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A bold and decadent nose of baked cherry pie, mulled plums, and toffee spices, with earthy underbrush undertones. Medium-bodied on the palate, with well-knit tannins supporting ripe currant fruit and fig paste, leading to a lengthy, slightly chocolatey finish.

This Mourvèdre from Bilger Family Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country, is sourced from vines grown on sandy, limestone soils. Red-toned fruits transition seamlessly into cool, limestone-driven minerality, with layers of espresso bean, charcuterie, and bright citrus notes of blood orange and grapefruit zest. A totally pleasing red, it strikes a perfect balance of richness and freshness, making it an excellent choice for pairing with smoked brisket or chicken dishes.

The 2020 Adega Vinho Estate Bilger Family Vineyards Tempranillo from Texas Hill Country is a medium-bodied red that opens with vibrant blue fruit and violet aromas, complemented by wonderful sweet spices and espresso bean notes. The fine-grained tannins provide good structure, leading to a long finish marked by savory herbs and mineral richness.

The 2020 Becker Vineyards Barbera is a beautifully crafted, rich, and unctuous wine. It opens with aromas of crunchy red-toned fruit, spice, and rose petals, complemented by dusty minerals and toasty cedarwood notes interwoven with subtle hints of charcuterie. Full-bodied on the palate, it reveals mocha accents and silky, plump, well-integrated tannins, leading to a long and satisfying finish. The 2019 vintage earned the prestigious Texas Wine of the Year award from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Rodeo Uncorked International competition, and this 2020 vintage continues that tradition of excellence.

The Becker Vineyards 2020 Texas Hill Country Malbec Reserve, sourced from Tallent Vineyard, opens with a hint of funkiness, adding a touch of earthy underbrush and charcuterie, complemented by stewed plum character. Medium-bodied, the wine features grippy tannins that build throughout the palate, culminating in a drying finish. Pair this bold and flavorful Malbec with a nicely salted Ribeye, and you’ll be off to the races.

The Becker Vineyards Petite Sirah from the Texas Hill Country is an expressive, currant-rich red, with dark black fruits emerging on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Sappy tannins frame this power-packed wine, providing structure and depth. The finish is remarkably floral, with fine notes of rose petal, espresso bean, and crushed thyme.

This blend of 78% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Tannat, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 36 months in 22% new American oak, resulting in a wine with impressive power and intensity. It features a savory mineral character and subtle nuances of pressed dried florals, which complement the rich barrel spices. The nose is further enriched with red berry fruits, mulberry, and a touch of molasses, likely influenced by the American oak. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it concludes with a long ironstone mineral finish, with hints of charcuterie adding complexity.

This Signature Series Cabernet Franc is sourced from Fort Miller Vineyard and was fermented as whole berries in a 5-ton open-top fermenter, then aged for 22 months in 30% new French oak. It’s a beautifully expressive wine with aromas of rose petal and rose stem, complemented by vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit. Medium- to full-bodied, it offers layered notes of tobacco leaf, allspice, and sage, all supported by powerful, grippy tannins that give it structure and age-worthy depth.

Fermented in stainless steel and aged in 30% new French oak, this wine opens with bright red cherry and raspberry aromatics layered with rose petal nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it features robust, chunky tannins, graphite, and expressive cedarwood, finishing long with crushed stone minerality. Bold, structured, and finely detailed.

Fermented in open-top bins and aged for 24 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this wine delivers classic tar and rose petal notes alongside black truffle, charcuterie, and a distinctive black sea salt character. Earthy and layered with underbrush, it’s medium-bodied with sinewy tannins, crunchy red fruit, and a touch of allspice on the lengthy, savory finish.

The 2020 Teroldego is a bold, supple, and juicy wine with notes of dark chocolate, black cherry, and blackberry, complemented by wet slate nuances and saline-acid tension on the medium-bodied palate. A total crowd-pleaser, it’s the perfect pairing for a juicy, medium-rare burger.

This Camp Lucy Vineyard Petit Verdot from the Texas Hill Country comes from a north-facing 5-acre site west of Dripping Springs. The wine offers an attractive nose, with red-toned fruits mingling with lilac and prairie herbs. These aromas build with nice intensity through the medium-bodied palate, supported by well-integrated, soft, and velvety tannins.

The Lost Pirogue Vineyard, located in the Texas Hill Country at 1,605 feet of elevation on limestone rubble soils, is the source of this exceptional Souzão. Hand-harvested and whole berry macerated, the wine was fermented in half-ton open-top containers and aged for just over 24 months in oak. Souzão truly shines in the Texas Hill Country, and this expression is a full-bodied, satiny-soft version of the variety. With perfectly integrated tannins, the wine reveals layers of dark currant and black cherry fruits, complemented by a nice inlay of ironstone minerality. The finish is long and expressive, marked by vibrant dried florals and lilacs. Totally inviting and delightfully expressive.

