Welcome to the Texas Wine Scene podcast, the
most up -to -date information to help you prepare
for your wine tasting weekend. I'm Mike, your
Texas Wine Scene correspondent, bringing you
all the wine happenings in and around the great
state of Texas, from the high plains to the hill
country. If you love Texas wine, you've come
to the right place. Let's take a trip. Welcome
back everyone to the Texas Wine Scene podcast.
I am your host, your Texas Wine Scene correspondent,
Mike Cole, bringing you all the wine happenings
in and around the great state of Texas. If you
are a subscriber to the podcast, thank you so
much for returning and tuning into this week's
episode. And if you are new to the podcast, thank
you for stopping by to check us out. We are an
information -based podcast supporting and sharing
wine events, tastings, and industry news from
around the great state of Texas. So I hope you
enjoy the content and if you do, please consider
subscribing and sharing the podcast with all
your wine -loving friends. It helps to continue
to spread the word about the podcast and keeps
everyone informed about industry and current
events. Also, please follow me on my socials
at Texas Wine Scene on Instagram and Texas Wine
Scene on Facebook, where you will find those
posts about upcoming events for the weekend.
We will start off this week's podcast as usual
with our episode SIP, which is the wedding of
2021 Texas High Plains Sangiovese. This wine
is 100 % Texas grown fruit, vinified by winemaker
Penny Adams, one of the first women winemakers
in the great state of Texas. This wine is garnet
in color, a medium bodied wine with moderate
tannins and fresh red cherry and raspberry aromas.
This wine was aged in Hungarian oak, but doesn't
seem to overpower the wine with aggressive oak
tones. This is a very, very good wine. Wedding
Oak Winery has three locations, Fredericksburg,
San Saba, and Burnett. They are open seven days
a week from 11 to 5 p .m. Sunday through Thursday,
and 11 to 6 p .m. Friday and Saturdays. So stop
by one of the locations for a tasting, you won't
be disappointed. For more information about the
winery, visit their website at weddingoakwinery
.com. Before we get into the wine events for
the weekend, Here's what's happening in the Texas
wine scene news. Are you looking for luxury living
in the Texas wine country? Well, look no further.
In a recent article by Gabriel Romero, he announced
that a 208 acre Puerto del Lobo development has
eyes on the Texas Hill Country. According to
Puerto del Lobo website, this new luxury private
vineyard estate is headed to Johnson City. Gabriel
Romero writes, for high net worth families who
can reside and invest in a world class development,
Puerto del Lobo will provide 101 .5 acre lots
with stellar views matched with producing vineyards.
The development will be near 290 Wine Castle
and Venovium. According to the article, the master
plan shows over 98 lots with space for a winery,
restaurant, wedding venue, hotel, event beach,
and a clubhouse. The same concept has been done
in Queretaro, Mexico and has been operational
since 2014. So keep your eyes and ears open for
information about this development in the future.
Texas Tech University College of Human Sciences
is now offering wine education classes to the
public according to a recent article by Natalie
Falkenberry. In the article, Natalie Velikova
confirms that the university became WSET certified
last year. Natalia Velikova, professor of wine
marketing says, we are now approved to offer
these classes to the public or to Texas Tech
students. She goes on to say that WSET is recognized
all over the world and has 1 ,000 approved providers,
which makes it appealing and recognizable. They
will be offering level one and level two certifications.
As a level 3 certificate holder myself, I would
highly recommend these certifications if you're
looking to dig deeper into the world of wine.
Wouldn't it be nice to have your wines chosen
for you before you buy them based on your personal
taste sensitivities? Well, that's what's possible
with Vino Taster. In an article from PRN Newswire
in the Woodlands, Vino Taster, the science behind
your sip, launched a discovery kit who empowers
wine consumers to increase their buying confidence
in the wine aisle. Chief Science Officer and
co -founder Henry Barm, MD says Vino Taster gives
you confidence to explore wines best suited to
your palate. Within five minutes of testing,
Vino Taster measures current expressions of individual
taste receptors using four specific taste testing
strips and a web -based algorithm that reveals
taste sensitivities to bitterness, sweetness,
flavor, and body. Vino Taster then recommends
wines that account for these taste sensitivities
and known wine characteristics. Vino Taster is
the world's first wine taste technology company
and is headquartered in the Woodlands, Texas.
