Texas Wine at 2012 TEXSOM

Texas wine was presented at the 2012 TEXSOM (Texas Sommelier Conference) and the reaction from those in attendance seemed very positive. As mentioned in my previous post on Day 2 of the TEXSOM conference, we first had a tasting break which included Pedernales Cellars offering tastings of their 2010 Viognier and 2010 “GSM”.

The next seminar was called Texas Terroir and was presented by Guy Stout MS (Master Sommelier) and Christy Canterbury MW (Master of Wine). They gave a great and entertaining presentation about Texas wine and the areas in the state where Texas wine is made.

We then got the chance to taste eight wines from Texas which provided a great sampling of Texas wines:

• Duchman Family Winery – 2010 Duchman Vermentino
• McPherson Cellars – 2010 McPherson Reserve Roussanne
• Cap*Rock Winery – 2010 Cap*Rock Viognier
• Sandstone Cellars – 2009 Sandstone Cellars “VII”
• Pedernales Cellars – 2009 Pedernales Cellars “Kuhlken Vineyards Reserve”
• Fairhaven Vineyards – 2010 Fairhaven Vineyards Chambourcin
• The Vineyard at Florence – 2010 The Vineyard at Florence “Veritas” Cabernet Sauvignon
• Haak Vineyards and Winery – 2010 Haak Winery “Madeira” Blanc du Bois

The last evening’s Grand Tasting event presented even more Texas wines from some of the same wineries plus even more. Wineries in attendance with their wines to be tasted were the following along with the winery’s representatives:

Cap*Rock Winery – Phillip Anderson (General Manager) and Michael Taub (Dallas/Fort Worth area manager)

• 2010 Cap*Rock Roussanne
• 2010 Cap*Rock Tempranillo
• 2010 Cap*Rock Viognier
• 2011 Cap*Rock “Toscana Rosso”
• 2011 Cap*Rock “Knucklebump”

Duchman Family Winery – Matthew Champion (Director of Distribution)

• 2010 Duchman Aglianico
• 2010 Duchman Montepulciano
• 2010 Duchman Vermentino
• 2010 Duchman Trebbiano

Inwood Estates – Spencer Gatlin (Sales & Marketing Manager)

• 2008 Inwood Estates “Magellan” Bordeaux Blend Pauillac-Style
• 2009 Inwood Estates “Magdalena” Bordeaux Blend Margaux-Style
• 2010 Vineyard at Florence “Roma” Norton
• 2011 Vineyard at Florence “Aurelia” Blanc du Bois

Pedernales Cellars – Fredrik Osterberg (President) and Julie Kuhlken (Design Director)

• 2009 Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo
• 2010 Pedernales Cellars “GSM”
• 2010 Pedernales Cellars Muscat Canelli
• 2011 Pedernales Cellars Viognier

Sandstone Cellars – Don Pullum (winemaker at Sandstone Cellars) and Carl Money (owner of Pontotoc Vineyard)

• NV Sandstone Cellars XII Port
• 2010 Sandstone Cellars XI (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Touriga, Viognier)
• 2011 Junction Rivers Petite Sirah
• 2011 Pontotoc Vineyard Tempranillo

It was a great time at TEXSOM and I think Texas wines made a great showing to those there. At least for the ones in attendance, they will never need to say, “What? Texas makes wine?”