The Lost Pirogue Vineyard, located in the Texas Hill Country at 1,605 feet of elevation on limestone rubble soils, is the source of this Tannat wine from Bending Branch. Hand-harvested and whole berry macerated, the wine was fermented in half-ton open-top containers and aged for just over 24 months in oak. A more MB, softer expression of Tannat, with crunchy red berry fruit character, elegant minerality, and a litany of herbs and Indian spices.

The Bingham Family Vineyards Mourvèdre Estate Reserve is a bold and intense red, packed with green tobacco, red currant, and fig fruits. The tannins are strong, offering a substantial structure, while the limestone minerality is particularly pronounced, with a distinctive, earthy character. This wine has a definite place at the table, but demands rich, creamy cheeses or smoky/hearty meats to balance its herbal and tannic intensity.

The 2020 Blackmon Cabernet Sauvignon from the Texas Hill Country offers classic Cabernet character with notes of black pepper and sage, complemented by a subtle hint of Texas prairie grass. Black currant and fig fruits mingle with spiced plums, creating a rich and layered profile. Framed by robust tannins, the wine builds with dark cocoa and wet slate, leading to a full-bodied finish that’s both deep and complex. A well-structured and expressive Texas Cabernet. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

Made primarily from estate-grown Iberian varieties, this blend includes Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Touriga Nacional, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It opens with a bright mix of red and black fruit on the nose, accented by orange zest and walnut husk, lending a high-toned, refreshing aromatic lift. On the palate, it’s soft and supple, framed by gentle tannins with an Earl Grey tea quality. Blackberry and black cherry fruit layer in beautifully, finishing with loamy earth and wet river stone minerality. A very intriguing and distinctive red.

This is a bright, red-fruited, tangy Syrah from Larner Vineyard—an expression that veers from the site’s typical profile but charms nonetheless. It offers up crunchy cherry and pomegranate fruit, layered with blood orange and a hint of tangerine zest. Featherweight tannins and subtle brown spice notes carry through the medium-length finish.

Sourced from Narra Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, this wine was aged for 32 months in 30% new French oak. “It’s a variety we love,” says Ben Calais, “and we have a lot of wine nerds that love it. Sure, it’s a touch greener than the rest of the wines we make—we could have let it hang longer and get riper, but we don’t want to make all the same wines.” He’s absolutely right. The wine shows captivating black and green tea notes, smoked paprika, and charcuterie on the palate. Medium- to full-bodied with maple-cured tannins and impressive length, it’s the kind of wine you could imagine sipping in a Japanese tea garden.

“RD” stands for Rive Droite, while Calais’ “RG” bottling refers to Rive Gauche—Ben Calais’ nod to the Right Bank and Left Bank of Bordeaux. Very refined, with lovely purity of cassis fruit and bright spearmint notes, layered with rich cocoa character and hints of blood orange. Ripe, supple tannins are framed by juicy blood orange acidity, all building toward a full-bodied finish. At just 12.9% alcohol, this is a remarkable effort, showing excellent Texas density balanced by vibrant tension and a long, spice-laden finish.

This Lagrein opens with a rich cocoa powder nose, alongside cassis, rose petals, and loamy earth—all of which carry through seamlessly to the palate. Grippy tannins frame a saline, mineral-driven finish. Dark, brooding, and expressive, it shows impressive depth and breadth, with well-balanced tension. Spicy and intense, yet remarkably light on its feet.

Harvested from 40-year-old vines grown on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, this wine was fermented on the skins, then pressed and aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. Dark-fruited and structured, it delivers robust tannins and juicy acid tension that drive a spicy, medium-bodied finish.

A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon from Estate Block 7 and 24% Cabernet Franc from Estate Block 15, aged for 19 months in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral barrels. This seductive red opens with a meaty, juicy, and spicy nose, accented by a hint of earthy funk. The rich mouthfeel is unapologetically bold, delivering sultry, tangy black and blue plum flavors. A perfect match for roast turkey or any richly flavored dish that welcomes a little attitude in the glass. -JR

Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 19 months in puncheons, including 20% new French oak, this is a strikingly complex, mineral-driven red. Fragrant aromas of black fruit and violets are layered with black olive, leather, and a touch of incense. The palate is dense and structured, with powerful, fine-grained tannins and succulent, juicy blue fruit. A thread of wet slate minerality runs through the wine, lending tension and lift to its generous, deeply concentrated core.

