The Wine Curmudgeon

Book review: The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine

Russ Kane knows more about Texas wine than all but a handful of people, and that knowledge is more than evident in his new book, "The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine" ($29.95, Texas Tech University Press). Equally as important, the book is a snapshot of the modern Texas wine industry at one of the most important times in its history -- as it makes the transition from first to second generation of growers and producers, as it changes from wine made with traditional grapes to a more terroir-based approach, and as it tries to find ways to cope without state-sponsored research and marketing.

Few are as qualifed as Kane to do this. He is the proprietor of the Texas Vintage wine blog, which is one of the oldest and most well-read in the state. And, like so many in the industry he loves, Kane comes to wine from a first career; he was a technical writer before discovering Texas wine. More, after the jump:

Wine of the week: Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche 2009

White wines from France's Rhone region aren't particularly well known and, at least in this country, don't get all that much respect. You don't see many of them on store shelves or restaurant wine lists, and you don't see many of them reviewed, for that matter.

Which is a shame, given that white Rhones are usually different and interesting, and that's something the Wine Curmudgeon is always looking for. The Belleruche ($12, purchased), from one of the Rhone's largest producers, has always been one of my favorite wines for just that reason (when I can find it, of course).

This is a previous vintage, and the extra year of bottle age has given the wine, a blend of grenache blanc, clairette and bourboulenc, a little more character. There is lots of white pepper, some oiliness and just a hint of a green fruit, like lime or apple. This is a not a white wine for people who need something fruit forward, like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay, but it's not supposed to be.

And don't worry that you haven't heard of the grapes used to make it -- almost no one who isn't in the wine business has heard of them, either. Which is another reason why the wine is so interesting, and that's three more grapes for your Wine Century Club effort. Chill this and drink it on its own or with something like goat cheese; roast pork with apples would be terrific, too.