The technology is based on years of medical research
and studies published by Dr. Barm in the Journal
of American Medical Association. Fino Taster
also offer customized sales integration solutions
for wineries, tasting rooms, retailers, and distributors.
After tasting many wines over the years, I would
love to try this technology to see how closely
it identifies which wines I prefer drinking.
For more information on this product, visit their
website at venotaster .com. Don't know what to
buy your wine loving Valentine for Valentine's
Day? Well, let me help you out. Here is a recent
list of some of the top wine gifts for that special
person and a bit of advice on each. Wine Club
Subscription is number one. This is a great gift
to give and one that keeps on giving. But remember,
this is an ongoing cost to you or that person
that you're buying it for. Also, make sure you
know for sure if he or she likes the styles of
wine that the winery produces so they don't get
the wine they don't like. A nice set of wine
glasses is an awesome gift, but it's the kind
of gift you don't want to skimp on. This type
of gift can be expensive, but it's worth it.
A nice set of crystal blown stemware with a thin
rim, long and thin stem with no color all serves
a purpose when enjoying a glass of wine. Start
with a set of two universal stems. Don't dive
into specific varietal stems just yet. That will
come later. Number three, Corvin wine preservation
system. This gift is a must if your Valentine
is drinking or tasting a lot of different wines.
This system allows you to pour a glass of wine
or a sample of wine without opening the bottle
fully and wasting wine if not consumed in a few
days. The entry -level Corvin is a great gift
to start with. Number four, a four -bottle canvas
wine tote. Nothing says you're into wine like
an engraved wine tote. buy that special canvas
bag with his or her favorite color, get their
name or initials engraved on it, and maybe a
phrase that's special only to you two, and head
on out to the Texas wine country and fill it
up. Number five, Yuya wine decanter set. If your
Valentine is really getting into wine and understand
the benefits of decanting wine, then this is
a great gift. Its purpose and presentation shows
elegance and style while sitting on a table.
This item is a must -have for true wine connoisseurs.
And that's the latest news on the Texas wine
scene. Up next is your wine events for the weekend.
Before you head out to your favorite or new winery
for the weekend, let's check the weather. It
might be a little chilly in the Texas High Plains
wine growing region with high temperatures of
59 degrees and lows of 35 degrees. The North
Texas wine growing region will have high temperatures
of 70 degrees with low temperatures of 41 degrees.
The West Texas wine growing region will have
high temperatures of 62 degrees and low temperatures
of 29 degrees The Texas Hill Country wine growing
region will have high temperatures of 72 degrees
with low temperatures of 40 degrees and The Gulf
Coast wine growing region will have high temperatures
of 75 degrees and low temperatures of 54 degrees
Join Augusta Venn Winery for their Blind by Love
Tour on February 11 -16 at 12 p .m. This is an
exclusive guided excursion and seated blind wine
tasting that will pair Augusta Venn wine with
specially crafted Hill Country chocolates. You
will learn the art of wine and chocolate making
while you enjoy both of these wonderful paired
treats. The event includes a taste of up to five
wines on the tour, exclusively paired with Hill
Country chocolates, a barrel tasting, and an
estate and production tour. For more information
on this event, visit their website at Augustavene
.com. Have you ever thought about traveling to
France's legendary wine capital Bordeaux on an
enhanced European experience? will join Bending
Branch Winery on Friday, February 9th at 4 to
5 p .m. for an information session on a taste
of Bordeaux River Cruise on April 10th through
17th, 2025. This will be an unforgettable wine
and culinary experience with Bending Branch Winery
and Ursa Vineyards, including winemakers Greg
Stokes, Deborah Elisa Gehry, and Chad Kurtz.
There's no better time, but the president to
start planning for this extraordinary experience
For more information on this event visit their
website at bending branch winery calm Head on
over to downtown McKinney, Texas for their Valentine's
chocolate and wine walk on Saturday February
10th from 12 to 6 p .m Get your best Galentine's
together for a fun day of wine chocolate and
shopping or plan a sweet date with you and your
sweetheart and enjoy the feeling of love in the
air as you try premium Lone Star Winery wine
selections and decadent Lindt chocolate truffles.
