Wine writers, professional “whiners,” bloggers, and wine makers participated in a Twitter Taste-Off at the 2009 GO TEXAN Drinklocalwine.com Conference in Dallas. It was crazy. Check out my photo album here. If you want to experience the Twitter madness, go to Twitter and type in “DLW09.” Forty five local wines from 23 wineries competed. Jump for the winners.
Best White Wine – Dry division
Flat Creek Estate Pinot Blanc (Texas Hill Country) 2008
13.2% Alcohol, 0% R.S. $34.95
2008 was the inaugural release of this estate grown Pinot Blanc. This full bodied white wine is dominated with banana, passion fruit and guava. Pair with stuffed Cornish hen, seafood, or pasta prima vera.
Best White Wine – Sweet division
Haak Vineyards & Winery Madeira Blanc du Bois (Texas) 2006
18% Alcohol, 10% R.S. $39.95
24 months in new American Oak, then placed in neutral barrels and aged in a Estufa (heated cellar) for 6 more months prior to bottling. This wine is reminiscent of dried apricots and peaches fused with almond, vanilla with a touch of honey.
Best Red Wine – Dry division
Inwood Estate Vineyards Tempranillo Cabernet blend (Texas High Plains) 2005
14.3% Alcohol, 0% R.S. $39.50
30 months in French Oak. Full-bodied, inky blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Cabernet grapes from the Newsom Vineyard in Texas High Plains near the Texas-New Mexico border. Red fruit flavors juxtaposed with the dark flavors of blackberry, black currant and cassis and a lingering chocolate, nutty finish.
Best Red Wine – Sweet division
Sandstone Cellars IV Red Port-style wine (Mason County Texas) 2006,
19.5% Alcohol, 12% R.S. $40.00
12 months barrel aged and 12 months in tank. This is a vintage style port, with a bouquet of boysenberry, chocolate, crème brule, and wintergreen mint. The palate is a wintergreen mint, boysenberry, crème brule, licorice, orange peel, wintergreen, and Turkish coffee on the finish.
