Longhorn Cellars preview

Longhorn Cellars is located in Fredericksburg in a familiar location right off U.S. 290. The winery is owned by Michael and Deanna Dickey, who also own other businesses such as the Hye-Way Haus Bed and Breakfast in Hye, Texas. Even though this is a preview of the upcoming winery, they are having their soft opening shortly on June 21. The current plans for the winery are to be open to the public from Thursday through Sunday and have special appointments Monday through Wednesday.

Gloria and I were fortunate to visit Longhorn Cellars on a recent trip to the Fredericksburg area. We met Deanna Dickey when we arrived and had a quick look at the remodeled western-themed tasting room before we had the chance for a tasting of some of their upcoming wines. The wines are currently being made by award-winning winemaker Dr. Robert Young, but Michael Dickey will be helping with the winemaking duties in the future.

Tastings are done at the large rectangular tasting bar. There will be a fee for a selection of six wines from the tasting menu. The wines are currently 70% Texas wines, but they will eventually be 100% Texas. The grapes currently being used that are non-Texas grapes are the same variety of grapes that will eventually be Texas grapes. In addition to the Longhorn Cellars wines, some Bending Branch Winery wines will be offered too.

These are the wines we were able to taste:

2016 Viognier – Sierra Foothills
2015 Burro Blanco (Muscat and Roussanne) – Texas High Plains
2016 Muscat (50% Orange Muscat, 50% Muscat Blanc) dry – Texas
2015 Cow Belle (50% Pinot Grigio, 50% Muscat) off-dry – California
Twilight Rosé (Tannat, Montepulciano, Mourvèdre, Sagrantino) – Texas High Plains
2015 Alicante Bouschet – Crimson Ridge Vineyard – Texas High Plains
Syrah NV – Texas High Plains
The Wrangler NV (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Souzão) – Texas High Plains