Sourced from estate fruit and aged for 20 months in 60% neutral oak, this is a vibrant take on classic California Zinfandel. It delivers all the hallmarks—juicy, meaty, jammy, and peppery—while also offering a refreshing line of acidity that keeps it lifted. The medium- to fullbodied palate shines with bright red fruit. -JR

This wine is sourced entirely from Block 3A, located near the pond on the southern portion of the property. It’s aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, followed by an additional year in bottle before release. Dark fruit and loamy earth anchor the nose, with leathery tannins, vivid energy, and a coiled tension that gives the wine verve. There’s plenty of chalky black cherry and blackberry fruit, supported by pronounced, expressive tannins that have an elliptical quality—broad yet focused. The finish is fantastic, layered with spice and a volcanic, crushed red rock minerality. So expressive, and built to evolve.

The 2020 vintage of this red is a refined and juicy wine, offering dark berry fruit layered with soft, plump tannins that give it a sense of roundness and fullness. Delicate floral notes and hints of bay laurel add aromatic lift on the medium- to full-bodied on the palate.

Eden Hill’s easy-drinking Agliancio offers vibrant red-toned fruit, with vanilla-scented aromas and ripe, robust tannins. It has a solid foundation of crunchy apple skin acidity, providing freshness and balance. Sweet spice and rose petal notes emerge on the finish.

The Eden Hill Vineyards Winemaker’s Reserve Tempranillo from the Eden Hill Estate Vineyard, produced by Chris Hornbaker, is a richly layered, medium-bodied red. It opens with red-toned fruit aromas of strawberry, rhubarb, and cranberry, with an interesting note reminiscent of cotton candy—nostalgic and inviting, like childhood evenings at the county fair. Fine, firm tannins provide structure, and the finish is both sweetly spiced and bone dry. A truly fascinating Tempranillo from Texas!

2020 was a blockbuster vintage for the region—ripe, opulent, and particularly favorable for red wines, though the winery tragically lost much of its crop to frost. Thanks to expert farming by the team at Hermann J. Wiemer, this Cabernet Franc—sourced from Serenity Vineyard—was hand-picked, meticulously sorted, and fermented naturally before resting for 18 months in a single 600L neutral French oak puncheon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s a blockbuster in style: a bold and expressive wine, showing medium to full-bodied intensity with layers of dark berry fruit, cassis, and currant. A woodsy, earthy richness carries through on the palate, framed by towering, sappy tannins that structure the juicy kirsch and spice-laden core. Notes of green tobacco and bay laurel add complexity. Drink now or cellar for the next 3–5 years.

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The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a gorgeous Left Bank–inspired nose of blackberry, graphite, and expressive cedarwood, layered with rich tobacco nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it features fine, dusty tannins and vibrant black currant fruit, with notes of loamy earth, vanilla bean, and savory wild herbs framing the long, focused finish. A tremendously satisfying wine of elegance and mineral purity. Belle Fiore Winery is an estate in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, with 31 acres of planted vineyards.

Winemaker Rob Folin says he loves the sweetness and toastiness imparted by the Icon barrels used to age this wine—“it’s not just salt and pepper,” he notes, “it’s the steak and butter sauce, too.” The 2019 was fermented in open-top bins and aged in 40% new French oak Icon barrels. The result is a terrifically spicy wine with good density and width, dark cherry fruit dusted with cardamom and coriander, hints of wood smoke, clove, and allspice, and super-fine, sweet tannins that carry through a long, elegant finish.

Winemaker Rob Folin’s second vintage at Belle Fiore. This is a robust and bold Pinot Noir with a rich, dark-fruited profile, black cherry, and cherry coulis, rose petals and sgaebrush. Has a MB palate feel with firm tannins and notes of black tea on the finish. Fermented in open top bins, and aged 18 months in 30% nfr.

The Signature Series Syrah, was just two barrels, and fermented in open-tops and aged in 50% nfr for 22 months. Winemaker Rob Folin says this is the best barrel in the cellar in 2019 and the second barrel complements this Syrah. The aromastics are incredibly hedonistic with cinnamon and allspice, with asomeo f the meaty Syrah characterur shining through with red cherry, blackberry, and blue fruit with notes of dried violets

This Tannat from Bending Branch was finished in bourbon barrels, with flash detente and cryo-maceration, and fermented in half-ton open-top fermenters. Sourced from two vineyards, it offers intriguing aromas of brandied morello cherry fruit and leather spices, mingling with sappy tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Softer and fleshy in the mouth, the wine reveals nice baking spice character, with layers of toffee, espresso bean, and a hint of molasses on the finish.

