Wine Class – Exciting Texas Wines: Know How & Where to Find Them

Wine Class – Exciting Texas Wines: Know How & Where to Find Them

by James King, Texas Wine School

I am so happy to have the foremost independent Wine Expert on Texas Wines and Wineries, Dr. Russ Kane to be teaching this class.

I am sure the lucky 14 who get to attend this class will be blown away by the take away knowledge that Dr Kane will impart and make you want to go and tell everyone about Texas Wines!! Also for good luck he is throwing in autographed copies of his book, Texas Hill Country Wineries, for free as part of the class, as well!

The class will be held: October 21, 2015 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Cost: $60.00, includes tasting of eight Texas wines, copy of Dr. Kane’s  new book, Texas Hill Country Wineries (Texas wine photo history and hill country trail guide)

Venue : The Texas Wine School

Address : 2437 Bartlett Street, Houston, TX, 77098 United States

Enroll by phone: 713 882 8773; email:information@thetexaswineschool.com

Website: www.thetexaswineschool.com

Course Overview

The class presentation will review the major touch points in the development of the modern Texas wine industry, starting with its geology, weather, wine regions, and early linkage with with European wine culture. The lecture will highlight the early attempts to clone Bordeaux, Burgundy and California’s Napa Valley in Texas and their success with Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. However, within 20 years, Texas vigerons found grape varieties native to Mediterranean climes that more closely resembled that of Texas.

During the presentation, Dr. Kane will lead a guided tasting including wines and blends selected from Texas-grown Viognier, Roussanne, Vermentino and Trebbiano (for white wines) and Tempranillo, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, and Aglianico (for its reds), with a few surprises in the mix, too.  These wines have one thing in common: Their grapes share a love of Texas’s warm weather, sunny skies and sandy limestone-encrusted soils.The modern Texas wine experience is a relatively new phenomenon having evolved from a “restart” of the Texas wine industry in the mid-1970s. At this time, following the famous “Judgement of Paris”, the spirit of optimism caused many states to explore growing grapes and making wine.

Background

Creating a respectable new wine region is no small task; California has over a hundred years of experience and Europe has had centuries to do so. It requires learning about the adaptability of grapevines to new locales, with different soil and weather conditions, while also expanding knowledge of new viticultural practices to handle the plethora of local diseases and disorders that can afflict grapevines. Luckily, Texas has a long farming legacy, a deep-seeded pioneering spirit, and tradition of agricultural grit and determination.

In the 1970-80s, the Texas winegrowing renaissance focused on efforts to use the same grape varieties common in France and California – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With the exception of some noteworthy successes, it would take Texas another 20 years to ultimately realize that it wasn’t Napa or Bordeaux, and sure as heck was not Burgundy.

Takeaways

Attendees will receive a autographed copy of Dr. Kane’s new book – The Texas Hill Country Wineries – a Texas photographic wine history and hill country wine trail guide. This book documents the elements of Texas’ early wine cultures from Spain, Italy, France and Germany and is your also guide to the Texas wine experience.

Dr. Kane will also highlight how to find quality Texas wines and especially focus on those that are available in the Houston marketplace.

Author: 

Dr. Russell Kane who with his wife Delia shares his time between Houston and the Texas hill country has been a technical writer and researcher for over 40 years. He is also a wine blogger (www.VintageTexas.com) and book author whose work spans decades and has earned him awards in both technical and wine communities. His bestselling Texas wine book, The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine, provided him insights and stories from the pioneers of Texas wine that shed light on the modern Texas hill country wine experience.

Suggested Eight Wines:

Pedernales Viognier

McPherson Reserve Roussanne

Becker Vineyards Rose’ Mourvèdre

Llano Estacado Tempranillo

Flat Creek Estate SuperTexan

Duchman Family Winery Aglianico

Haak Vineyards Madeira Blanc Du Bois

Messina Hof Papa Paulo Port