“Wine always tastes best under the sun that ripened the grapes.”

No other statement could characterize the vibe better at the Texas Wine Revolution held this past Sunday at Horseshoe Bay Resort. The third annual non-profit festival showcased 49 of Texas’ best rosés and celebrated the beauty of 100% Texas grown wines. I was thrilled to be invited by the team at William Chris Vineyards to experience the festival for the first time! If you missed out on it this year, make sure to mark your calendars for next time. This is one festival you don’t want to miss!

What to Expect

The Texas Wine Revolution is held outdoors, which at this time of year in Texas is a great thing. The weather was perfectly comfortable with a cool spring breeze and lots of sunshine. It was actually a little chilly in the morning so I wore white jeans and a pink tunic. It’s a celebration of #drinkTexaspink, so I wanted to make sure I was supporting the cause. Any excuse to wear pink, right? I also wore my favorite pair of comfortable wedges. I wouldn’t recommend heels as you’ll just sink into the ground. I like dressing up for events like this but I saw a variety of styles from jeans and boots to t-shirts and sundresses.

I recommend getting there early as the crowd gets pretty big, which is such a good thing for our Texas growers and winemakers. The amount of support and interest in experiencing and promoting Texas grown wines was amazing to see. Check-in includes a wristband, 6-bottle wine tote, and tasting glass. You’ll need the glass to taste at each of the tents and wines are for sale by the bottle so having the tote was really handy.

Food pairing samples are available but there are also Texas food vendors to purchase from. We loved the smoked pork belly and shrimp with avocado and hearts of palm salad from Bryans on 290. We will definitely be making a trip to the restaurant soon!

Pace yourself and don’t be shy about dumping. There are wine spittoons scattered about so that you can make sure and taste everything without getting crazy.

Don’t forget to snap a selfie at the wine barrel photobooth, complete with saddle and hay bales that only a wine festival in Texas could get away with. Get creative with your pose – just don’t spill your rosé!

There is also a silent auction, live music, and educational seminars & panels. As part of the media, we enjoyed listening to a panel discussion with Russ Kane (Edible Houston), Dale Robertson (Houston Chronicle), Jessica Dupuy (Texas Monthly), and Chris Brundrett (William Chris Vineyards). It was Dale who mentioned the above quote during a discussion of grape varietals grown in the different wine destinations of the world.

The Rosés

The wonderful thing about rosé wine is that it can be made with many different grape varietals. In the media panel, the consensus shared was that Texas is like the Mediterranean of the United States. The grapes that thrive here are the same grapes that thrive in the Med – Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and Tannat for example. The next time you sip a rosé, pay attention to the grape or grapes it’s made from and where they are grown. In combination with how the winemaker produces the rosé, it can mean the difference between a wine that is dry or sweet in taste, and light peach to dark pink in color.

I loved chatting with the winemakers. It’s so inspiring to hear their passion come through for their wines, and the Texas wine region as a whole. There’s a sense of community here, from the farmers carefully growing the fruit to the winemakers meticulously bottling their dreams. Many of the wine recommendations I get come from other winemakers. It’s not unusual to hear one Texas winemaker tell me, “Have you tried the wine over at ____? They’re doing amazing things there.”

Festival Favorites

William Chris Vineyards – 2017 Petillant Naturel (100% Texas grown grapes)

A sparkling rosé that will turn heads, spark conversation, and convert you to the pink bubbles club if you’re not already a card-carrying member. Don’t be afraid of the cloudy consistency. This is due to the ancient method in which it is produced, where fermentation is finished inside the bottle without filtration.

Yes We Can Wine – Sway Rosé (100% Texas High Plains grapes)

Making the favorite list for canned wines is this lovely rosé from Yes We Can Wine. Founded by Chris Brundrett (co-founder of William Chris Vineyards) and Andrew Sides (co-founder of Lost Draw Cellars), this is the traveler’s wine, perfect for picnics, outdoor concerts, and festivals. We are water people here in Texas, with access to hundreds of lakes and rivers to swim, ski, and tube our way across. Fill your ice chest with Sway and rosé all day!

Farmhouse Vineyards – Bloom Rosé (100% Mourvedre)

I loved meeting this brother-sister duo producing High Plains grapes for some of the largest wineries in Texas. Their Bloom Rosé is a dry provençal style wine with a label designed and painted by the family’s matriarch grandmother and gives a nod to the family’s eight-generation cotton farm. I love that they not only provided tasting notes for this wine, but food and a playlist pairing. 

Dandy Rosé – 2017 Dandy Rosé (54% Mourvedre, 23% Cinsault, 20% Grenache, 3% Carignan)

As the name says, this wine is a dandy fine rosé. It is another provençal style wine that is lightly pink in hue with a dry but silky texture. Winemaker Rae Wilson brings her experience as a sommelier working in Napa and Europe back to Texas for a “Wine for the People.” Bring this wine to your next casual dinner party.

The Grower Project – Rosato

The Grower Project is a vision made into reality by Rae Wilson (Wine for the People) and Andrew Sides (Lost Draw Cellars). Wines are designed for showcase in restaurants and wine bars to increase awareness and visibility of boutique wines made from 100% Texas grapes. The Grower Project Rosato was a standout for me, not surprisingly as it’s made with sangiovese, one of my favorite varietals.

Crowson – 2016 Rosé (blend of Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon)

Winemaker and proprietor Henry Crowson began his career in winemaking with William Chris Vineyards and was soon able to purchase grapes from WCV to try making his own wine, and thus Crowson was born. They are one of the newest kids on the block, but are already producing some fantastic wines with natural practices in mind. They do not believe in using additives in the cellar. The rosé is available now and they have a couple of Malbecs coming soon, including one that is concrete-aged. This is a winemaker to follow.

A very special thanks goes out to Tara Guthrie, Marketing Director for William Chris Vineyards and Dulce Wills of Giant Noise Public Relations and Events for reaching out to me about this incredible celebration of Texas wine.

Make Texas your next wine destination and discover how the Lone Star State is leading the industry. And please pass the rosé…cheers!

Xo – Erin

For more of my Happy Hour Favorites, check out my cocktails page!

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Why You Should #DrinkTexasPink: My Experience at the Texas Wine Revolution appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com

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