When you think of wine and the great wine-making regions of the world, you think of places like France, Italy, and California. No doubt these places have great wines-Champagne comes from the like-named region of France and Chianti is named after the famous Italian locale, but, in wine-making circles, recent trends have introduced an increase in wines from other regions of the world. Australian Shiraz, for example, has become quite popular and for good reason. Higher quality, lower prices, and an increase in consumer demand have helped introduce the world to wines from locales outside of the typical regions.
If you roam the back roads and dusty tails of the Texas Hill Country region, you'll happen upon more than your fair share of antique shops, boutiques, coffee shops, and small stores. Ask any of the locals what "Hill Country Vintage" refers to and you'll probably get pointed to an antique store that sells milk glass, worn boots, and old metalwork. Even the locals, or so it would seem, don't really think that "Hill Country Vintage" comes in a bottle. I set out one day to explore the new "Hill Country Vintage," to explore the wine making region that's quite literally, in my own backyard.
The Texas Hill Country region sits near the geographic center of Texas, north of San Antonio and west of Austin. The City of Austin sits on a nodal point-it's along the banks of the lower Colorado River at the intersection of the great American prairie, which lies to the east (and north,) and the rolling hills of the west-the rolling hills that make up the Texas Hill Country. Most people think of Texas as flat, and it is for the most part, but the Texas Hill Country is marked by rugged rolling hills made up of predominately limestone. It's from this region (specifically the town of Marble Falls) that the limestone used in the Texas State capitol building was dug and it's also from this region where many Texas wineries are situated. Though many of the wineries are located north of Austin, I traveled south, to the town of Driftwood, to visit Driftwood Vineyards and the Mandola Estate Winery.
Driftwood Vineyards offered a picnic and seating area on a covered deck overlooking the vineyards. Shaded by old oak trees, I enjoyed lunch atop the hill. After my visit to Driftwood Vineyards, I headed east on County Road 170 to the Mandola Estate Winery. Founded by Damian and Trina Mandola, this winery offered a tour of the facilities and a pastoral Hill Country Setting.
If you don't run in wine circles, Damian Mandola is a name you might not be familiar with but, like Texas wine itself, he actually has a long culinary history. Over 31 years ago, while still a college student, Damian Mandola started "Damian's Fine Italian Food" restaurant. He soon became known on the Houston culinary scene, opening such restaurants as "D'Amico's" and then "Damian's Cucina Italiana," but he's perhaps best known for starting a restaurant with his nephew, Johnny Carrabba. "Carrabba's" brought him into national attention but the Texas Hill Country drew him to open his next culinary venture. Sometime in the fall, he plans to open his next Italian restaurant on the grounds of the Mandola Estate Winery, in Driftwood, Texas. The winery has started to provide catering for such events as weddings and special occasions, offering his fine Italian food, along with his award-winning wines.
Grapes used in wine making depend on long, warm dry summers. If the weather is too cool, the grapes will not properly ripen, resulting in acidic grapes that are not sweet. Rain plumps grapes which can remove their character. The Hill Country region of Texas provides the long, warm dry summers that the grapes need but also features some of the pitfalls. Hail can ruin a crop of grapes in minutes, and the region is prone to hail storms. Frost can also have a negative impact on growing the perfect grape and the slightly higher elevation of the Hill Country region renders it more prone to frost in the spring and autumn. Even given the pitfalls, the region is capable of producing a grape crop that can be used to make wine.
The wines that I tasted on my trip included an '06 Chardonnay, an '06 Viognier, and an '06 Dry Rose. I also got to taste an '04 "Super Texan," which is a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, and an '04 Longhorn Red, actually a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. I finished by tasting a Muscat Canelli and an '06 sweet Blush Merlot. The wines ranged from dry to sweet, earthy to light, fruity to smooth, with something for every type of wine connoisseur.
According to the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, "Texas currently has 138 commercial wineries and 3700 acres of family owned vineyard land contributing to the one billion dollar economic impact of the State of Texas. Wine production in Texas has grown to almost 1,500 thousand gallons, ranking Texas as fifth in the nation in wine production." The Texas Hill Country wine trail includes 21 wineries and even has it's own website: http://www.texaswinetrail.com. The wineries offer events throughout the year, including grape stomps, "wine and wildflower" trails, harvest tours, and arts festivals. The Hill Country Region welcomes about five million visitors a year, everyone from photographers looking to snap an award winning image of the famed Texas bluebonnets to couples looking to escape the mad race of the city and getaway for a romantic weekend in one of the area's many bed and breakfast hotels.
As part of the tour of the winery, I got to see the grape press, used to crush the grapes. While most folks probably remember that now famous "grape stomp" scene from I Love Lucy (and some travel to the Hill Country to re-create it each September, as part of the harvest) machines like this grape press are used by wineries to press the grapes. Modern equipment, even advanced software and technology to track the weather, is used by wineries now, though sometimes alongside more proven, traditional techniques, to bring the best wines possible to the Texas Hill Country.
Once up close and personal, along the winery tour, I was surprised by how modern the Hill Country wineries actually are. Wine-making dates back centuries and some of the same techniques used back then carry over today, but there have been a few changes along the way as well. The wineries feature state-of-the-art botteling facilities, for example, that allow them to churn out labeled bottles at record pace, around the clock, if needed, to keep up with demand. The interior of the Mandola Estate Winery appeared quite industrial, with barrels stacked five rows high and stainless steel tanks, used in the production of wine, standing shined, cleaned, and waiting for grapes.
Even with all the modern, shiny, stainless steel equipment, the production of wine is basically farming. The weather must be right, the soil must be prepped, the crop must mature, and the harvest must occur at the right time in order for the wine to be a success. All of this is, in part, dependant on mother nature and, as we know, she can be quite fickle. For example, flooding in the Hill Country region this year has caused some of the area wineries to flood, stopping the production of grapes, ending the tours, and leaving the vintners hoping for a better season next year. Apart from the flooding, there are also pests, drought, frost, and economic pressures that can cause the wineries to close. For example, one vintner recently closed up shop, choosing to grow peanuts instead of grapes, because the growing season was easier and the government subsidies make peanuts easier to grow. The economic growth of the Central Texas region also hurts the wineries in the long run-they face pressure from land developers to sell winery land for development-to allow new homes, shopping centers, and the like to be built in the region. Even given all of these factors, the Hill Country Wineries survive and continue to grow, thanks in part to the love of the grape, the fruit of the harvest, and the demand for their product.
If you decide to visit the Hill Country region, after you've stopped to photograph the famed bluebonnets, shopped at the local antique stores, and visited the local coffee shop, consider paying a visit to a local winery. Tours are offered daily, which include wine tasting, and you might find youself enjoying a different kind of "Hill Country Vintage" as part of your stay.
The next time you find yourself in your local wine shop, don't be surprised to see a "Hill Country Vintage" wine because, as you can see, "Hill Country Vintage" isn't just reserved for old cowboy boots anymore.
Cheers!