Lenoir-Sage Vineyards Revisited

I visited the Dallas-Fort Worth area recently and since I had not had the chance to visit Lenoir-Sage Vineyards in a while, I had to make that one of my stops. Lenoir-Sage is owned by Michael and Adell Wiggins, and Adell is also the winemaker. The winery is located in Bells, Texas.

It was dark the last time we visited the winery, so we did not get to really see the outside. This time it was in the afternoon so I was able to see everything. It is amazing the difference night and day makes because I had envisioned a totally different tasting room and winery from the outside. I mentioned that to Michael and Adell, but they told me nothing had changed except some expansion.

I sat down at the tasting bar to begin my tasting. There is a tasting fee for your choice of four wines and the wines are poured from their uncorked bottles. These are the wines I chose to taste:

• Chardonnay (estate and unoaked)
• Dry Riesling (from Delaney Vineyards in Lamesa and unoaked)
• Texas Merlot (estate with a hint of oak)
• Lenoir Rouge (Lenoir 50% and Merlot 50%, sweet blend)

They call the Lenoir Rouge a Black Spanish stout. The story goes that Paul Bonarrigo from Messina Hof Winery & Resort suggested they blend something with their Black Spanish. After they did the blend, he then asked, “Where’s my commission?”

These were some of the other wines on the tasting menu:

• Bianco Salvia (off dry white wine)
• Bells Moscato
• Bells Rose (semi-sweet blush blended from all their grapes)
• Red Stuff (sweet red blend with fruit forward)

For an extra fee, you can taste the Nuvola Bianca which is a fortified dessert wine. Also available is a cheese tray and chocolate tray.

None of Lenoir-Sage Vineyards wines are filtered and they produce 1,500-1,700 cases of wine a year. The winery also has a five-acre vineyard growing Black Spanish, Chardonnay, Blanc du Bois, Moscato, and Merlot.

At the time of my visit, they were getting ready for a party that evening. They also have live music, birthdays, and anniversary parties. The extension added was a nice event room including another tasting bar, so if you live in the area, you now have a great place to hold your parties and events. There is sometimes a food truck at the winery and one was present when I was there.

I enjoyed my visit with Michael and Adell at Lenoir-Sage Vineyards. If you are in the area, stop on by and enjoy their hospitality.