Although Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and I expect many will be gorging themselves on wine and chocolate (for pairing tips, check out this post from last year!), I thought I’d return from my writing sabbatical with a bit about where I’ve been and what I’ve been tasting lately!
I recently visited one of my oldest and dearest friends in Dallas, Texas to meet her new baby. And because I haven’t had much Texas juice before I knew we had to visit a winery while I was there! At the suggestion of Dallas Wine Chick and Texas Wineaux we headed to nearby Grapevine, TX to check out Messina Hof‘s urban winery- one of the oldest and most award winning wineries in Texas.
One thing I was shocked by in Texas was how much of the juice wasn’t actually from Texas. It was disappointing to see so many grapes being sourced from Lodi, California. Not so with Messina Hof. They grow their own grapes on their property in Texas Hill Country a few hours away, and so I was able to get an authentic taste of what Texas wine is all about.
Besides the cozy, western feel of the urban winery, they offer wine on tap, which is fermented on site in the small production facility! Customers can even fill up growlers of their favorite wines!
We were given a tour of the property by Manager, Nathan DeWitt, and Sommelier, Mark Rettig, before going through a tasting of their wines.
I was particular impressed with the Blanc de Bois- a new to me wine that was cultivated in the 1970s at the University of Florida. It had incredible aromatics with a bit of petrol and slate on the nose, mouthwatering acid, and notes of key lime and grapefruit on the palate. In some ways it reminded me of a dry riesling and was extremely food friendly. Several of us left the winery with a bottle to enjoy later!
The GSM was another stand out. This Rhone blend (50% Syrah, 41% Mourvedre and 9% Grenache) was easy drinking with plenty of nuance. The medium bodied wine boasted notes of cigar box, blackberry and spicy floral notes- I was reminded of the nasturtiums growing in my childhood home’s garden.
Tasting Barrel samples in the production room
After visiting another (disappointing) winery down the street, we decided to head back to Messina Hof to finish the day on a high note relaxing in their lounge with a glass of wine. This southerner appreciated the sense of warmth and hospitality, along with the distinct focus on wine education during the tasting.
If you find yourself near Dallas, I highly recommend a stop by Messina Hof in Grapevine. Tastings are $10 for 5 wine tokens (a few of the reserve wines take 2 tokens.)
The huge variety available will give you a great idea of what’s possible in Texas wine with something sure to please most any palate. If you’re not sure what to taste just ask the friendly staff for their favorites!
Have you tried Texas wine?
Laetitia -
I have!!! Tried a few before boarding my flight at the Vino Volo in Austin!!
AlisonMarriott -
I had no idea they had Texas wine at Vino Volo! Good to know! Cheers, Alison
Krista -
I got to try some Texas wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference last year – it was pretty good! We’re hoping to get out to Austin one of these days and try some more of the wines.
AlisonMarriott -
Definitely try out Messina Hof! I’ve never been to Austin, but it’s high on my list of places to visit! (especially now that there’s WINE nearby:) Cheers!
AlisonMarriott -
It should be available for purchase on iTunes! Let me know if you have problems (being in Canada) and I’ll reach out to find out to the promo folks for you! I think it’s almost better to watch at home with your favorite bubbly! Cheers!