{"id":7789,"date":"2020-10-07T11:16:42","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T16:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=7789"},"modified":"2020-10-07T11:16:43","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T16:16:43","slug":"texas-wine-month-fallcreek-slatemill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2020\/10\/texas-wine-month-fallcreek-slatemill\/","title":{"rendered":"Drinking the Old & the New for Texas Wine Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Happy Texas Wine Month y\u2019all! I\u2019ve been drinking Texas wine for close to twenty years now. Did I just date myself? I\u2019m 27 y\u2019all. That\u2019s my story and I\u2019m sticking to it! Anywho…in those twenty years, I\u2019ve seen lots of changes. More producers, more tourism, better wine, a greater focus on terroir, and on and on. And while the industry has had its share of growing pains, there has been quality from the very beginning. While some have come and gone and others have stumbled along the way, there are those pioneers that have stood the test of time and provide the very shoulders on which many of today\u2019s producers stand. By the same token, there are new producers continuing the momentum and propelling the industry forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each October we celebrate Texas Wine Month. And with each passing year we seem to have more to which to toast . So let\u2019s celebrate Texas Wine Month with a little old and a little new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

*Note: All Wines Were Received As Samples for Review<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drinking The Old – Fall Creek Vineyards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And still relevant I should add! With locations in Driftwood and Tow, Fall Creek Vineyards<\/a> is the second oldest winery 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 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. But even before turning to wine, the family has long been stewards of the land with five generations of ranchers working the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the early 1980s, Fall Creek\u2019s wines have continually earned international acclaim, were served at the inaugurations of three presidents, and was the official wine of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Always looking to promote the region, Ed and Susan founded the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival in 1986. And their actions in helping the Hill Country become an AVA in 1990, catapulted a region which was already a natural tourist attraction with beautiful hills and lakes, golf courses, and acclaimed chefs into a recognized and respected viticultural region with world-class wines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And despite all its success, the winery has not rested on its laurels and has continued to be a creative force in the Texas wine industry. I recently test drove three of their wines for Texas Wine Month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fall Creek Wine Lineup<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2019 Fall Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Escondido Valley ($22)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Home to some of Texas\u2019 oldest vines, 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 soil, grapes are able to ripen as well retain their all-important acidity. I always put Sauvignon Blanc in three general categories – green and grassy, slate\/stony, and tropical fruit. This one is quite aromatic and chock full of tropical fruits  – apricots and mangoes and peaches, oh my! With mid-level amounts of acidity, it can go solo in the glass, but is equally at home with food. We paired ours with fish tacos and a black bean, corn, and avocado salad.
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