Your ticket includes a souvenir wine glass, 12
fine wines, and gourmet Lindt chocolate samples.
Upgrade to VIP admission for more wine and all
-day flexible check -in. With 20 plus participating
boutiques, you can customize your shopping and
tasting experience. For more information on this
event, visit lonestarwinesellers .com. Join Driftwood
Estate Winery on Saturday, February 10th from
2 to 4 p .m. to celebrate Valentine's Day with
an independent wine tasting of select wines paired
with chocolates from Dripping Springs Chocolate
Company. For more information and reservations
on this event, visit their website at driftwoodwine
.com. Come on out to Dukeman Family Winery to
help support their Camp Community event on Saturday,
February 10th from 3 to 6 p .m. The proceeds
from this event will benefit Camp Community,
a non -profit organization that believes all
children should be afforded the opportunity to
succeed in life beyond the classroom. no matter
what. Offering all -inclusive summer camps for
incoming 1st through 6th graders, Camp Community
reserves a full 70 % of their slots for scholarship
students, making this a fun and meaningful gathering.
This will be a great event that supports a great
cause. For more information and reservations,
visit their website at dukemanwinery .com. Messina
Hoff and five other North Texas wineries along
with the City of Grapevine is having their Grapevine
Valentine Trail event on Saturday, February 10th
on Main Street in Grapevine, Texas from 10 to
6 p .m. Celebrate love, wine, and exploration
during this Valentine's Wine Trail event. Receive
a commemorative wine glass visit six wineries
and enjoy a flight of three wines plus a food
item at each winery. For more information on
this event and ticket purchases, visit their
website at MessinaHoff .com. Messina Hoff is
also having their rodeo roundup event on Saturday,
February 10th from 5 to 7 p .m. So saddle up
and head on down to Messina Hoff for their Texas
rodeo roundup. Messina Hoff will proudly showcase
their award -winning wines from the Houston Livestock
Show and Rodeo Uncorked Wine Competition. Get
a chance to taste through a selection of their
award -winning Texas wines and have rodeo -themed
light bites prepared by their chef and his team.
Kick back and enjoy the lively beats of the rodeo
artists on their curated playlists surrounded
by thematic decor that sets the stage for unforgettable
photo ops. Come dressed in your best rodeo attire
to help them kick off the Houston livestock and
rodeo season in style. Join Wedding Oak Winery
at the Cedar Park Burnett Tasting Room for their
Wine Train event on Sunday, February 11th. Passengers
will enjoy a two -hour train ride from Cedar
Park spanning the South San Gabriel River while
enjoying an intimate talk and wine tasting with
members of the Wedding Oak family. In Burnet,
food and wine are available for purchase during
the two -hour layover at the stunning tasting
room at Wedding Oak Winery. Complete with two
-story views, a patio, and a rooftop terrace,
Wedding Oak has made its home in this historic
1888 Badger Building in the heart of Burnett's
Town Square. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride
as the train returns to the Cedar Park Depot
in the afternoon. For more information and reservations
for this event, visit their website at weddingoakwinery
.com. Join the 290 Wine Castle on Saturday, February
10th from 1130 to 630 p .m. for a decadent Valentine's
wine and fondue with strawberries dungeon experience.
Nothing is better than wine and chocolate. At
this event, you will receive a bottle of their
best -selling sparkling wine as you dip six freshly
prepared strawberries in a mouthwatering chocolate
fondue. Then add your favorite dessert topping
to seal the deal. This seated experience is approximately
45 minutes long and takes place in the downstairs
dungeon wine cellar. For more information on
this event, visit their website at 290winecastle
.com. Are you needing some delicious cookies
for that Valentine's Day cookie exchange office
party? Well, why not decorate your batch of cookies
while drinking a glass of wine? Join Kai Simone
Winery for their cookie decorating class on Sunday,
February 11th from 11 to 1 p .m. Grab a glass
of wine and create your favorite Valentine's
designs on top of their deliciously baked cookies.
