Texas Wines

[Lone Star]

I have enjoyed the Fall Creek Chardonnay. It is made at at small vineyard in Tow,TX, not far from Llano on the beautiful Lake Buchanan.

I also like Llano Texas White.

[LDLee]

If you want to try some Texas wines, the Rotary Club of Houston, along with the the Wine Society of Texas, is hosting a Texas Vintner dinner on the evening of Tuesday, February 3. Cost is $65 per person. 4 Texas winemakers will be presentinig. I know Haak and Messina Hoff are two of the four. For more information, call Michael McBride at 713-957-1185.

Thanks,

Lindsey

[slkinsey]

Thanks, Lindsey, and welcome to eGullet. I hope we'll be hearing more from you. Are you a member of the Wine Society of Texas?

[LDLee]

Thanks. No, I am a member of the Rotary Club of Houston. Michael McBride, the organizer of the dinner, is a member of the Wine Society of Texas. Need to talk to him about getting involved. I am more of a wine fan, than a connoisseur. We have a wine fridge, instead of a cellar. An old beer fridge converted to wine.

Considering (a) the proximity of Messina Hoff to Dallas and Houston and (b) Messina Hoff has a nice restaurant, would seem like a good field trip for this group.

Has anyone participated in Messina Hoff's grape picking in August. Sounds too hot to me.

[fifi]

And a big welcome to you LDLee! Great to have another Houstonian aboard. I have been to the festival at Messina Hoff and was really surprised at the quality of the wine. I am not a wine nut by any stretch of the imagination, but I know what I like.

I thought about the grape picking but August... in the sun... doesn't sound like a good time.

[jbftx]

I can't believe I'm the only dissenter, but the answer to claire797's original question is: Yes, you are crazy.

I've tried most of the wine's you've all discussed and haven't thought a single one of them was equal to a similarly valued wine from a real wine producing region. I'm not knocking Texas (born, raised and still live here) but it's climate will never (yes, I mean never) produce grapes that can become very good wine. Some of it may be drinkable, but for the same amount of money you can have something that's much more than merely drinkable.

Never tried the ports, but I assume the sweeter they are, the more the flaws are masked. I'm still willing to give Texas wines a shot and plan to attend the Hill Country Wine and Food Festival this spring, but the results so far have been so poor and the hype has been so unfounded that I don't expect much.

Glad there's some of you out there who disagree so the hardworking people on Texas' vineyards won't go broke. Just don't ask me to support them.

[jbftx]

One last thing just to throw you guys a bone -- the guys at Alamosa Wine Cellars seem to be doing the best thing in Texas right now by working with warm climate grapes like Sangiovese. Why all the others are forcing grapes into a climate that can't produce a top quality wine is really insane.

[claire797]

woof.

Edited January 13, 2004 by claire797 (log)