JUST WINE Series, Part I : Texas Winos & The Great Vineyard Voyage

Recently I received a request to cover my favorite food group- WINE! So this month I will doing a three part series on JUST wine:

• Part 1: Go Wine Tasting
• Part 2: How to Pick Wine (and not be #basic)
• Part 3: Which Wines Go with Which Foods

Part 1: Go Wine Tasting

If you are new to the world of wine, then wine tasting with like minded people will reduce your anxiety about attending such an event! Most people don’t know a great deal about wine and usually pick safe choices that they have had a million times before. Maybe you’re part of the “fresh out of college” crowd and haven’t ventured past vodka and cranberry juice. Maybe you get overwhelmed in the grocery store with all the  wines you can’t pronounce. Maybe you just want to be the person who brings the best booze to the housewarming. I’m here to tell you that “It’s ok.” We will get through this together.

ENTER TEXAS WINOS!!!

Texas Winos provides a diverse crowd the opportunity to tour and taste wines from three local wineries here in Texas. They have tours statewide (and provide transportation) to each winery so you can sip *safely.* Let me walk you through my experience.

Our first stop on the wine adventure was the Tre trattoria Italian Restaurant for brunch. Texas Winos wants to make sure you have enough food to be a functional wino for the day. My wife and I enjoyed a hearty brunch of pasta, wine, breads, and risotto. AND in the event that you wanted more food- Texas Winos encouraged packing your own picnic to snack on while you visit the wineries. (See? It’s a date already.) So throughout the day I was not an angry drunk (cuz I LOVE me some SNACKS!) and all was right in the world.😃

The next stop was FREDRICKSBURG! We hopped on a tour bus and made our way over to Texas Hill Country. Now most Texans have heard the hype about F-burg as it is noted to be one of the “most romantic destinations in the country”. BELIEVE THE HYPE. The whole town is secluded with a antiqued vibe. It doesn’t even feel like you’re in the same country. I love it.

First stop- Hilmy Cellars

The view from the tasting was truly remarkable. While sippin’ and trippin’ we watched wild horses galloping in the distance. It was just like a movie. Not only did we have some fabulous wines but we also enjoyed live music from some very talented guitarist. Each winery, much like restaurants, has its own personality. This winery catered to a more mature crowd of winos despite their youthful staff.

Next stop- Torre De Pietra
If you are looking for a variety of wines that lean more to the sweet side then Torre is your treat. It’s almost the exact opposite of Hilmy Cellars. All of the wines that I sampled went down a little tooo easy due to the sweetness ( please note me laughing at. . .the air??! in this picture) but for winos at the beginner level ENJOY being a beginner. They displayed a plethora of wines made from peaches, apricots, apples, unicorn tears, you name it! Just as a disclaimer remember : It may “taste” like Grape Drink, but it is WINE. Don’t go crazy. And if you get lost ( or you’re THAT person that wanders off when they are drunk) Texas Winos has graciously provided everyone with a wristband noting who to contact and how to get you back home safely.

Last Stop- Fat Ass Ranch & Winery

I know, I know, great name, right? This last location was my favorite and this may be because I was on sample #15 with the wines. I enjoyed atmosphere and felt that Fat Ass had the most upbeat crowd, and sampling staff inside the gift store. AND DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THE WINESESESESSSSS?! So GOOD. Everyone has their preferences but I enjoyed every sample and couldn’t decide on which wine to take home. AND they had sangria……which is basically liquid gold.

Throughout the day I had roughly 15 pours. (Yeah…..Same face I made.)

Tips for wine tasting:
1) Bring open-minded friends with you
2) Try something different at every winery. You have your whole life to drink Moscato and watch Netflix. Live a little. You may discover a new favorite. Try reds, white, blends, whatever.
3) Stop drinking Moscato because Drake told you to drink Moscato.
4) Don’t bring outside wines to wine tastings. It’s like bringing a loaf of Sunbeam Bread to a high-end bakery. Or bringing mulch to the beach. Or bringing grocery store flowers to a professional florist. It’s insulting and illegal. “Why is it insulting?” – Because it takes years of craftsmanship to make a perfect glass of wine. Each winery takes great pride in their products and as you tour the facilities you will hear how the grapes are harvested, how the fruits are fermented, and other science-y things. Respect the professionals.
5) As with all things- know your limit. Don’t let the sample pour fool you. When it comes to wine everyone is a lightweight drinker. Eat throughout the day.
6) Stop drinking Moscato. In fact don’t drink what any rapper tells you drink. WHY!? Because they pay $10,000 for a bottle and your paying……like $20.00. Let it go.

Up next, Part II How to Pick Wine.

CHEERS!

• Texas Winos –http://www.texaswinos.com/index.php?slider1=1
• Fat Ass Ranch & Winery- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fat-Ass-Ranch-and-Winery/588933507887986#_=_
• Torre De Pietra-http://torredipietra.com
• Hilmy Cellars- http://hilmywine.com/wines