Drink Dallas!

I missed last year's Dallas Wine Trail tour, but this year my friends Bonnie and Margaret made sure that I was able to go (thanks, Chicas!). Four wineries in the Dallas area were featured on the trail: Fuqua Winery, Times Ten Cellars, Calais Winery, and Inwood Estates Vineyards. We set out this morning with A Plan to beat the inevitable crowds of people and, for the most part, succeeded.

There were six of us on the tour in an SUV that seated five: Sue & Perry Colip, Bonnie & Greg Rogers, Margaret Malone and yours truly. We took turns sitting in the trunk area of the SUV, where Sue had thoughtfully put a pillow and towel for comfort, not to mention a cooler of water bottles with our names on them (we were each alotted three bottles).

The Plan was to start at the LAST winery on the list instead of the first and to begin spot on at 11 a.m. when the tour started. It worked like a charm. We went to the Fuqua Winery, which is surprisingly located behind a Home Depot in an industrial area of Dallas, and had the place to ourselves for the first 15 or 20 minutes. From there we went to the Inwood Estates Vineyards, then to the Calais Winery, finishing up at Time Ten Cellars where we gratefully sat and consumed a couple of bottles before heading home.

I learned a lot about winemaking today. I was able to compare the taste of an un-oaked Chardonnay with one that had been placed in oak barrels. The un-oaked Chardonnay, in my opinion, was lighter and more interesting than the oaked Chardonnay. I learned that in order to be called a Texas wine, the wine is required to have at least 73% Texas grapes in it and must be made and bottled in Texas. I learned that Kobe beef burgers may well be the best reason for me to not become a vegetarian.

Calais Winery offered the table pictured above with several of the tools used by winemakers to create the proper balance, alcohol and sugar content of the wines. It looked like a chemistry experiment, which of course it is.

Standouts:
2008 Fuqua Chardonnay (the un-oaked one -- I was given a bottle of this as part of the tour) -- very light, sparkly, with a cheerful flavor and a nice clean finish.
2006 "Magellan" at Inwood Estates Vineyards -- a blend of Bordeaux grapes and Tempranillo, the flavor was incredible. So was the price: $59.50, which I realize is a bargain for what it was but still WAY out of my price range.
La Cuvee des Marrons Dessert Wine at Calais Winery -- this was served with a chocolate truffle as an accompaniment. The rich, sweet flavors of the wine perfectly complemented the dark chocolate.
The Kobe beef burgers -- yes, I know I mentioned them already, but they were SO good I had to bring it up again.

Each winery on the tour kindly provided appetizers from local restaurants and suppliers, so in addition to the wines we were able to sample everything from the handmade chocolate truffles, Kobe beef burgers (you knew I'd say it again!), Wagyu beef, locally made cheese, dips, hummus, sandwiches, and a lovely taste combination of dried apricots and bittersweet dark chocolate dusted almonds.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable way to spend a Saturday, and it has piqued my interest in the process of winemaking. It is wonderful to see the passion and dedication the vintners have in their quest for a perfectly balanced wine.