Fall Creek Chardonnay

We’re bored with over-oaked Chardonnays and were thrilled to find Fall Creek Chardonnay so close to home! Gentle flavors of honey and pear danced across the palate. The wine was dry. There’s citrus, too, and I swear I could taste some Hill Country limestone. Some hints of oak and butter came out through our meal of Gulf shrimp risotto. This is an excellent food wine, and an excellent value in a Texas wine at $10.99.

Winning Texas Wines

So you want to try some Texas wine. Here’s a good place to start. More than 24 Texas wineries received Champion, Reserve Champion and Texas Champion awards at the fourth annual
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition in February.

Messina Hof Sweet Riesling Late Harvest Angel 2005 won Double Gold Champion and Texas Champion honors at the 2007 event, as well as the title of Top Texas Wine. It is the fourth straight year the Bryan winery has claimed the Top Texas Wine award. Other Texas wineries earning Gold Champion and Gold Reserve Champion in the international rounds were Chisholm Trail Winery’s Belle Star 2005, Haak Vineyards & Winery?s Blanc du Bois 2005, Piney Woods Country Wines Blueberry Wine 2006 and Kiepersol Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. More winning Texas wines include:

Becker Vineyards Fume Blanc, 2005
Becker Vineyards Prairie Rotie, 2005
Becker Vineyards Provencal, 2005
Becker Vineyards Reserve Cabernet-Syrah, 2004
Becker Vineyards Riesling, 2005
Bruno & George Other Than Standard Raisin Wine, NV
Chisholm Trail Winery Belle Starr, 2005
Haak Blanc du Bois (semi-sweet), 2005
Happy Dog Sweet Red, NV
Kiepersol Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004
Llano Estacado Winery Mont Sec Vineyard Cellar Reserve Chardonnay, 2005
Llano Estacado Winery Cellar Reserve Merlot, 2005
Llano Estacado Winery Chardonnay, 2005
Llano Estacado Winery Signature Rhone Style Red, 2004
McPherson Cellars Sangiovese, 2004
Messina Hof Reflections Private Reserve Meritage, 2004
Messina Hof Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Reserve, 2005
Messina Hof Gewurztraminer, 2006
Messina Hof Ivory Port of Call, NV
Messina Hof Muscat Canelli, 2006
Messina Hof Paulo Merlot, 2004
Messina Hof Paulo Port, 2002
Messina Hof Sweet Riesling Late Harvest Angel 2005
Piney Woods Country Wines Blueberry Wine, 2006

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo competition boasts one of the nation’s highest-earning wine auctions with proceeds directed to the mission of the show to benefit youth, support education and facilitate better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation.