What is better than a glass of Texas wine on a perfect fall day? A glass of Texas wine with pasture views, of course! We had just such a an idyllic experience on a recent trip from the Houston metro area back home to Dallas.
Those of you who travel through Texas know the drive up I-45 can be punishing…5-ish hours of traffic and NOT the world’s friendliest drivers, no matter what Department of Transportation propaganda would have you believe. Fortunately, there is an antidote–a leisurely stop in New Waverly (about an hour north of Houston). Be sure to check out Golden Oak Micro Cellar‘s home-y tasting room and delicious small-batch wines.
Upon arriving on Sunday afternoon, we were warmly greeted and offered some oyster crackers, tasting glasses, tasting menus, golf pencils for making our selections, and cups for water. There was a big-ass party in the tasting room that seemed oblivious to the two thirsty queer girls who had been ready to order when they got there…but after they all had made their selections, we got our wine. It was worth the wait! In the meantime, we roamed around the vineyard (they were naked–harvest happens in July here) and watched adorable horses and baby cows roam the adjacent pastures.
Tastings consist of four pours from Golden Oak’s portfolio. You can go with the themed recommendations or choose your own. Golden Oak makes several red wine from Italian varieties (Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Montepulciano). Being fans of the whole Texas/Italian wine style, we snapped those up first.
There’s a Texas Cabernet Sauvignon, a Petite Sirah, and a bold red blend they make with Cab and some purchased Zinfandel from California. There’s also several styles of white wine made with Blanc du Bois, the Texas specialty. The sweet white and rosés are fragrant and full, but not overly syrupy…most clock in at 12 percent ABV or higher.
The highlight of my visit was a single-varietal Lenoir. I’ve been trying to get a handle on this grape, since plantings are becoming more common due to its heat- and humidity resistance. Lenoir is not super-easy to find unblended, and Golden Oak doesn’t make a lot it, so I asked for a tasting and then snapped up a bottle for home.
Sometimes called Black Spanish and sometimes marketed as Lenoir, this grape dates back to the Spanish colonial era and doesn’t have a great reputation in the wine world…maybe because of its history as a communion wine grape and table grape. I’ve had bad wines made with Black Spanish/Lenoir–they can taste unpleasantly cooked and Concord-y. This one was incredibly concentrated with complex brambly fruit, hints of cinnamon, tea, and earth. Golden Oak also blends a small quantity of Lenoir with Blanc du Bois to create their dry and semi-sweet rosés (Mona Gold is a popular pour here, and would be excellent paired with some Texas farmstead cheese and pecans.)
Golden Oak is a hidden gem and we will definitely be stopping in again next time the highway is bumming us out! Big thanks to Alex at the tasting bar for helping us with our tasting experience.
Where: Golden Oak Micro Cellar (New Waverly, Texas)
How much: Tastings, $12. Wine by the glass, $8 and up. Bottles to go or drink there, starting at about $30.
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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