A Texas Sommelier’s Guide to Texas Wines

By Austin Tabbone

Intro

Texas is one of the most exciting and most misunderstood wine regions of the United States. Diving into a new wine region can be tricky, we get it, with so many grapes, places, and producers, how could you know for sure the wines that you are tasting are the best examples that place has to offer? Every wine region is different, especially ones that are newer to the scene like Texas, whose modern wine scene didn’t come to fruition until the late 70’s, unlike regions like Napa Valley whose pioneers began nearly 100 years earlier or the iconic regions of Europe which date back centuries. Like any young wine region, Texas is still refining its identity, but the quality today is already impressive. Its growing regions are still learning exactly what works and refining the art of winemaking, nonetheless, there’s some fantastic juice coming out of Texas and here’s how to find it!

The Terroir of Where Texas Wine Grapes Are Grown

Texas is a massive state so let’s start with where the fruit comes from. Most of the producers in Texas source their grapes from two major regions, The Texas High Plains and The Texas Hill Country, and if you’re traveling to Fredericksburg, you’ll find yourself in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. What may surprise visitors to Fredericksburg is you will see that the majority of Texas’s juice comes from The Texas High Plains, the premium growing region of Texas. Grapes produced in the High Plains enjoy a much higher elevation growing aspect as well as cooler evening temperatures, producing high quality aromatic wines with a vibrant backbone of preserved acidity, whereas the much more southern and lower elevation Hill Country, tends to produce richer, fuller bodied wines, with texture and structure. While both regions produce delicious wines, don’t be alarmed to find most of the wines produced in Fredericksburg are coming from other areas throughout Texas.

Must Try Grapes of Texas

While you can always count on some of the more trusted international grapes like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to find prominent plantings in most wine regions, they are not necessarily the grapes that Texas does best! Instead, you’ll notice the top grapes are Texas will feel a bit unfamiliar with some of the top examples being made from grapes like Mourvèdre and Tannat for reds and Picpoul or Roussanne for white wines. The wines produced from Mourvèdre in Texas are a bit atypical compared to what you may expect of the grape from other parts of the world. Here these wines lean much more heavily on the aromatic side of the grape producing light bodied reds with savory dried fruits and notes of fresh cracked peppercorn. These are the wines for those who love Pinot Noir. Fear not if you are a lover of full-bodied styles, for Tannat has really taken hold in Texas as well, producing densely tannic, dark reds, with weight and structure wines produced from Tannat do an excellent job of filling the void left by Cabernet Sauvignon. The whites of Texas tend to be a bit more streamlined stylistically, however, Picpoul is your go to grape if you are a fan of the light crisp styles akin to what one would expect of perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc. Meanwhile Roussanne tends to produce oily and viscous wines that feel more in line of the richer styles of wines produced by Chardonnay. Mourvèdre, Tannat, Picpoul, and Roussanne may be what I consider Texas’s most promising grapes. However, there are many other exciting styles and varieties being produced including aromatic wine produced from Muscat and some phenomenal Italian varieties based on Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Aglianico. Regardless of what your favorite wine may be, there’s a wonderful spectrum of wines flowing out of Texas producing a myriad of styles, painted from a canvas of lesser-known grapes that are well worth the exploration.

The Texas Wineries Every Wine Lover Should Visit

Whether you’re visiting the beautiful Hill Country or just looking to try some of the best examples Texas has to offer, let’s look at a few of the producers that really showcase the best of what Texas has to offer!

William Chris Wines:

For me this is the winery that’s synonymous with Mourvèdre in Texas, with some of the oldest vineyard sourcing of Mourvèdre, and multiple bottlings including single vineyard examples, this is a fantastic producer to get a good idea of one of Texas’s most important varieties. However, the experience doesn’t end there, with one of Fredericksburg’s most beautiful wineries, a top tier education experience, and a wide variety of wines produced. Look to William Chris as a benchmark producer for the region.

Slate Theory: 

I love to recommend Slate Theory to anyone who is more accustomed to the Napa Valley wine experience, featuring bold wines produced from 100% Texas fruit. These wines are phenomenal for anyone hoping for rich, textured white wines, and bold, intense reds. On top of that, located in Fredericksburg, this is a gorgeous property visit, with a top tier subterranean wine cave, complete with tours and underground wine tastings. This is the luxury tasting experience that many expect.

McPherson Cellars:

Located North in Lubbock, closer to the Texas High Plains, the McPherson family is one of the driving forces pushing the standards of quality in Texas, defining many of the great grapes of the state. These wines are balanced, elegant, and wonderful for those who are looking to explore the region a bit more in depth. Take the time to enjoy the trailblazing styles the McPherson family has put into action.

Final Thoughts

It can often be a challenge to find Texas wines outside of Fredericksburg itself, many of the wineries in the region focus on selling their wines in tasting rooms and through wine clubs, however, if you ever come across the wines of Texas, they are well worth the $30 to $50 spend that most bottles land in. The best Texas wines succeed not by imitating Napa or Europe, but by embracing varieties suited to Texas heat, elevation, and climate. I would encourage anyone who might be curious to order a few bottles online from the wineries direct, these are beautiful wines geared to those with a curiosity of the world of wine.