Have you ever gone to a wine tasting and absolutely loved all of the wines that were poured? Yeah. Me neither. Until now. Trilogy Cellars won me over from the moment I walked into the old, 1926 building. The owners transformed it into their industrial, modern tasting room—the only one in Levelland.
Actually, I was impressed from the moment we pulled up in front of the building, which is located downtown, on the square. The sun was sinking fast and the warm glow of the Trilogy Cellars sign, above the big, red doors, beckoned us to enter.
Once inside, we were greeted promptly by Chace, Elizabeth, and Nick. Chace and Elizabeth Hill own Chace Hill Vineyard Consulting and Chace is manager at Krick Hill Vineyards. The Hills are one of three families that owns the winery, along with Rowdy and Tameisha Bolen of Bolen Vineyards, and Steve and Cindy Newsom of Amanecer Vineyard. Nick works with Chace in the vineyard and also helps out in the tasting room.
The following statement from their website sums up the vision: “What started off as a conversation where the ‘three guys wanted to put in a ton of Malbec grapes and have it bottled’ turned into grander thoughts of opening a winery tasting room in Hockley County.” The vision became a reality and they celebrated their grand opening just last month.
Elizabeth and Chace Hill
Chace Hill, a Texas Tech grad, is on the Board of Directors for the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and is the Region One Winery Director. He has served for the past three years on the Board for the High Plains Winegrowers Association. Elizabeth, also a Texas Tech grad, practices law in Lubbock, including wine and vineyard law. Chace and Elizabeth have four children.
The Bolen family grows Merlot and Malbec grapes. Rowdy graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Rowdy is Director of Marketing for Automotive Solutions and also owns and operates TAG Design. Tameisha is the Local Sales Manager at KCBD in Lubbock. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas and received a Viticulture Certificate from Texas Tech. Rowdy and Tameisha have three children, Alyssa, Reese, and Gatlin Bolen.
The Newsom Family has farmed in Hockley County for three generations, and the tradition continues with the children of Steve and Cindy Newsom now taking an active role in the vineyards and farming operation. With the 2017 plantings, the Newsoms will operate 70 acres of vineyards and will continue to grow with the industry. They will be growing Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Albariño, Roussanne, and Tempranillo in their vineyards. They have two children that are now taking an active role in the vineyards and farming operation.
The label on their bottles says it all: 3 families, 3 vineyards, 1 vision. I was ready to taste that vision.
Nick poured us a nice glass of their Pinot Grigio (light and fresh with a subtle taste of apple) and we settled onto a comfy and tastefully covered bench that looked like it could have come from a classy old car. Very cool. Elizabeth brought us a lovely board loaded up with various cheeses, fruits, and (you won the heart of my honey) chocolates. They have been talking with a chef about possibly adding a light food menu. There were several other guests enjoying bottles of wine while Brian McRae strummed his guitar in the corner. The atmosphere was perfect. The old brick walls, tin ceiling tiles, and industrial ceiling fans gave the room a charming, yet modern feel.
For our next tasty treat, my honey chose Relentless. He described it as “the perfect blend of sweet berries and fruit. Not too dry. Smooth. Perfect.” I chose the Malbec since this was the grape that started it all for Trilogy Cellars, I had to have some and I was not disappointed. It was rich, full bodied, and with a sweetness of cherries that is just right. Truly beautiful.
We ended our tasting (because these folks needed to go home) with the Gewürztraminer and Tryst. My baby likes a sweet wine and the Gewürztraminer made him smile. The Tryst is a fun, fruity blush that I thoroughly enjoyed and was a perfect finish for the evening.
Trilogy’s wine list is varied, unique and…as I mentioned earlier…I loved everything I tasted. This place has something for everyone. Here is a list of the Trilogy Cellars lucky seven with stars next to the six Texas International Wine Competition (TIWC) award winners. Yes, they’ve already won awards!
- 2015 Gewürztraminer – Silver – TIWC. A sweet, soft wine that goes well with spicy dishes.
- 2015 Reserve Malbec – Silver – TIWC. “The wine that started it all!” Delicious fruits and a complete finish are the highlights of this beautiful red. My favorite. This would go well with a pork tenderloin.
- 2015 Reserve Merlot – Silver – TIWC. Big favors, soft tannins with a beautiful finish describe this ambitious red. Good with a grilled steak.
- 2015 Pinot Grigio – Bronze – TIWC. Fresh and crisp with notes of apple and dried fruit. This is one of their signature wines. It pairs well with fish, chicken or seafood.
- 2015 Intersection – Bronze – TIWC. A blend of Merlot, Malbec, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano. Dried fruit and berry finish smooth with bold flavors. Serve with anything from venison chili to rack of lamb.
- 2015 Relentless – Silver – TIWC. A tribute to the relentless spirit that the pioneering Texas High Plains Winegrower embodies. This bold red (my sweetie’s favorite) is a blend of the finest of the three families’ wine grapes. This wine would pair well with smoked ham. We left with a bottle of Relentless that we plan on opening on New Year’s Eve, because in 2017, we will be relentless.
- 2015 Tryst – This Texas blush is fun, tasty, and tempting. Beautiful, sweet flavors that make you think of summer peaches and cool breezes.
Be sure and sign up for their wine club and newsletter.
Trilogy Cellars is truly a tasty treat that is worth the short drive from Lubbock. I am excited about the thought of coming back, later in the spring, when they plan to have the patio open, with an outdoor fireplace and (possibly) wood-fired pizza! I can’t wait!
