Texas Wine Collective Wine Club Release – Jun-2024
Hello TWC Wine Club Members,
It is time for the Texas Wine Collective June pickup events scheduled on Sundays, June 9th and June 16th. There will be an early session, 11:00-1:30 pm, and a late session, 2:30-5:00 pm, each Sunday for club members and their guests to taste the wines in the allocation accompanied by several curated food bites. There will also be live music for your enjoyment.
Four adults per wine club membership are allowed to join the party. Reservations are encouraged to make sure you get the opportunity to enjoy the paired food bites. Please check the website – www.texaswinecollective.com – and make your reservations to enjoy the wines, foods, friends, and facilities at Texas Wine Collective. Join us and drink well, my friends.
Allocation Selections: R=Red, M=Mixed, W=White, S=Sweet
Texas Wine Collective Albarino 2023 TX High Plains W
Grape(s): Albarino 100%, sourced from Texas High Plains vineyards
Fruit was mechanically harvested at 22.2oBrix, pressed, juice was fermented cool at 56oF for 25 days, aged in SS tank, bottled @ 12.4% ABV, 0.5% RS (essentially dry)
This wine was produced by the team at McPherson Cellars to capture that late spring/early summer vibe. There is a citrus driven nose of kumquats and preserved lemon that turns to under-ripe peach and wildflower honey on the palate. The wine is delicate, floral, and irresistibly thirst-quenching – garden or pool party ready. Pair this with pan-sautéed tilapia or trout, turkey club salads or sandwiches, any spring pastas, especially with English peas, mint, and morels, and enjoy a glass after spring gardening.
Lost Oak Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2023 TX High Plains W
Grape(s): Sauvignon Blanc 100%, Reddy Vineyards, Brownfield, Terry County, TX
Machine harvested fruit; pressed and fermented cold over 1 month in SS tanks; aged 4 months with lees stirring in SS tanks; bottled @ 11.5% ABV, 0% RS (dry)
Winemakers Jim Evans and Angela Chapman have produced a number of Sauvignon Blanc wines over the years, mostly from Burning Daylight Vyds. This High Plains fruit was harvested early at 20.5oBrix to give bright acidity and lower alcohol. This has pale color and delicate legs (low alcohol) with aromas of green Anjou pair and orange melon. Less grassy and tart than many Sauvignons, Pomelo (ancient Asian sweet citrus) fruit is front and center on the palate backed by Granny Smith apple. The finish is clean and bright with notes of wet slate and invigorating citrus. Pair this with deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, dover sole baked in lemon butter with capers, margarita pizza with sundried tomatoes and basil, and lemon shortbread cookies.
Brennan Vineyards Viognier 2023 TX High Plains W/M
Grape(s): Viognier 100%, Reddy Vineyards, Brownfield, Terry County, TX
Mechanically harvested fruit was pressed at Reddy Vineyards and the juice transported to Brennan for fermentation at cool temperature in SS tank. The wine was aged 5 months in SS tank with no malolactic transformation before bottling at @ 12.4% ABV, 0% RS (dry)
Viognier, the signature wine for Brennan, traces its origins to the northern Rhône Valley in France. After becoming near extinct in the 1960s, dedicated young growers revived old hillside vineyards and brought Viognier back to life. It is gaining in popularity across the wine world, and certainly has found a home in Texas where our sun-filled, warm growing season fits the variety. This wine has a pale straw color with aromas of white peach, Anjou pear, persimmon, and honeysuckle blossoms. Flavors include pear, golden apple, and a hint of citrus with bright crisp acidity for an exhilarating mouthfeel. Flavors include peach, nectarine, pear, and notes of star fruit and melon. Pair this with bacon-wrapped quail, charbroiled oysters, cornmeal fried squash and okra with garden herb ranch dip, and poached pears with vanilla ice cream.
Brennan Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2021 TX High Plains R/M
Grape(s): Cabernet Franc 100%, sourced from Texas High Plains vineyards
Fruit was mechanically harvested and fermented in SS tank at 65-85oF; aged 24 months in used American and French oak barrels; bottled @ 13.4% ABV, 0% RS (dry)
Cabernet Franc is one of the noble varieties for production of the famous red wines of Bordeaux. It has proven to be a good producer here in the warmer, drier climates of Texas. This wine has a lovely garnet color with brick rim, medium-plus concentration, and aromas of black cherry, black currant, rhubarb, beet greens, and dried tobacco leaf. Flavors on the palate are ripe strawberry, cherry, white pepper, with notes of baking spice and vanilla cream from oak aging. The finish is well-balanced with softer, silky tannins and layers of complexity. This is a noble effort that pairs well with BBQ, wild game dishes, truffle and burrata-topped pastas, and German chocolate cake.
