Deep garnet-ruby color; cherry, plum, blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, spice, vanilla, tobacco, on the nose and palate.
Dry; medium, integrated tannins and acidity. Medium-plus body. Smooth, balanced. Blend of sangiovese, primitivo, montepulciano. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged for five years. Half the wine aged in new French and Hungarian oak for complexity and structure. Remaining aged in neutral oak for polish and balance. “Buttero” means “cowboy” in Italian, and the Texas winery claims this wine is a “deeply flavorful tribute to the cowboy in us all.” 14.8% ABV
Located on the outskirts of Austin near the north shore of Lake Travis, Flat Creek Estate strives to be the premier wine destination in the Texas Hill Country. That is a Texas-sized ambition. A passel of other well-financed Hill Country operations strive to do the same thing. Flat Creek certainly is in the conversation.
The Texas Hill Country AVA is the second-most visited AVA in the U.S., trailing only Napa. So Flat Creek plays in the big leagues, although the Hill Country-Napa comparison is a little of an apples-to-pecans proposition. The Texas Hill Country AVA is more than 14,000 square miles and nine million acres, the third largest in the nation, and home to more than 200 wineries. The Napa Valley AVA is just 192 square miles, 122,735 acres, and home to more than 400 wineries.
According to their website, the Flat Creek Estate is “poised on an epic eighty-acre estate custom designed for one-of-a-kind experiences, Flat Creek has everything you need for a memorable visit. Join us at our Tuscan-inspired tasting room, full-service restaurant—The Bistro at Flat Creek Estate, covered outdoor pavilion, full working vineyard and winery, 18-hole disc golf course, walking trails, and so much more.”
First established by Rick and Madelyn Nabor, today Flat Creek is owned by Post Lake Capital Partners, led by Eva Horton, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. French-born Oliver De Certaines is the winemaker. Condé Nast named Flat Creek one of the four best day trips from Austin, calling it “a super Texas winery known for its Super Texan.” Food & Wine included Flat Creek Estate in their list of the 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences in America.
Flat Creek Estate Buttero Red Wine Blend 2018 is fruit-forward expression of classic Italian grapes—sangiovese, primitivo, montepulciano—from a quality Texas winery that specializes in Italian grapes. OK, not what you expect, but trust me, Flat Creek Estate makes it work, albeit with a slight Texas twang. Delicious, especially after some air. And a serious wine, not a simulacrum of a super Tuscan. Worth a slurp if you can snag it. Pair with Italian cuisine—what grows together pairs together, even if it is Italian grapes grown in Texas. Pasta with marinara sauce; lasagna. Grilled lamb chops; grilled seasoned ribeye, filet mignon. Braised short ribs. Mushroom risotto. Cheese—aged cheddar, gorgonzola, blue cheese, parmesan, fontina, gruyère. $35-48