This super savory, medium-bodied Merlot opens with crunchy cherry and dark berry fruits, complemented by underbrush and pastille notes. As the wine develops, it reveals layers of blue fruit jam and a touch of tobacco leaf. The finish is long and satisfying.

Bingham Family Vineyards’ Texas High Plains 2019 Petit Verdot is a rich and meaty wine, offering vibrant red currant fruits, spicy charcuterie, and strawberry balsamic notes. These flavors build on the soft, medium-bodied palate, framed by velvety, fine tannins.

Ferments are done in barrel, followed by ageing for up to 15 months in 20% new French oak. Attractive red and black berry fruit leads, with nuances of graphite, tobacco, elegant cedarwood aromatics, and rose petal florals. Medium-bodied on the palate, with firm, structured tannins and notes of espresso bean, all lifted by blood orange acid tension. The lengthy finish carries a touch of mesquite smoke. Grapes are sourced entirely from the 7-acre Blackmon Ranch Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country AVA.

The 2019 Blackmon Cabernet Sauvignon from the Texas Hill Country is a fantastic wine that beautifully showcases classic Cabernet character. It offers satiny, slightly sappy tannins that are beautifully integrated, complemented by a melange of dried herb notes and delectable black currant and spiced plum fruits. Rich and enticing, it delivers fantastic structure and length, highlighting the potential of the Texas Hill Country. Aged 15 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this dynamic Cabernet is a standout expression of the region. The winemaker is Anthony Offhill.

The Buffalo Roam Reserve is a savory red wine that combines 65% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, and 6% Cabernet Franc. It offers very attractive green olive tapenade notes that mingle with red currants, dried herbs, and spices. Medium-bodied, it is framed by black tea tannins and complemented by tobacco, sage, and a hint of dried spearmint on its complex finish.

The Brennan Vineyards Tribute Red, created in honor of late winery founder Dr. J. Patrick Brennan, is an elegant and savory wine that offers a rich profile of currant fruits, tobacco spices, cedarwood, and tanned leather. The wine is further enhanced by delicate notes of dried rose petals and violets. Medium-bodied with expressive tannins, it shows layers of fig jam and currant jelly, intertwined with sagebrush, thyme, and black truffle nuances. A beautifully complex wine, it has both depth and refinement, making it a memorable tribute to its namesake.

This Reserve Petite Sirah from the Texas High Plains is a full-throttle, meaty red with ripe currant fruit, charcuterie, and dried strawberry, complemented by dried herb nuances of prairie grass and sage. Medium-bodied, it boasts black tea-scented tannins, along with layers of black truffle, loamy earth, and delicate pressed violets and hydrangea notes.

This is a wonderfully rich and meaty red with impressive depth of fruit, yet it never veers into cloying or overt sweetness. It doesn’t possess the sheer intensity of a Napa Petit Verdot, but instead offers brightness and vividness underscored by firm acidity. There’s real personality here, with wild, sauvage notes ranging from dried sage and bay leaf to rose stem. The finish is bold, dry, and tannic, chased by mouthwatering acidity.

After fermentation in open-top bins with daily punchdowns, this Malbec was aged for 19 months in American oak (21% new). Winemaker Larry Dino favors Pennsylvania oak for this wine, noting its signature bacon-like, meaty character—which is unmistakably present here. That savory quality mingles seamlessly with dark berry and blueberry fruit, supported by a streak of savory spice. The tannins are gritty and granular, adding texture and structure, yet the wine remains fresh and vibrant. A robust, distinctive Malbec that will soften with time in bottle.

Flat Creek Estate’s “Super Texan” is a fragrant, meaty red wine with a red-toned character. It offers a medium- to full-bodied palate, enriched with savory notes of truffle, underbrush, and green tobacco, finishing with a long, persistent limestone mineral thread.

This Petite Sirah comes from 2012 plantings at Newsom Vineyards on Indian Hill in the Texas High Plains. The vineyard, located about 40 miles west of most sites in the High Plains, sits near the New Mexico border and features unique soils—shallow sandy clay loam transitioning to chalky limestone, with the Petite Sirah blocks on a knoll of iridescent red sand over fractured limestone. Bin-fermented with whole berries and ample oxygen exposure, this wine moves away from the typical inky and heavy style of Petite Sirah. Instead, it offers a balanced and elegant profile of dark currants, black cherry, and high-toned blue fruits, accented by cedarwood notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with spiced plums, brandied Morello cherries, and currants, layered with savory tobacco and leather. The fine, black tea-like tannins are beautifully integrated, enhancing the wine’s structure and depth, and adding a sense of sophistication.

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