Texas Rosé, you say? Blanc de Bois and Viognier may be the white (ok pale yellow) wine start of the Texas wine scene. And, the rose of Texas may just be Yellow. But we say MOVE OVER YELLOW and bring on the pink – Rosé pink that is. And to be really clear, forget the flowers and bring on the wine. Yummy, unctuous, complex and deep. Not sappy, flabby or dull, but the big stuff. The stuff Texas wine makers are delivering without apology. And I’m a fan!
How can I be so enthusiastic about Texas Rosé, or any Texas wine for that matter? It’s easy. Get out there and try some and you’ll soon be on board with me. To be fair, if you had suggested a Texas wine or the Texas wine industry to me even a year or two ago, I would have said thanks but no thanks. There is no fine wine in Texas.
My only real experience had been a few average wines from the Texas Hill Country which were simply unmemorable. And, if I’m going to pop the cork, I at least want to have some level of “ah-ha” moment! Are you with me on this one?
Where my Yellow Rose of Texas turned into wine.
This was my philosophy until I took a Texas Tempranillo to a friends for a blind tasting challenge and it ranked #3 – only behind the two the host entered into the contest which hailed from magical old world vineyards and had 15+ years of age and complexity. Holy cow! Tasted blind, my Texas Tempranillo held up to some really great wines! I’ve totally digressed, but hang in there. There is a Tempranillo thread to this I promise!
Several recent explorations to Texas Wine Country have landed me in some amazing Texas wineries and one common thread among all visited is deeply complex, but fresh and crisp expressions of Rosé! Most importantly, they were all driven by the principle of grapes which are super successful in Texas, whether Hill Country or High Plains.
Wine making 101 – if the grapes aren’t meant to grow someplace, don’t grow them! So each of the wines I’m going to highlight more than holds its own in Texas dirt, sun and heat.
These are in no order other than color as I’m a fan of them all (trust me, my credit card this month is proof I’ve stocked up on a few bottles!)
And now for the good Texas wine, Texas Rosé!
William Chris Vineyards 2021 Grenache Rosé (far right): Can I please geek out right here? Seriously, the winemaking process for this gorgeous specimen has my nerd vibes on overload! Concrete + dead yeast cells = magic. Work with me here! Concrete eggs, or amphora, are some of the oldest vessels for wine fermentation and storage in the history of wine. Trust me, I’ll be doing a post on it soon!
But back to the wine. Fermented and aged 6 months in concrete gives this wine all the complexity and balance of oak without any flavor influence. 6 months on lees (yep, dead yeast cells) brings a gorgeous smooth, velvety roundness to this wine. Unctuousness balanced with a chalky minerality and a punch back end pepperiness. Have I geeked out enough yet on this one?!
Adega Vinhö Winery 2021 Estate Rosé of Mourvèdre (second from right): We’ve all heard the moniker ”low intervention”. But it’s definition is not universal. Here at Adega Vinhö, everything is centered on Texas and the true expression of grapes grown and wines made in Texas. Dang, they’re doing a bing bang job of it!
Mourvedre is one of the premier grapes of the Rhone Valley (think huge gravel, wild vines, Mediterranean sun and big, bold wines). it shines in this rosé. Typically a varietal with big ripeness leading to higher alcohol. This version keeps its super ripe appeal with fruity, juiciness super balanced by time in oak. 80ish% in neutral French oak. Think complexity without changing the flavor or aroma. And, the remainder in new American oak (this one leaves its mark!) make this a ”rosé for red wine drinkers” – at least that’s the rumor at Adega! Red fruit forward, raspberry if you must, this wine makes you take another deep sniff, sip and swish to expose toasty, cedar-like notes you’d never guess were there based on the pale pink of this wine. Dainty and gentile it is not. Yummy and complex, it is!
What? There’s more Texas Rosé?
Valley Mills Vineyards 2021 Cinsaut Rosé (second from left): I know you’ve seen my interview with VMV winemaker, Joey Bagnasco, so you know I’m a huge fan of their wines! This rosé is one of my favorites. Hand harvested and de-stemmed grapes are mixed with a tiny bit of Mourvedre (6%) to add a bit more depth and complexity. Bright red fruits from strawberry to raspberry to tart cranberry sing through a perfect balance of acidity and low alcohol. I’ll be drinking this all year round – I’d say all 4 seasons, but you know I live in Texas where we miss a few here and there!
Lost Draw Cellars 2020 Arroyo Rosato (far left): Featuring a whopping 69% Tempranillo and 31% Grenache it’s no wonder this wine is packed with a punch. Hailing from the Texas High Plains American Viticultural Area (AVA), the deep watermelon pink gives a sneak peek into the depth and complexity of this stunner. High acidity keeps the brambly red fruit (think raspberries), cranberries and red currant flavors front and center. Winemaker Brad Buckelew has a thing for fruit – his wines are exemplary of the varietal and the traditional fruit aromas and flavors they’re known for in any region. Arroyo Rosato packs as much flavor as it does pink. The Yellow Texas Rose cannot hold a candle to the color of this beauty – and that’s a great thing!
Not all Texas wine is from Texas
While not from Texas grapes, a little shout out to my friends at Alexander Vineyards, located in the Hill Country, but importing amazing wines from Europe. Their 2019 Rosé Grand Vin de Bordeaux is 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend gently pressed to provide a Provence style paleness to the color, while exploding with flavor, crispness and mouth-watering acidity. What’s not to love!?! And, the perfect comparison to prove Texas should truly consider at least adding the Texas Rosé, or Texas wine in general, somewhere in its list of iconic symbols or products. Grab a bottle or two and join my indulgence – you will thank me later!
Cheers to a Rosé kind of day!
#texashillcountry #rose #pinkwine #fredericksburg #valleymillsvineyards #williamchrisvineyards #adegavinho #lostdrawcellars #ilovewine #wineeducation
Check out my other Rosé wine posts:
There’s no way this is a rosé!
Kentucky Wine on my Mind
Toto, this is the New Kansas! Kansas Wineries!
