Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards – Come and Taste It!

By Connor Brown

            

Now that summer is almost officially here, many of us are thrilled for what’s to come. The season of summer vacations, lazy days by the river, but most importantly the new memories that will follow us through our finest days. And no Texas summer scrapbook is complete without a day of enjoying great Texas wine in a great Texas town. The Come and Taste It event at The Grapevine welcomes the public to taste some of the finest, and most unique wine and beer being produced in the state, while offering a unique opportunity to meet those responsible for creating it. This month, we’re excited to welcome Los Pinos Ranch from Pittsburg, Texas to showcase a few of their award-winning Texas wines.

               

For white wine drinkers, Los Pinos will be featuring a personal favorite; Blanco Grande. This lovely, crisp white is made from Blanc Du Bois, a varietal favored by many Texas wine makers for being able to flourish in extreme heat and drought like conditions. This selection carries a myriad of accolades, most recently winning Gold at the Texas International Wine Competition. On the nose, pleasantly pungent citrus aromas arouse the senses before blooming into soft notes of melon and tropical fruit. On the palate, this zesty, and refreshing wine greets the drinker with fresh notes of apple and grapefruit with a fresh and clean finish aided by its stainless steel aging process and lack of intrusive tannins. A perfect midpoint between Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

               

Los Pinos Cabernet Sauvignon is another selection among the growing list of critically acclaimed wines from Los Pinos Ranch. However, one should not expect this to resemble other cabs. Winemaker, Arnulfo Perez, takes advantage of the Texas terroir, focusing on the characteristics that set apart Texas wine from the rest of the world, truly embracing the essence of Texas in a bottle. Bold notes of leather, pepper, and tobacco give this wine an unrivaled complexity and style that compliments the subtle notes of toffee, caramel, and cherry vanilla tied together with soft tannins and a tasteful oak presence. As mentioned, one shouldn’t expect a familiar friend with this particular cab, it is great in portraying the natural flavor of Texas, allowing for a new kind of relationship to blossom.

               

So, if Texas wine is something tried and true, or something yet to try, Los Pinos Ranch offers more than enough different styles to get you hooked. With so much time for rest and relaxation, allow us to introduce you to your new favorite local winery at our next Come and Taste it. But remember, this is a monthly event with so many possibilities of wineries to attend, so the best measure is to just come often!