I admit it – while I might be the Dallas Wine Chick, I haven’t found many Texas wines that meet my quality and price balance.  I believe in supporting Go Local efforts and I do in buying many Texas products on a daily basis. 

So, when I got the email from Pedernales Cellars’ public relations firm, I admit I was a bit skeptical.  I received three wines from the winery and today I’m going to write about the two that actually received favorite wine designation from a large group of folks tasting a number of wines while celebrating Memorial Day at the lake.

First, a brief background about Pedernales Cellars.  In the early 1990s, Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken planted their first vineyard near Fredericksburg making them one of the first wineries in Texas.  Their son David, and son-in-law Fredrik, wanted the winery to be a boutique winery focused on making small lots of wine with sustainable practices.

Today, the winery consists of 17 acres of tempranillo, touriga nacional, albarino, monastrell, garnacha and a few other varietals – mostly those that grow well in Texas.

And, now for the two wines of choice.  I’m not telling you the prices are low, but I am telling you that the wines are well made, tasty and interesting. 

• 2010 Texas Tempranillo Reserve ($29.99).  Pedernales does tempranillo well and the Texas weather makes it the perfect grape for wine makers to succeed in our state.  It’s mineral and earthy, but with spiciness, red fruits and chocolate.
• 2011 Texas Viognier ($17.99).  Really nice tropical and white stone fruit with honey notes, but with a dry finish.  This matched perfectly with sitting on a patio, playing backgammon and catching up with friends.