Texas Wine Month Series: Celebrate Texas Wine Month with Fall Creek Vineyards

In the first of the Texas Wine Month Series we explored one of the newest wineries in Texas. The second of series we are exploring wines from second oldest winery in Texas, Fall Creek Vineyards. Their award wining wines are sourced from 100% Texas grown grapes from several estate and farmer-owned vineyards around Texas. Fall Creek Vineyards has made a huge impact on the wine industry for 45 years. It’s founders, Ed and Susan Auler, literally put Texas wine on the map by establishing the Hill Country American Viticultural Area (AVA), and its wines continually earn international acclaim since the early 1980s. The winery does not rest on its laurels and continues to explore ways to improve grape quality to express the uniqueness of the Texas environment and innovate with new styles of wine, such as its low calorie Chenin Blanc. Its gracious winery on the shores of Lake Buchanan in Tow, TX, and its beautiful second tasting room in Driftwood, TX both have expansive outdoor seating allowing for socially distanced wine tasting.

Here is a look at the Fall Creek Vineyards wines we experienced and dishes to pair them with:

Fall Creek Vineyards Chenin Blanc Lescalo Texas 2019. This wine contains lower alcohol, fewer calories and carbs and notably pairs nicely with sushi.
Fall Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Vintner\’s Selection Texas 2019 ~ pork and chicken dishes.
Fall Creek Vineyards Merlot Rosé Vintner\’s Selection Texas Hill Country 2019 ~ seared tuna and salads.
Fall Creek Vineyards Tempranillo Salt Lick Vineyards Terroir Reflection Texas Hill Country 2018. ~ Texas BBQ, steak and burgers.

You may schedule visits at their Tow and Driftwood locations and enjoy wines on their beautiful patios. In addition, Fall Creek Vineyards is open for pickup, mail-order or delivery, and curbside sales.

This past week I had the pleasure of discussing new Fall Creek Vineyard releases and Texas winemaking with Sergio Cuadra, Director of Winemaking.

Are tasting reservations currently open at Fall Creek Vineyards and how have they adapted? The tasting rooms are open at 1/2 capacity indoors and not more than 1/2 revenue on alcohol. ~ So please remember to purchase food and merchandise!

What are the FCV best sellers? Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo, GSM and Rosé wines.

FCV released a Loscalo lower calorie and lower alcohol wine, was there a demand for a wine like this? They saw the trend and when harvested early enough it has lower sugar. ~ Note, 2020 is in the winery awaiting bottling so we will see Loscalo into the new year.

Tell me more about the Merlot Rosé: The style is a new world, darker than usual. It is a modern fruity light easy drinking wine.

Does FCV exclusively source Tempranillo grapes from Salt Lick? Scott Sellars offered plant grapes here 60 acres and much success has come from the vineyards. ~ Sergio personally goes there to harvest and prune this top tier grapes.

I have a bottle of the ExTERRA Mourvedre 2016, should I open it now or wait? Sergio recommends waiting for 2022 as he suspects it will be even better.

More on the 2016 harvest. 2016 was an exceptional year for a low producing and 2017 was also outstanding. In 2017 the grapes reached a level where they have reached balance with the soil and the roots are settled in, they are comfortable and little is needed to maintain them. Sergio has observed they have more consistency over the past few years.

What is your favorite varietal to work with and why? Sergio shared that he likes them all. The whites express aromatic and reds are always nice and interesting.