A Happy Mother’s Day-Westcave Cellars

I woke up this morning to my husband doing dishes.  That might be the sweetest sound I can hear.  On Mother’s Day, I generally ask for one thing: no dishes.  When you are a SAHM that cooks three meals a day, at least six days a week, dishes become your nemesis.  This year, my husband has really knocked it out of the park: no dishes, a trip to see my best friend who will be visiting Chicago from France, AND a Saturday jaunt to a Hill Country Winery.  Doesn’t get much better than that for me.  If your favorite Mother is a wine lover, pack a picnic, and head out to one of your local wineries.  

Yesterday, we added a new favorite to the growing list.  I have been wanting to make it out to Westcave Cellars Winery for months.  I first read about it in March, but on the day we were planning on going, it was their Wine Club Member party, so we knew that it wouldn’t be the best day to chat with Margaret and Allan Fetty.  I waited patiently for an opportunity to head out west, on Hamilton Pool Road, and it was worth the wait.  The property is 65 acres, including over 8 acres of grapes.   Many of the grapes they use are estate grown.  They began their journey in 1999, growing Cabernet grapes to sell to other wineries.  Fortunately for us, they decided to enter the wine-making aspect, as well, and are producing some lovely wines.

We started with the Muscat Blanc.  A beautiful nose on this wine.  Sweet flowers and tropical fruit.  This is a delicious wine with hints of honeydew, dry tropical notes, and a long smooth finish.  We moved to the Viogniers.  From the Estate Viognier, I got a lot of honey on the nose and some green fruit, fig maybe?  Drier than expected, there was a lot of citrus, tropical fruit, and a clean finish.  In the High Plains Viognier, I noted green apple and lemon and a really interesting notes of caramel in the nose and the finish.

The Merlot is held in French Oak for 12 months.  It has a smoky, berry nose and tons of Bing cherry with a hint of spice.  A bit dry, but smooth with a super long finish.  The 2010 High Plains Cab was super tasty.  Allan told us he was really into aroma and it shows.  Lush, rich fruit, not too heavy on the tannins.  There is even a hint of watermelon with the plum, cherry, and berry.  It is rare for me to find a Cab that has this depth, but that I could still enjoy without food.  This is a winner in my book.  The Estate Cab was even richer.  Ripe, bright fruit, a huge mid-palate, balanced and juicy.  Delicious.

Westcave also does two sweeter wines: a White Merlot (2% residual sugar) and a White Zinfandel (3%).  If White Zin makes you think of a sweet, flat $7 bottle you drank in the 90s, think again.  The White Merlot was new to me.  The 2010 had notes of strawberries and roses.  The White Zinfandel had a crabapple nose.  If you aren’t familiar with this northern fruit, think cranberries and apples blended. A nice spicy honey finish.  Much more complex than I would have imagined.  Oscar, our host for the day, was able to let me taste the 2011 White Merlot that is ready to bottle.  Wow.  Like the perfect Rosé in my book.  Clean, pretty fruit, enough crisp to wake up your mouth, and great body.  I look forward to being able to buy a bottle and sit out in the vineyards.

After tasting, there is a lovely seating area with room for the littles to run, right next to the vines.  The setting is dreamy and the hospitality is top notch.  Margaret, Allan, and Oscar could not have been nicer.  They are all gifted and knowledgeable and I look forward to my next visit when I can really focus and learn from them.  Somehow that was a little challenging with my cherubs in tow.  It just gives me an excuse to go back.  

If you are here in Austin, and have not made plans to spoil your favorite mother today, head west.  If you have already discovered Westcave and want some other ideas, check out some other local favorites.:

Driftwood Estate Winery

Salt Lick Cellars

Duchman Winery (They are doing brunch this weekend, too!) 

Solaro Estate Winery

Spicewood Vineyards

 Happy Mother’s Day!

A Sunny Saturday at Solaro

It is hard to beat Austin in March.  The Mountain Laurels, with their grape scented clusters, are in full bloom.  The landscape is painted with every green you can imagine.  The sky, cerulean and vast, illuminates the rebirth.  It is almost criminal to stay inside.  So when my parents offered us a date this past weekend, there was only one thing on my mind- a Hill Country Winery.

There are several wineries within a thirty minute drive of Austin, and I have hit most of them, but I was looking for a new adventure.  My husband and I decided it was time to hit Solaro Estate in Dripping Springs. 

This winery is truly a labor of love.  The family has incorporated the Old World traditions from their family winery in Solaro, Italy.  The wines are produced using only grapes grown in Texas.   Some are grown on their 160 acres, others are purchased from the Texas vineyards that have the most favorable conditions for the particular varietal.  The family is directly involved in every step, from picking the grapes to hand racking the wines.  Jessica, our host for the tasting, educates the guests and pushes the button to cork the bottles on bottling day.  The dedication and love are reflected in the wines.

We began our tasting with a Montage Blanc (70% Viognier, 20% unoaked Chardonnay, 5% Muscat Canelli, %5 Chenin Blanc).  Honeysuckle nose, medium body, well-balanced.  Soft peach and floral with a clean finish.  A great sipping wine.  Our next white was Arancia, a dry orange muscat.  Big flavor in front.  Think orange creamsicle with out the sugar.  Since I prefer dry wines in general, I really liked this take on what is typically a sweeter wine.  This wine received a Silver medal in the Finger Lakes Competition.  In fact, of the six wines Solaro submitted, four medaled in the competition.

We transitioned to reds in a big way.  The 2010 Mourvèdre is big.  There is nothing “young” tasting about this wine.  Cherry, vanilla, earthy nose.  Soft, round, cherry, and plum with rustic heft.  Then we had the Lisse, which means smooth.  The blending of 40% Merlot with the Mourvèdre changed it up.  It added surprising tart qualities (in a good way) and a long finish which inspired the name.

Sangiovese does well when grown in limestone so it is a natural fit in Texas.  As with the other red wines at Solaro, it is unfiltered, a beautiful ruby-red.  Bright, silky, Strawberry spice.  The Tempranillo was incredibly smooth.  Soil and spice and everything nice; it developed with each sip.  Solaro also does a Bordorosso, an even blend of Merlot and Tempranillo which is held for 27 months in French Oak.  Rich fruit and chocolate.  The Merlot brought out even more spice in the Tempranillo.

Finally, the pièce de résistance: Cheval 5.  Solaro is home to five Thouroughbred horses, thus the name of this winner.  A blend of Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Barbera, and Ruby Cabernet.  (If you are, as I was, unfamiliar with Ruby Cabernet, take the time to read up on it.  An interesting hybrid.)  Raspberry and rhubarb on the nose.  A brilliant red.  Fruit in the front, huge in the mid-palate, and an incredibly smooth finish.  An amazing wine.  If you are lucky enough to spend a Saturday at Solaro, you can sample this beauty by the glass at a great discount while listening to their music series.  This wine alone is worth the visit.

I love being “wowed” by Texas wines. I love seeing family-run wineries excel at what they are doing.  I love when the people at a winery add to the charm of the experience.  Solaro Estate exceeded my expectations in each of these areas and was an all around delight.  A perfect way to get outside and spend a spring afternoon near Austin.   With the impending release of the Barbera, I think we will be heading west again soon.