that hits the nose.  The usual flavors of Merlot are all present: plum, cherry, and blackberry, all followed by a mild tannin finish.

I paired the wine with a simple meal of sautéed shrimp and spinach in a garlic butter sauce over pasta and a salad with homemade vinaigrette. Simi’s Merlot was mild enough to not overpower this mild dinner. The mild tannins cut right through the richness of the garlic butter. This wine could have paired well with anything from fish to steak, though to be fair, I pretty much finished it off sans food and was perfectly content. 

Hahn Keeps Rolling out the Hits

Thanks to the higher carbohydrates in beer I’ve been turning back to wine to get through the holidays without putting on too much weight. That, and I really enjoying having a glass of wine while getting dinner ready. And of course there's nothing quite like a glass with the meal. I’d recently purchased Hahn’s 2014 GSM which is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.  Pris and I really enjoyed Hahn’s Pinot offerings so I decided to see how their other varieties fared.

Like most red blends the result is determined by the winery finding just the right mix and percentage of grapes. Ripe red fruit takes the lead on the nose, followed by redolent berry notes on the palate. Raspberry and cherry stand out, and are bolstered by a solid backbone of mineral from the Granache.

I paired Hahn’s GSM with homemade chicken tenders and an herbaceous mac & cheese. It worked flawlessly with the simple, yet very rich meal. The fruit was a great counterpoint to the rich cheese and breading. The tenders were loaded with fresh herbs in the breading, and this red blend  complimented them very well.

Hahn’s GSM can be found at HEB on Trenton, and it runs about $12 a bottle. This wine is another great everyday drinking wine that won’t break the bank. You can pair it with steak, BBQ, or fried chicken. It will go with about everything, especially a charcuterie and cheese plate shared among friends mixed with great conversation and music.

The Genius of DaVinci Chianti

I think I may have just found my new low cost go to wine for everyday drinking in DaVinci’s Chianti. Both the folks living in Italy and Spain know a thing or two about easy drinking table wines. It’s a large part of their culture, and you’d be hard pressed to find a lunch or dinner served without a bottle. That said, DaVinci’s 2014 Chianti is superb example of a versatile and decidedly drinkable table wine.

The DaVinci winery is located in the Chianti region of Tuscany, between Florence and Siena. It draws its grapes from a cooperative of growers in the region, making the most of the climate and terroir. This wine is soft, subtle, smooth, and delicious. Rich fruit notes are the first thing you notice on the nose. From there ripe berries cascade over the palate, followed by rich notes of plum. Unlike heavier wines there is little or no tannic bite until the very end when light tannins and minerals finish the piece.

I started drinking this bottle while I was making pasta. Not original, but it works. Chiantis are made to go with pasta, and DaVinci’s was no exception. The rich fruit cut through the acidity of the tomato sauce and the fat of the sausage with ease. Instead of stopping at one glass though I poured a second when the meal was done and the wine held nicely all on its own. The lighter fruit filled wine will work with a variety of dishes from pasta, to fish, to barbeque. Essentially you can’t go wrong uncorking this bottle for dinner, or just a relaxing glass after work.

I picked up the DaVinci Chianti at HEB on Trenton for just under $11.  At the price point it’s an easy choice for an everyday drinker.

Flat Creek Estates Tempranillo: The Little Wine That Could

To be honest, this wine almost didn’t get reviewed. I picked this 2012 tempranillo up at Central Market in Houston on one of my trips. It was recommended, and I tend to really like Texas Tempranillo so it seemed like a perfect match. Unfortunately, the first glass did not live up to its potential and I pretty much wrote it off. However, I was raised not to be wasteful, so once a wine is open it is going to be finished off. When I opened the vacuum sealed bottle, I was greatly surprised by the change in the wine.

This little tempranillo went from being a discordant mix of fruit, spice, and tannin to a smooth symphony of flavor. Cherry and plum greet the palate up front, but a much subtler earthiness follows at the end of the draw. Mild spice undertones work throughout the sip and add the right bit of punch--subtle and not overpowering. It is amazing what can happen when you let a wine breathe.

I paired the wine with a pasta salad made from organic whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken, olives, sweet peppers, feta, and herbed olive oil. The sufficiently opened wine was a perfect counterpoint to the light fare. The grilled chicken paired especially well with the wine, and I would like to try it with more grilled meats once I pick up another bottle.

Hall Revisited: Good Times are Here Again

As Pris and I work to get back into the habit of enjoying a good glass of wine a few times a week, we noticed that there are a number of great wines that we’ve reviewed and still have in stock. One of these is Hall’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Several years ago I reviewed a 2007 vintage, and recently had the pleasure of working through its 2011 cousin.

