PART 12 - TEXAS
Introduction:
Very few people realize that wine was being produced from Texas vineyards nearly 100 years before the vitis vinifera winegrape was planted in California. Spanish Franciscan monks in colonial Texas began planting the lowly Mission grape in the first part of the 18th Century to be vinified into sacramental wines. Texas' next claim to wine-world fame came late in the 19th Century when the vineyards of Europe were revived from the dreaded phylloxera (a root-eating mite) by the grafting of vinifera cuttings onto Texas-bred phylloxera-resistant rootstock. Today there are nearly 30 bonded wineries in the state, plus many more source vineyards, all concerned with creating world-class varietal wines. When a Llano Estacado Winery Chardonnay took a 'double-gold' medal at the prestigious San Francisco Wine Fair a few years ago it shocked the world into believing that Texas wines were for real!
Levels of Quality
Texas, like every other wine-producing region within the United States, has established AVA's (American Viticultural Areas) which are designed to indicate the best wine-growing districts in the state. Wines produced in these areas are honored with a label designation such as 'Texas Hill Country', 'High Plains', or 'Trans Pecos'. Texas vintners are allowed to import fruit from other regions to make their wines, including sourcing juice from California and as far away as the Vin de Pays districts of southern France. Look for regional appellations similar to those listed above if you wish to have a bonafide Texas wine. A few Texas wineries utilize the higher-class terms such as 'Reserve', 'Proprietor's Reserve', or 'Barrel Reserve' and the general rule is that these wines are richer in style, with definite barrel-aged characteristics. A sprinkling of exceptional quality proprietary labels are appearing in the marketplace, such as Llano Estacado's expensive 'Viviano' and Becker Vineyard's 'Texas Iconoclast' series.
Grape Types
The varietals of choice in Texas have, for purely economic reasons, been the more popular cultivars, which are of course Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for white wines and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds. Fortunately for Texas vintners, these varietals have lived up to their reputation for the most part, particularly in the hands of seasoned winemakers who are quite familiar with these famous vinifera types. The best Texas wines, white or red, are developing the wonderful distinction of having the richness of fruit associated with Californian wines and the ethereal acidity and mineral structure of French wines. One of the best varietals produced in Texas (which doesn't fare nearly as well in California) is the humble Chenin Blanc. A semi-dry, Vouvray style is offered by a number of Texas wineries (Fall Creek, Messina Hof, and Ste. Genevieve), and we're beginning to see the more rare, bone-dry, Savennieres style as well (Pheasant Ridge Winery). Another superb white varietal making waves in Texas is the Muscat Canelli which is usually fashioned into a spicy, slightly sweet wine (Becker Vineyards, Messina Hof, and Homestead Winery). Texas Zinfandel has had spotty success, usually relegated to the rather sweet blush styling. Emerging stars may be the Bordeaux varietal Cabernet Franc (Becker Vineyards), Pinot Noir (Messina Hof and Oberhellmann's Vineyards), Syrah (Becker and Llano Estacado), and Viognier (Becker Vineyards). Interesting examples of sweet-style Riesling and Gewurztraminer (Llano Estacado and Oberhellmann's) are being made as well. Citrus and fig-flavored Semillon (Fall Creek Winery and Pheasant Ridge) seems to also have a bright future in Texas.
Regions of Production
As mentioned earlier, Texas growing districts have been recognized in a broad sense by the U.S. government's appellation laws. The state can be divided into four rather distinct geographic zones for wine-grape production. They are the windy 'High Plains' region (in the Texas panhandle around the town of Lubbock), the semi-arid 'Trans-Pecos' region (west Texas, including Bakersfield and the Davis Mountain area), the 'Hill Country' region (north of San Antonio and west of Austin), and the humid 'East Texas' region (near the town of Bryan/College Station). A smattering of wines are made in other areas as well, including south of the Red River (which forms the border between Texas and Oklahoma) and in torrid Del Rio (in the Río Grande Valley at the border with Mexico). It appears that the most favorable regions for fine wine production among these four extensive wine districts are the 'Texas Hill Country' and the 'High Plains' districts. In fact, the limestone/ granite soils of the hill country in central Texas have been compared with those of the famous Burgundy region of France. The climate is much warmer however, allowing for the predominance of red Bordeaux wine types as opposed to Burgundy's royal Pinot Noir. Yet, the most serious problem facing Texas vintners isn't high temperatures; it is a disease well-known around the globe in warm wine-producing regions: Pierce's Disease, a bacterial ailment that necessitates the complete uprooting of the affected vineyards.
Summary
Dedicated Texas vintners have proven that the grape-growing wine experts were mistaken when they pronounced in the mid '70s that the modern Texas wine industry couldn't grow the most 'noble' grapes for wine production. They advised using lowly French hybrid types instead (which several Texas vintners tried with little success). In truth, high quality vinifera vines thrive in Texas soils, and Texas wines are today being compared with the world's best wines. This is only the beginning apparently as the vines of Texas are only now coming into full maturity!
Tasting Notes:
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