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Steven Krueger, the sommelier at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas, introduced me to two things while I was in town to attend the New World Wine and Food Festival, held every year in early November. One was Texas cowboy candy: he dropped candied jalapeños into flutes of sparkling wine, which obliterated the balance of the wine (and probably concealed some flaws) but also provided a sweet-heat drinking experience my sinuses won’t soon forget. The other was the wines of McPherson Cellars, but more on that in a Texas minute or two.
I attended the Festival to learn more about Texas wines. The most common Texas-grown wine grape varieties (winegrowing here dates back to the 1650s, so take that, California) include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Viognier. The soils are alkaline, sandy and well drained; the climate is marked by warm sunny days and cool nights.
From my tasting, Viognier is the variety that shows best and most consistently among producers. The Viogniers from the quality producers I found there were beautifully balanced with vivid acidity enlivening their delicious apricot flavor.
Typical was the offering from Becker Vineyards. Becker is the big gun of Texas wine. Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker do a lot to promote not only their own wines but the region overall. Cabernets and Cab blends, predominantly, were marked by dark plum fruit, a spicy undertone and a certain (can’t think of any other way to describe it) sweaty horse (or earthy) hint on the nose, that was not unappealing; maybe it was the temporary Texan in me.
Other quality producers I sampled included Fall Creek (a quite fine Chenin Blanc), Llano and Alamosa Wine Cellars.
But the real find of the trip was the wines of winemaker/owner Kim McPherson. The McPherson Cellars Sangiovese is truly world-class. Perfectly balanced and bursting with cherry flavors, with an aroma that was so appealing in its cedar and cherry notes, I wanted to strap the glass to my nose and walk the Festival Pinocchio-style. McPherson crafts a Grenache-Mourvèdre, a Cabernet and an exquisite Viognier, among other worthwhile wines from his winery in Lubbock (very cool tasting room too).
As a base for exploring Texas wines, San Antonio is ideal: restaurants and wine bars showcase the state’s best, and the city is driving distance to Hill Country and its wine trail. San Antonio sprawls, though: you can stay in the city or on its outskirts, depending on what you’re aiming for.
The city is famous for the Alamo, of course. It’s a modest structure, around which the city was built, but visiting it is a very moving experience. Moving in a very different way is San Antonio’s crown jewel: the River Walk.
The river (in appearance, more like a canal) is 15 miles long yet only stretches six blocks of the city—it meanders so severely that the Indians called it “Drunken old man going home.” But what wonderful meandering!
The River Walk is a three-mile (soon to be extended) stretch of walkways lined with shops, bars and restaurants, shaded with cypress, oaks and willows—a genteel strolling experience by day and a honky-tonk atmosphere at night, but very safe.
In search of the Greenwich Village of San Antonio, I was directed to the King William area. It’s not the Village, nor does it pretend to be; it does have a number of galleries, but is most famous for its mansions of crazy-ass Greek Revival, Italianate and Victorian architecture.
Here are some charming lemonade peddlers in front of one of these gorgeous homes.
In search of the Ultimate Texas Margarita, I found the Soho Wine & Martini Bar steps from the River Walk. Soho has a decent wine list, but the main attraction is the artisan cocktails 
masterfully summoned by co-owner and mixology maestro Ronnie Herrera.
For most San Antonio tourists, I would recommend staying in the city near the River Walk, but families, shoppers and golfers might consider the outskirts. 
I stayed at the Westin La Cantera, a resort which is virtually in Hill Country, so a great base for visiting the wine trail. It’s also near Six Flags and Sea World; shopping, near the shops at La Cantera and a monstrous center called the Rim; and golf, with several excellent courses on the property.
When to go? Spring is ideal, weather-wise, but for the wine devotee, you can’t beat the New World Wine and Food Festival. Events, primarily walk-around tastings and sit-down dinners, are held throughout the city and wine country.
At the most Texas-style of the events, held at Cibolo Ranch, there were lassoing exhibitions, hayrides, river barge treks, wine and food tastings and a BBQ cookoff.
In Texas, make no mistake…BBQ rules.
