Award-winning Texas wines

Just got back from two days of judging at the Lone Star International  Wine competition, and was quite impressed with the results. I have been a judge for three years, and this was easily some of the best wine I have tasted.

I'll write more about the state of the Texas wine business in an upcoming magazine, but I wanted to note these wines (which are available from the wineries, and at some retailers for the Becker and Brennan), which were quite impressive:

• Sweet wines: Signature Red Muscadine from Guerra Vineyard in East Texas is an amazing achievement, because muscadines (related to grapes but not grapes) usually make crummy wine. Collina Bianca, from Pleasant Hill Winery in Brenham, is a white blend that is very well made.

• White wines. Brennan Vineyards Viognier is softer than a chardonnay, with some floral touches, but still a dry wine. Two from Becker Vineyards in the Hill Country: a chenin blanc, which was one of my favorites, and a fume blanc, which is a sauvignon blanc and semillion blend. The Beckers are also great buys at $12 or so.

• Red wine. Another Becker, a blend called Prairie Roti. It's very fruity, dry, and a good hot weather red.

Comments

[nmlhats]

You are right about those good Beckers. There's a fair amount of swill in this state but I don't think any of it comes from Becker. We bought both the fumé blanc and chenin blanc (plus other stuff) when we were at the winery last year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the chenin blanc, fumé blanc, and a lovely grenache rosé called Provencal, among several, are only available directly from Becker itself. The viognier and many others are to be found locally. But the folks at the winery had a list of things that were only available there because of small production. if things have changed, I'd like to know where to get these particular wines in Dallas.

The chenin blanc is the perfect wine for your chicken salad (esp if you put nuts and apples or grapes in the salad) on a spring or summer picnic.

[Jeff Siegel]

I'm not quite as big a fan of Becker as you are, though the wines are certainly among the best in Texas. Having said that, I found the 2006 fume and 2006 chenin blanc to be exceptional. I am told that both are available locally.