ON TEXAS WINE: Do They Age? Part 31, Bending Branch Winery 2012 Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains, (∞)

by Andrew Chalk

The preamble to part one read…

“More people are coming round to the idea that Texas can make good wine as they sample more of it. But the ultimate test of gravitas in, at least red wines, is how they age. How does Texas do in that regard?

To find out, I am doing a series of tastings of Texas wines, all 10+ years old, and assessing how they are doing. I am choosing them based on how their peers in other parts of the world do at the end of their first decade.” 

And later added

“Since this vintage is no longer available in the retail market I have helpfully indicated the price as ‘infinity’ in the title, above.”

TASTING NOTES

Tempranillo has a long history of success in the Texas High Plains, especially that grown by Neal Newsom. This 14-year old wine from Bending Branch Winery is standing up well with lots of red fruit flavors, a chewy tannic backbone, earthy notes in the nose and on the palate, all bound into a complex whole. It would keep for another 3-5 years, I daresay, but as it was my last bottle I may never know. Hopefully the winery will contnue to make this wine in future vintages.

We tasted it over Vietnamese food with friends at Dallas' excellent La Vui BYOB Vietnamese restaurant in the Medical District.

Sample.