{"id":6681,"date":"2019-11-09T07:11:03","date_gmt":"2019-11-09T13:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=6681"},"modified":"2019-11-09T08:52:49","modified_gmt":"2019-11-09T14:52:49","slug":"the-texas-wine-party-continues-with-fall-creek-vineyards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2019\/11\/the-texas-wine-party-continues-with-fall-creek-vineyards\/","title":{"rendered":"The Texas Wine Party Continues with Fall Creek Vineyards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is my belief that there are few things that I cannot pair with wine. Whether pairing with things of the edible variety (high-end and low-brow alike) or just life in general, wine generally pairs with all. As we just celebrated Texas Wine Month this past October, our #WinePW group has decided to keep the party going into November and feature some Texas food and wine pairings. If you\u2019ve read this blog at all, you know that I\u2019ve featured a great deal of Texas wine on my site. Whether from my most recent trip to Texas wine country<\/a><\/strong> (which also provides some background on the state\u2019s wine history) or pairing Texas wines with Texas cuisine<\/strong><\/a> there\u2019s a whole lot of Texas love around here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

This time around, I\u2019d received some samples of Fall Creek Vineyards<\/a><\/strong>* wines and went to work thinking about what I would pair. With locations in Driftwood and Tow, Fall Creek is one of the oldest wineries in the state. It was back in 1975 that Fall Creek Vineyards became the first Texas Hill Country winery and also the site of some of the first vinifera grapes planted in the state. Brought to life by former (you guessed it!) lawyer Ed Auler along with wife Susan Auler after an awe-inspiring trip to France, they have played a significant role in Texas\u2019 evolving wine industry. In fact, it was Ed Auler that made the application to the U.S. government to have the Texas Hill Country granted appellation status. I paired two of the Fall Creek wines with some of our basic meals (that are kid-friendly of course) as well as a more \u201cinvolved\u201d dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019 Fall Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Escondido Valley, TX<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Home to some of Texas\u2019 oldest vines,<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Escondido Valley was the fifth designated AVA in Texas and is as known for rattlesnakes, plateaus, and desert as it is for wine grapes. But with vineyards planted at high altitudes that are able to take advantage of cool desert nights as well as well-drained calcium-rich, limestone, and sandy soils, grapes are able to ripen beautifully as well retain their all-important acidity. The Sauvignon Blanc saw only stainless steel which really allowed the aromatics to shine. Lush green fruits and racy acidity really made this one quite food friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We paired the wine with meals on two different nights. The first night we paired with crispy lemon pepper wings. No muss, no fuss. Baked the wings in the oven, tossed with lemon pepper and salt and voila! I didn\u2019t initially love the Sauvignon Blanc with the wings, but that was because it was too cold! Once the wine warmed up some, the pairing was more seamless. The racy acidity from the wine acted as a palate cleanser (similar to a sparkling wine) for the wings and kept us going back for more. These basic, no frills types of pairings are always my favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lemon Pepper Wings Paired w\/ Fall Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The second night we paired the wine with a garlic pesto (love my basil plant!) halibut that was baked in the oven. Always love that I can freeze pesto and take it out when needed. #Winning! We rounded off the meal with green beans and roasted fingerling potatoes. With its clean, oak-free profile, this was a fantastic pairing for the light and flaky fish. Unlike the lemon pepper wings, this was more a pairing of similar profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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