For more information on this event, visit their
website at kaisimonewinery .com. Landon Winery
in Greenville is having a wine glass paint party
on Saturday, February 10th from five to seven
p .m. This is a painting party like no other.
How great thou art is bringing the creative magic
to Landon Winery in Greenville. Whether you're
a seasoned artist or a beginner, this event is
perfect for everyone. Choose your canvas, paint
on the wine glass or an eight by 10 canvas. or
why not both? Let your imagination run wild as
you create your own masterpiece. A talented art
instructor will guide you step by step through
the painting process. No experience, no problem.
They believe in fun art, not fine art. So grab
your friends and secure your tickets today for
a night filled with laughter, creativity, and
endless memories. Ticket purchases include a
glass of wine, For more information on this event,
visit their website at LandonWinery .com. The
Dallas Farmer's Market Texas Wine Tasting is
back and you don't want to miss it. Head on out
to the North Texas Wine Tasting Event on Saturday,
February 11th from 1 to 5 p .m. This annual wine
tasting event brings over 15 wineries to the
shed for a day of wine tasting and shopping.
Vineyards will represent over 40 selection of
local wines for you to choose from. Your ticket
purchase includes 20 tastings from local wineries,
a commemorative glass, and charcuterie. For more
information and ticket purchases for this event,
visit CanyonRiverWinery .com. And that will do
it for your wine events for the weekend. Stay
tuned for your music lineup for the weekend up
next. The Texas Wine Collective gets the music
lineup started for the weekend with The Wayward
Traveler on Saturday, February 10th from 1 to
5 p .m. Augusta Vin Winery is having their Sips
and Sound event with Andy Garcia on stage Saturday,
February 10th from 2 to 5 p .m. Fiesta Winery
on 290 will host Jake McLean on stage Saturday,
February 10th from 3 to 6 p .m. Texas Heritage's
venue will have Andy K. Joyner assume the musical
duties on Friday, February 9th from 2 to 4 p
.m. Followed by John Arthur Martinez on Sunday,
February 11th from 2 to 4 p .m. Bell Springs
Winery will let Rusty Nelson grace the stage
on Saturday February 10th from 3 to 6 p .m. and
on Sunday February 11th Dylan Havens will take
the stage from 2 to 5 p .m. Bending Branch Winery
will let Steve Feinstein rock the house on Sunday
February 11th from 2 to 5 p .m. Lone Star Wine
Cellars has a stellar music lineup for the weekend
beginning with Mike Allen as he plays the classic
hits on Friday February 9th from 8 to 11 p .m.
Brian Bertram will rock the early session on
Saturday February 10th from 2 to 5 p .m. and
Byron Haney will bring the country tunes in the
evening spot from 8 to 11 p .m. Janice Thompson
hits the stage on Sunday February 11 from 4 to
7 p .m. Carter Creek Winery will have Michael
Norter Thomas on stage Saturday February 10th
at 730 p .m. with a little classic rock country
and blues. Flat Creek Estate Winery will let
Stephen Daly Jam out on Saturday, February 10th
from 2 to 6 p .m. And on Sunday, February 11th,
Dennis Dietz will take the stage from 1 to 5
p .m. Longhorn Cellars will host Nick Austin
on stage Saturday, February 10th from 1 to 4
p .m. William Criss Vineyards never disappoints
with their music lineup. Bruce Smith will kick
the music off on Friday, February 9th from 1
to 4 p .m. Followed by Trace of Gold on Saturday,
February 10th from 1 to 4 p .m. And Todd Roth
will bring it home on Sunday, February 11th from
1 to 4 p .m. St. Trephan Farm and Vineyards will
have Noel on stage Sunday, February 11th from
2 to 5 p .m. Moody Family Wines will host Sean
Christopher and Good Company on stage Saturday
February 10th from 6 to 8 30 p .m. And Shane
Andrews will take the stage on Sunday February
11th from 6 to 8 30 p .m. Marker Sellers will
let Sammy Fox rock the house on Saturday February
10th from 7 to 10 p .m. High Metal Winery will
host two's company on stage Saturday February
10th from 2 to 5 p .m. Los Pinos Vineyards is
bringing back the pink flamingo on stage on Friday
and Saturday February 9th and 10th from 6 to
9 p .m. Rowdy Creek Ranch Vineyards will have
the Coconut Island Jazz Band on stage Friday,
February 9th from 630 to 930 p .m. Followed by
Mariah McCamm and Martin Poppy on stage Saturday,
February 10th from 630 to 930 p .m. as well.