Despite the age difference the tasting notes remain relatively the same as in the original post (http://rgvinophiles.blogspot.com/2011/08/hall-simple-name-for-damn-good-wine.html).  However, one major difference was the overall smoothness of the wine. The initial Hall was about four years old while this vintage was five pushing on six. And that year seemed to make a delicious difference. Dark, full bodied, and smooth as liquid silk this was everything a fine wine should be.

We paired the 2011 with a bit of surf & turf, and it was amazing. But this wine was versatile enough to pair with anything from burgers to tenderloin and everything in between. What really seems to work is the aging. Most of our wines were purchased several years ago and seem to really be opening up nicely. If you decide to spend the $30 or so dollars on a bottle of Hall, wait on it. If you can store it in a relatively cool temperature let it age in peace, then enjoy it four or five years down the road. If you can’t wait that long I understand, but it will be worth it.

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/

A Mighty Montepulciano

Pris and I were first introduced to the Duchman family of wines at a wine tasting hosted the Brownsville Historical Association back in 2011 that focused on Texas based wineries. Unfortunately, their wines aren’t carried down here, at least I haven’t seen them on my recent wine excursions. However, HEB Central Market does carry them and I always swing through when I can get to San Antonio or Austin. On one particular trip, I happened upon a Duchman 2010 Montepulciano that ended up in my basket, and then in my glass.

Last Saturday I decided to crack into this particular bottle since I’ve found that your lighter Italian varietals don’t have quite as much staying power as your bigger and bolder reds.  Part of the reason for this particular bottle was that I was whipping up some spaghetti with sausage and tomatoes. Italian wine with Italian food, not original but there’s a reason it works so well.

To start with, this Montepulciano is a fruit bomb! Fruit on the nose, the palate, and everywhere in-between. Loads of plum softened by vanilla and a gentle mineral bite assail the nose, in a very good way. Even more fruit loads up the palate. Rich dark berries and cherries rush through the mouth first. Allowing the wine to linger a bit you can appreciate a bite of spiciness, currant, and slightest bit of mineral that has to be a result of the terroir.

The wine paired flawlessly with the savory sauce, as expected. I would have liked to try it with some other meals to test its versatility, but the opportunity did not present itself. However, this wine is excellent all on its own. Like most Italian varietals its quite mellow, fruity, and easy to drink. If you’re not a fan of the bolder dryer reds, you should give the Montepulciano or Sangiovese a whirl rather than reaching straight for the Pinot Noir. That said, if you are a fan of the dryer reds, you may find this selection to be a bit too juicy.

The Duchman 2010 Montepulciano is a great wine, and exemplifies some of the best of Texas winemaking. If you’re looking, you can find it at Central Markets, possibly Whole Foods, and online direct from the winery at: http://duchmanwinery.com/.

A Return with Raymond Vineyard's R. Collection Merlot

Well, its been almost four years since the last post on this blog. Its not that there hasn’t been any wine drinking, or really good eating over the last few years far from it. Just haven’t been sharing it. A few weeks back, Pris and I decided to start working through our wine reserves which were getting somewhat advanced in age without the benefit of a wine fridge or cellar to properly store them.  As a result, we are getting back in the swing of things with the drinking, and hopefully the writing.

The first wine back up on the block is a 2011 Merlot from the R. Collection by Raymond Vineyards in northern California. Like most merlots, the R. Collection was loaded with tangy rich fruit in the nose. However, due to its age this was highly restrained and it took some time for the wine to open up. Once it did, the merlot ended up being one of the most mellow and drinkable wines we’ve had in a while. Rich plum and cherry played across the palate up front. This was followed by a hint of earthy spice at the end that as the wine slid down the back of the palate.

We paired the merlot with a fine Easter Sunday meal of grass-fed porterhouse, sautéed scallops, roasted asparagus, and roasted Yukon gold potatoes. The asparagus and potatoes were topped with grated manchego cheese. The steak came from Eagle Catcher farms and the scallops from The Shrimp Outlet. Both ventures have booths at the Grow & Growers market Saturday morning at Fireman’s Park in McAllen.

The merlot was a great choice to pair with this surf & turf. The age ripened smoothness allowed it to be light enough to play well with the scallops and still compliment the porterhouse. The rich fruit was a great counterpoint to the sharpness of the manchego.

As this wine was a gift I don’t have the usual information on where to purchase it locally or price. The website lists the R. Collection as an affordable everyday wine. If you happen to find it or get one as a gift, let it age. You won’t be disappointed in this incredibly versatile and drinkable Merlot.

For more information you can visit:  http://www.raymondvineyards.com/