So what is Kiepersol Estates, located south of Tyler, doing in East Texas? And how does it manage to make some of the state's top wines?
"We still don't know the answers exactly, but we're getting the right outcome," says Pierre de Wet, a South African who immigrated to the U.S. in 1984, planted grapes in 1998, and produced its first vintage in 2001. "It has been a lot of trial and error."
More, after the jump:
Texas winemakers and grape growers are slowly moving away from the traditional European varietals, like cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, in favor of lesser known grapes that are better suited to the state's hot, dry climate.
The favorites of the moment are viognier, a white grape from the south of France, which several wineries have turned into an attractive alternative to chardonnay, and the Spanish tempranillo, which has produced some fine wines in limited use. I'm not as sold on tempranillo as many others in Texas are, for it can be a difficult grape to work with in the winery and it may have ripening problems in the state.
All of which is a roundabout way to get to the Don Gabriel. Zinfandel is a grape that has been overlooked in Texas, which is kind of surprising. It's a warm climate varietal that has enjoyed great success in California, and we know much more about growing it in this country than we do tempranillo.
Because, based on the Don Gabriel ($13, sample), we should be growing more of it in Texas. Winemaker Gabe Parker makes some very interesting wines, and I've even had a pinot noir blend (unheard of in Texas) that was quite pleasant. The Don Gabriel is a fruity -- yes, the traditional blueberry -- with low alcohol and black pepper. It's not as jammy as California zinfandel, but that's not necessarily a problem. Unfortunately, the Don Gabriel doesn't have retail distribution, but it is available through the winery. Pair this with fall barbecue and tomato sauces.
Rose is one of the glories of French winemaking, even though it's overshadowed by red Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. The best French roses, which usually come from in and around Provence, are subtle, complex wines that have about as much in common with the American concept of pink wine as the Wine Curmudgeon has in common with $100 wine. Any rose that has Tavel on the label is well worth sampling, even at some of the prices you'll find.
So what does that have to do with the Becker Vineyard 2009 Provençal Dry Rose (about $10, purchased)? It's a mostly successful attempt by one of Texas' leading wineries to make a Provencal-style rose without being in Provence. The grapes, in fact, come from Mason, about 40 miles north of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country.
This is no easy feat, but no less than Russ Kane, perhaps the most knowledgeable Texas wine writer, sings its praises. Russ, in fact (shameless plug alert!), will appear at our Texas wine talks at this year's State Fair.
What does Provencal-style mean? Very dry, low in alcohol, and with less fruit than New World roses. Don't expect to find the big dollop of strawberry or watermelon that the latter have. Instead, these wines have much less intense red fruit. Drink this with any fall harvest kind of meal or while you are football tailgating. And don't worry about drinking rose if it isn't summer; this is the kind of wine that you can enjoy all year round. Availability is limited outside of Texas, but you can order it from the winery.
The 110th State Fair of Texas starts next week, and Texas wine and the Wine Curmudgeon will be there. The Texas Wine Garden is an integral part of the 24-day event (well, maybe not quite as integral as corny dogs), and I'll be on hand to interview Texas winemakers, wine personalities, chefs and sommeliers. We'll talk about Texas wine, taste Texas wine, and even give away a few items.
We've lined up some impressive names -- Paula Lambert, one of the top cheesemakers in the world, to discuss cheese and wine pairings; chef Joel Harloff of the re-opened Green Room; master sommelier James Tidwell, long a proponent of Texas wine; and Jim and Vicki White, who run the Savor Dallas wine and food festival.
The schedule is here (it will open in a spreadsheet you can view or download). If you're in the Dallas area between Sept. 24 and Oct. 17, stop by and say hello. I'll be at the fair on the days colored in light blue. John Bratcher, the other Wine Guy, will be there on the days colored in what the computer calls light cyan.
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