Lost Oak Winery Mourvèdre 2022 TX High Plains R/M
Grape(s): Mourvèdre 100%, Diamante Doble Vyds, Tokio, Terry Cty, TX
Machine harvested fruit; fermented over 10 days in SS tank at 60-85oF; wine pressed from the skins and aged 19 months in used oak barrels; bottled @13.3% ABV, 0% RS (dry)
Winemakers Jim Evans and Angela Chapman have produced a number of Mourvèdre vintages, and this one is a standout. Also known as Mataro or Monastrell, this Spanish-origin variety does well in hot, arid climates and requires lots of sun to fully ripen (can do in Texas!). Most often used in GSM blends with Grenache and Syrah, varietal bottlings of Mourvèdre have become popular in Texas. Deep ruby in color with aromas of cardamom, white peppercorn, tart cherry, and sweet tobacco with gentle floral notes. Flavors include ripe cherry, wild red berries, and black tea with hints of espresso and dark cocoa with rounded tannins on a rich, lingering finish. This pairs well with Alsatian cheese tart, linguine with parmigiano and butter sauce, rosemary chicken salad, beef and broccoli stir fry, and lavender milk chocolate truffles.
McPherson Cellars Grenache Block Series 2021 TX High Plains R
Grape(s): Grenache 100%, from Lahey Vineyards, Brownfield, Terry Cty, TX
Machine harvested fruit was crushed, cold soaked for 3 days, fermented in SS tank at 60-80oF over 8 days with overall 30-day skin contact; aged 14 months in French oak barrels (18% new); bottled @ 13.5% ABV, 0.2% RS (dry)
Kim McPherson and Spenser Igo focus on a French ancestry for this wine but allow it to speak with a Texas drawl. Grenache is the primary grape variety in the Rhône Valley of southern France where it is primarily used in blends with other key grapes like Syrah and Mourvèdre. Here is 100% Grenache with an abundance of warm red fruits: ripe cherry, cranberry sauce, muddled strawberry accented with a touch of lavender and waft of woodsmoke. The flavors offer a bold blast of red fruit with rose petal nuances and subtle coffee notes. There is a smooth bitterness to the gentle, almost dusty tannins and bright acidity at the finish. Pair this with charcuterie platters, goat cheese and fig jam bruschetta, grilled bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, brisket mac and cheese, and blackberry cobbler.
Lost Oak Winery Sweet Moscato 2023 TX High Plains S
Grape(s): Muscat Blanc 54%, Reddy Vyds, Brownfield, and Muscat Canelli 46%, Diamante Doble Vyds, Tokio, all in Terry Cty, TX
Mechanically harvested fruit was pressed and fermented cold in SS tank; aged 7 months in SS tank; sweetened, stablilized, and bottled @ 13.8% ABV, 3.0% RS (moderately sweet)
Of the over 200 cultivars of the Muscat family, several do well in the dry, warm Texas climate. Muscat grapes are used as table grapes as well as for making dry and sweet wines along with sparkling versions. The wine has a soft yellow hue with aromas of tropical fruits like papaya, mango, melon, and hints of exotic flowers. The flavors offer layered notes of pineapple, sweet nectarine, and soft mandarin orange at the silky finish. Pair this with fruit salads, sushi rolls, hamburger with goat cheese, BBQ baked beans, honey-glazed carrots, pork chop with apple glaze, and orange mascarpone layer cake.
Brennan Vineyards Three White Chicks 2023 TX High Plains S
Grape(s): Muscat Blanc 42%, Viognier 42%, and Pinot Gris 16%, Reddy Vyds, Brownfield, Terry Cty, TX
Machine harvested fruit was fermented at cold temperature for 30 days and the cuvées were aged in SS tanks (no malolactic transformation). Once blended, the wine was sweetened, stabilized, and bottled @ 13.0% ABV, about 4% RS (sweet)
This pale gold, soft, well-balanced wine has a bouquet of gardenia blossoms, honeydew melon, orange blossoms, and nectarine fruit. Flavors follow through with melon, peach, mandarin orange and a sweet, light, refreshing mouthfeel. Pair this with spicy cuisine, like Thai or Mexican, charcuterie platters, or just enjoy on the patio on a warm summer day.
McPherson Cellars Shy Blush 2023 TX High Plains S
Grape(s): Fruit sourced from Texas High Plains vineyards
Machine harvested fruit was pressed and fermented for 30 days at 56oF in SS tank; aged in SS tank (no malolactic transformation). Eventually white wine cuvees were blended with red to produce the bright pink color. The blend was then sweetened, stabilized, and bottled @ 11.5% ABV, 4.0% RS (sweet)
This light, easy-drinking pink wine is fruity, sweet, and refreshing with aromas and flavors of cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, and hints of citrus and tropical fruit at the finish. Besides being a simple, fun palate pleaser, it pairs well with spicy cuisine – Thai, Indian, or Mexican, soft cheeses and dried fruit on your charcuterie platter, salads with spring fruit and toasted pecans, and ginger snap cookies.