Wine Life - Houston

Master Sommelier, Matt Stamp was back in Houston for a Greek Master Class at Camerata Wine Bar for members of the Guild of Sommeliers. The focus was entirely on the white wines of Greece, their improved quality and whether Houston consumers are ready to see these wines on our local wine lists. My own experience with the white wines of Greece was limited to some overindulgence during my college years at the Houston Greek Festival, a couple of tastings of Moschofilero and Assyrtiko in some past wine classes and in a by the glass format at some local Greek restaurants. I also went to a tasting of mixed Greek whites and reds at the Midtown Spec’s over a year and a half ago where I had a bit of trouble obtaining a list of the wines we tasted, so I am uncertain as to what all I tried. Greece has over 200 grape varieties and most are not well known in the Houston market. Matt was unable to get any dry white from Patras in the Peloponnese which disappointed him as he feels that these ar...

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Peter Fraser, the winemaker for Yangarra Estate Vineyard, and taste some of his wines with him over lunch. Yangarra Estate makes biodynamic wines produced in McLaren Vale in South Australia. Peter’s parents were conventional farmers and that’s how he initially approached his work. After attending a three day biodynamic farming seminar that really resonated with him, he was inspired to move the vineyards into an organic and biodynamic condition starting in 2008. By 2012, they were A-grade certified biodynamic by Australian Organics and as of 2013, all of their wines are certified both organic and biodynamic.     The single vineyard estate has about 250 acres of land under vine with about 170 acres for natural corridors, creeks and vegetation. Rather than tending to the grapes for a big fruit, full body style of wine, they are focusing primarily on a more elegant style of Grenache and on a more savory and complex style of Shiraz. P...

Winemaker, Enrique Tirado, from Don Melchor, Concho y Toro’s ultra-premium label, was in Houston last week conducting a vertical tasting of this iconic wine at Galleria area restaurant, Tango & Malbec. This was a real treat for the local wine trade and media as this was only a two state tour beginning in California and ending in Texas. Enrique Tirado has been the head winemaker at Don Melchor since 1997. The only time he worries about his vineyards is when he is not there to handle any issue that could arise, that is the worst part about traveling for him. He can deal with anything else. He likes to watch the daily evolution that is always happening in the vineyard. Hearing this reminded me of how parents talk when they are traveling and I like that in a winemaker. I like to know that kind of care and attention go into each vintage. The vineyard area is in Puente Alto which is located in Chile’s Maipo Valley at the foot of the Andes Mountains. The vineyard is subdivided into...

As originally seen in the October 2013 Edition of Galveston Monthly