Wimberly Valley Wine will let Sky and the Echoes
raise the roof on Saturday, February 10th from
2 to 5 p .m. Blue Ostrich Winery will let Paul
Terrell provide the musical sounds on Saturday,
February 10th from 1 to 5 p .m. OG Sellers will
hold spare time on stage Saturday, February 10th
from 5 to 8 p .m. Barron's Creek in Fredericksburg
will let the ever -popular David Selbo assume
the musical duties on Saturday, February 10th
from 1 to 4 p .m. Lucky Vines Vineyard and Winery
will have Holly Garrett on stage Saturday, February
10th from 4 to 7 p .m. Deshane Sellers will host
Justin Kemp on stage Saturday, February 10th
from 3 to 6 p .m. And the Two Brothers Winery
will let the talented Stephanie Unsch grace the
stage on Saturday, February 10th from 6 to 8
p .m. And that's your music lineup for the weekend.
Stay tuned for, did you know? Wine, chocolate,
and flowers. Oh my. With Valentine's Day right
around the corner, You can't help but hear about
all the wine and chocolate pairings going on
at the wineries all throughout the state of Texas.
And it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without flowers
or roses, right? Well, let's break down a couple
of interrelated factors between each of these
products. First, let's talk about antioxidants.
Antioxidants are compounds found in some foods
that help prevent the degradation of organic
compounds like living matter, such as our bodies.
Did you know that both chocolate and wine have
antioxidant properties? Dark chocolate in particular
has more cocoa, which in turn has more antioxidants
that have been linked to health benefits such
as decreased inflammation in the body, and reduced
heart disease. The antioxidant in red wine is
called resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in the
skins of grapes which is where wine gets its
red color due to the grape skins macerating in
contact with the clear grape juice. Next, let's
talk about smell. Most of what we taste actually
comes from our ability to smell. It's an entire
neurochemical process that we won't get into
here, but if you're looking for a good wine reference
book on this subject, try Neuroenology by Gordon
Shepherd. One of the things most enjoyed about
a glass of wine is how it smells. From a casual
glass of wine for dinner, or evaluating or judging
a flight of wines for a competition, the smell
of wine can evoke an endless array of aromas.
Since flowers such as roses and chocolates are
the focus of this piece, let's explore some of
the grape varietals that seems to have the classic
aromas in their bouquet. As far as chocolate
and coca is concerned, the red wines that tend
to express these aromas are Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Sangiovese
with some age. For me, Merlot is a gray varietal
I tend to link with chocolate every time I smell
it. On the other hand, the white varieties that
express a floral bouquet, quite often, are gray
varietals like Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Viognier,
and Muscat. The Riesling express a white rose
and lavender floral. Gewurztraminer expresses
a rosé and violet bouquet. Viognier express a
jasmine and violet bouquet as well, and Muscats
express a rose and orange blossom bouquet. With
the delicious taste of chocolate and wine and
the wonderful bouquet that wine and flowers present,
it's no wonder why all these profound elements
make for one special Valentine's Day. Well, that
will do it for this week's episode. Thanks for
joining me. I'm Mike Cole, your Texas Wine Scene
correspondent, and I look forward to seeing you
next time on the Texas Wine Scene. Cheers. For
more in -depth information on the wineries mentioned
in this episode, visit the Texas Wine Lover website
at txwinelover .com or the Texas Wine Lover app.
There you will be able to find a vast amount
of information about Texas wineries and wine
related businesses. You can search for information
such as winery hours, great varieties, food options,
pet and kid frilling wineries, and much much
more. So visit their website at TXwineLover .com.
That's TXwineLover .com. Also, please leave us
a review and share the podcast with all your
wine loving friends. Cheers.