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6 Comments
November 24th, 2009 at 6:11:46 PM
There’s a unique thing that happens when I’m drinking wine in Texas, something that isn’t quite the same when I’m at home in New York or Las Vegas or in California wine country. It’s a realization that history is as much a part of this terroir as sun and soil. No, it dominates it. Which may be why you were moved to lace this piece with culture while plopping in little factoids about Texas wine in the 1650s. You captured it well, Tim.
The sometimes surprising wine and always bodacious Texas country culinary character make it worth for me to saddle up and track down a glass or two (beer or wine!) whenever business or pleasure takes me there.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:11:06 PM
I find Texas a very simulating place with wine as it has vast areas of arid, well draining soils with limited fertility that most wine producing regions would “kill” for.
It is rapidly moving into a recognized wine producing region, but with lots of things to be sorted out like…..what varietals will be winners for Texas, what will differentiate Texas from other regions, and how do Texas wines get more play in restaurants especially those already doing Texas farm-to-table menus?
I am placing my money on Texas red wines made from Tempranillo and Sangiovese, and whites from Viognier, Rousanne and even Chenin Blanc. The latter has been a sleeper here in Texas. It has grown and produced well for over 20 years, but very few people know it and fewer winemakers know how to craft it.
We really need more Texas wine grapes as with the growth in the number of Texas wineries to over 200, they are needing grapes and even going to the depths of purchasing out of state grapes from CA, WA, NM and AZ.
December 7th, 2009 at 7:35:13 PM
The Texas wine industry has been struggling to establish some credibility since the early 1980s, and is finally beginning to see real results. As one who has been involved to one degree or another in the effort, I can tell you that it hasn’t been easy.
In the early days of the campaign, there was rally only one venue for Texas wineries to show what they could do to a receptive audience, that being the Houston Club’s Best of Texas judging and show, which culminated in an awards ceremony and public tasting that drew as many as 400 or so toward the end. Unfortunately, as frequently happens, the Club’s leadership changed, with the new management and board apparently being a lot less interested in matters vinous, and the event was allowed to die.
It’s good to see that someone is carrying on.
December 14th, 2009 at 7:47:39 PM
In the last few years Houston has had an even called “Best Bites” as part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. You can easily consider viniculture as a part of agriculture and from that jump you get to the Livestock show. The Rodeo has a very active wine committee now and includes an international wine competition with the results sampled at both “Best Bites” and on the grounds of the Rodeo.
As to the history, when the Spanish missionaries arrived in Texas they had to have sacramental wine. One of the varietals was Spanish Black. I have heard that this was actually a native Texas grape. I have also heard that the missionaries brought cuttings with them from Spain. I do know that it is still grown near Houston and is used to make a very dark wine and also so very good Port type wine.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:09:05 PM
You really should try the “Black Spanish”, also called the Lenoir grape. The wines are truly different from anything you have tasted before. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards has an excellent example of the varietal. I have been down on Texas wines for some time myself seeing them as very sweet or lackluster versions of what they should be. I’m just not a fan of sweet wines. I have been able to find a few little gems in the last year or two that have really made me take a second look. The Black Spanish is one of those that has made me take that look. I have not had anything from McPherson but I will be looking for a bottle to sample soon. I think in a few years Texas will be putting out some top notch wines. Unfortunately there will also be a large amount of White Zinfandel to go along with it.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:40:20 PM
I agree on the part of Black Spanish (and its white wine counterpart – Blanc du Bois as well). Finally, we have winemakers getting serious about table wines from these hybrid varietals that can be grown jsut about anywhere in the state (even in the coastal regions).
There are lots of sweet wines here, but for two good reasons: Texas is a relatively new wine drinking region and the cuisine is spicey and sweetness goes well with spice. There are several applellations around the Mediterranean that make serious sweet wines and Texas may be the same.
Don’t put down White Zin, it has saved many old vine Zinfandel vines, some mow well over 100 years old. Also, White Zin makes cash flow for many wineries in Texas and also in Calfornia. Winemakers generally see it as a way to get the cash to subsidize the wines that they really like to make and make well.
Other bight stars for Texas are the Med varieties: Temparanillo, Grenache, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier, Vermentino and others….
Thanks for the comments.
Regards,