Deep garnet color; raspberry, cherry, sweet balsamic, redcurrant, oak, smoke, potpourri on the nose and palate.
Dry; supple tannins with good acidity. Fruit-forward. Very ripe grapes give illusion of sweetness. Nine years of aging engendered excellent smoothness and mouthfeel. Medium body. Interesting depth. Smooth, ripe, tasty initial attack and mid-palate, then redcurrant tang pops up late in the finish. Oak well integrated through entire experience. 13% ABV
Gary and Kathy Gilstrap are the owners and winemakers. Gary brings a chemistry/biochemistry background and stints in UC-Davis classes to the winery. Kathy also has a chemistry background. She is detail oriented and manages the bottling line and wherever else she is needed. Both Gary and Kathy chose the final blends from the various vineyard blocks. They claim their motto is “better wine through chemistry.” The Texas Hills Vineyard was planted in 1995 and the winery opened in 1999. Their son, Dale Rassett, manages the vineyard today. They were the first to produce pinot grigio in Texas. The winery is one of the ten largest in Texas measured by cases produced per year.
The winery’s construction and building materials are interesting. The Gilstraps dug into their Texas Hill Country hillside until they hit solid rock. An 18-inch deep concrete foundation was poured. Forms were erected for the walls—15-feet for the winery, nine-feet for the tasting room—and filled with rammed earth, a mix of earth and concrete pounded into place. The walls are two-feet thick. The ceilings are four inches of concrete, topped by a tin roof and insulation to achieve an R-value of more than 40. The result is what amounts to an above-ground cave that is very energy efficient, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, and very strong.
The Gilstraps use non-traditional methods in their winemaking. They do not age their wine in barrels, instead they use micro-oxygenation and oak chips. The process is shorter and allows for more control. This eliminates the cost of barrels and storage, making for more fiscally approachable wine that still delivers quality. It is unclear if this method was used to produce the 2015 sangiovese.
Texas Hills Vineyard Sangiovese, Texas High Plains, Newsom Vineyards 2015 is delicious Texas interpretation of the great red grape of Tuscany. Almost decadent ripeness of the grapes grown on the Texas High Plains at a signature Texas grower (Newsom Vineyards) delivers an illusion of sweetness in a rich, layered package. Built for hearty dishes. Pair with robust beef dishes; Texas barbecue; lamb—rack of lamb, grilled chops and butterflied legs, pan-seared loin chops; pork—baby back ribs, barbecue; pasta dishes, especially with tomato sauces; grilled or fried mushrooms; wild game—venison, boar. Cheese—Tuscan pecorino is classic; aged asiago, smoked gouda, blue cheese, cheddar, parmigiano-reggiano. $25
