Being a Texan is an admittedly huge part of my identity. My state pride may or may not be larger than my national pride, so naturally I MUST tell you that Texas wines are winning! I received a press release on Texas wines winning, and I got really excited. Upon further inspection it turns out that Texas wines are winning Texas competitions. [Pride fizzles a smidge] Nonetheless, our hot, hot hills can still produce some fine wine.
Home to more than 280 family-owned vineyards that cover 2,500 acres and more than 180 wineries, Texas is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the nation. The Texas wine industry contributes approximately $1.35 billion a year to the state’s economy and supports more than 9,000 jobs for Texans. Current wine production is estimated to be 2.4 million gallons per year and growing annually with 95 percent of this wine consumed in the Lone Star State. (Erm, so maybe no one else IS drinking our wine, but we love it anyway!!)
Consider this a must-try list of Texas wines that took top honors in 2010 at five “international” wine competitions held in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio (yep, Texas).
· Becker Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Wilmeth Vineyard – Best of Show Red Wine (San Antonio Wine Festival)
· Becker Vineyards 2008 Fleur Sauvage – Class Champion and Texas Class Champion (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition)
· Becker Vineyards 2008 Barbera, Peter’s Prairie Vineyard – Texas Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· Becker Vineyards 2009 Clementine Late Harvest Viognier, Bingham Family Vineyards – Texas Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· Flat Creek Estate Mistella NV – Top Texas Wine and Texas Class Champion (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition)
· Georgetown Winery Lone Star Frost NV – Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· Grape Creek Vineyards 2007 Serendipity – Texas Class Champion (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition)
· Grape Creek Vineyards 2009 Viognier, Lost Draw Vineyards – Texas Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· McPherson Cellars 2009 Rosé of Syrah – Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· McPherson Cellars dbs 2007 – Reserve Class Champion (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition)
· Messina Hof Winery – Best of Herd Award (San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo)
· Messina Hof 2005 Papa Paulo Port Private Reserve – Texas Grand Star (Lone Star International Wine Competition)
· Messina Hof Winery 2008 Chenin Blanc – People’s Choice Grand Champion White Wine (San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo)
· Sunset Winery 2005 “Vintner’s Select” Orange Muscat, Newsom Vineyard – Texas Class Champion (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition)
So maybe we’re not world-recognized YET. You should note that a lot of the winners play with grapes that are our own, not the typical chardonnay or merlot grapes. Texans … always doing it our own way.