May 2009
|  | | It's All About the Taste Cover the labels, sign on to the Internet and discover a new way of experiencing Texas wines. TDA recently hosted its first-ever "virtual" blind wine tasting called the "Texas Two-Sip Tele-Tasting." The webcast was an extension of the ongoing "Texas Two-Sip" tastings that TDA conducts in person around the state, where Texas wines are paired against well-known, iconic wines from around the world. Blind comparisons are a great way to avoid preconceptions about Texas wines and to demonstrate how well Texas wines show against other highly respected wines. The Texas wines featured this time were from Inwood Estates Vineyards, Texas Hills Vineyard, McPherson Winery and Brennan Vineyards.
To follow along as two top Texas sommeliers conduct the blind tasting, go here. Why not host your own blind tasting? It's a fun way to get your friends talking about Texas wines. If you're up to the challenge, please feel free to share your results with us! |
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| | Ask the Expert
Three Questions for Merrill Bonarrigo, co-founder of Messina Hof Winery & Resort What's been the biggest change in the Texas wine industry since you opened your winery?
It's the image of Texas wine to the world. We went from being a cartoon of Chateau Bubba around the campfire to a recognized, world-class wine-producing region that wins gold medals in international competitions. 
What is going to have the biggest impact on the Texas wine industry in the next five or 10 years?
Three things will greatly impact the Texas wine industry. (1) Availability of Texas grapes. We need more Texas farmers to grow grapes. If you know a farmer who is interested in growing grapes, please have them call me! (2) Keeping the message of "drink Texas wine" in front of the consumer. TDA does an awesome job marketing our industry with eye-catching and innovative programs. (3) Texas wineries being able to sell their wines at the winery and online. There are more than 160 wineries now in the state, and each needs an avenue to sell its products. What's the key to finding new markets and new customers for Texas wines?
Education and trial create believers in our industry. Programs like the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association's "Friends of Texas Wines" get consumers involved in the industry. The TWGGA Speakers Bureau takes the message of Texas wine to groups across the state. I personally crusade for all Texas restaurants to serve Texas wines. At each event, I encourage every attendee to ask for Texas wines at every restaurant they patronize and to let the restaurateurs know how important it is to support local wineries. Just imagine what would happen if everyone requested Texas wines every time they dined out! TDA's GO TEXAN Restaurant Program has done a great deal already to help this cause.
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On the Wine Trail: Fredericksburg Wine Road 290 One could make the case that the Bible of the Texas wine industry is Wes Marshall's book The Wine Roads of Texas. If you had to choose just one road to epitomize the state's wine offerings, that road would very likely be State Highway 290. Winding through the storied Texas Hill Country, this picturesque stretch connects nine distinctive wineries that have bonded together to form the Fredericksburg Wine Road 290. One unique aspect of the 290 trail is how it partners with area restaurants. Some upcoming events include Vino el Pastor (June 20), which pairs wine with various pork dishes; Chili and Chillin' (July 25), a pairing of Texas chili and chilled wines; and Kiolbassa and Kabernet (Sept. 19), a German-heritage event pairing kiolbassa sausage dishes with wines from the trail's member-wineries. Each winery also has individual offerings. A two-day visit is recommended. Wineries on the Fredericksburg Wine Road 290 are Becker Vineyards, Chisholm Trail Winery, Fredericksburg Winery, Grape Creek Vineyard, Pedernales Cellars, Rancho Pointe Vineyard, Texas Hills Vineyard, Torre di Pietra Vineyards and Woodrose Winery.
For more information about the trail, visit www.wineroad290.com/ or www.gotexanwine.org/.
The ABCs of Wine: Definitions from Aromatic to Zinfandel
This month's letter: E Eiswein: The German term for ice wine, a wine made in cold-weather regions from grapes that have frozen on the vine.
Elevation: The altitude of a particular appellation that can affect the color, flavor and quality of the fruit.
Entry: A tasting term that describes a taster's impression of the wine as it enters the mouth.
Estate Winery: In the United States, this refers to a farm licensed to produce and sell its wines on site.
Extract: The solid compounds in the wine (like tannins) that can affect color and body.
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