Texas Wine Camp

Time to get your Girl Scout cookies. Killer pairing! #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine

This doesn't directly have anything to do with Texas wine, but it has everything to do with Texas wine. The tornado block could be split with hail...big-ass boulder hail...like yesterday. It's a miracle Texas has a wine industry. So, what about football you ask? Well, that sport just keeps our passions finely tuned. Visit Texas. You'll get it. Now, you'll have to excuse me, I need to go wash the yellow dust off my car and check for hail dents. marshall ramsey fan pageapalooza Nailed It! #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine

Some wines can be stored, and can become incredible as they age. I love seeing wine diamonds! #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine (at Torr Na Lochs)

Living adventurously can also be living selflessly. Volunteering at a community garden to feed good folks in need is as healthy for your soul as farm fresh organic vegetables are healthy for your body. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #glassofwine

EMPTY SEA is a drink-now, dry blend of estate Merlot, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, with solid tannins. This red blend is an excellent representation of high quality wines produced in the Texoma AVA. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine (at Blue Ostrich Winery)

SEVEN BRIDES is a dry rose' of seven grape varietals, all grown in Texas and whole cluster pressed. We think this wine will make a nice pool-side sitter. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine (at Blue Ostrich Winery)

This was a great event! Cindy Cone Jones and I met several new friends, and got to catch up with Paul and Merrill, while helping to celebrate Messina Hof Winery's 40th anniversary. VIP Soirée with Paul V. & Merrill Bonarrigo, Messina Hof Winery Grapevine. ☆ Ever tried Sagrantino? ☆ #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine

Ever driven a dirt road to visit a winery? Ever started with a clean car, but by the time you arrived, your car looked like you've been four-wheelin? Welcome to Texas. Wouldn't change a thing. We encourage you to get out there and discover hidden treasures. You can begin with Big Rock Winery. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine (at Big Rock Winery)

Our last Viviano. Sadness! For our wine campers who live for Super Tuscan style wines, this is a fair Texas representation. The 2008 Viviano from Llano Estacado is complex, and has structure, enough so that I gave it time to mature. But, if you're holding any, it's a drink-now wine. Last year was probably its peak. Though I suspect the blend changes from time to time, this bottle is made of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon ( Rising Star Vineyards), 20% Sangiovese (Newsome Vineyards), with Syrah, Malbec, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. When I see Rosso Superiore, I typically associate it with wines I enjoyed in Italy, that were a blend of Montepulcina, Sangiovese. Viviano is fairly close to what I remember. I paired this wine with meat lasagna, but no one heard me complaining when I also drank it while eating calamari. It's a very good table wine. Over the years I have kept Viviano in stock, and may resupply. We'll see. I would love to try this blend with about 15% Sagrantino. Now that would be a full bodied wine with character. Try Llano Estacado's Viviano if you haven't already. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine

Cindy and I want to wish all of our wine campers a happy new year. Go Cowboys!! #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #twgga #glassofwine

Got everything on my to-do list done early. I deserve some wine. #wine #vineyard #vineyards #winenight #blog #instalook ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswine #texaswinecamp #texashillcountry #lifestyle #redwine #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #txwine #grapes #winetime #glassofwine #blogger

Tonight we had dinner with friends at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen, in McKinney. This is a farm to table restaurant located right in the McKinney town square. If you've not been, consider putting this restaurant on your short list. The food is simple and delicious, and they have a nice wine and drink menu to select from. It's a nice date place, just sayin. If these pictures don't make you hungry, you must have just stepped away from the table. Though we typically offer our thoughts on wine paired with events, this time we have a food pairing for you. Really, there's no deep well of wine education that we tapped into to help us with a successful wine pairing. We simply did a little research before we left the house. 'Harvest' has an online menu. We read it and got an idea of what we wanted to eat. We then checked out their wine list, also on line. Though there were several obvious choices for chicken, like the almost obligatory Chardonnay, the Fume Blanc caught our attention. We have had Sauvignon Blanc at other events, and already knew it might work with the baked chicken, but we searched the Internet for Ferrari-Carano's 2015 Fume Blanc for better insight, and decided it might be fun to try. Once at the restaurant, we asked for a sample to taste before committing to a bottle. It was pretty good. This wine paired really well with our chicken dishes. It delivered just enough citrus to smell and taste great. The acidity and oakiness were balanced, and didn't overpower the lemon glaze on the chicken. Fume Blanc typically pairs well with poultry dishes, according to the websites, and that's now our opinion as well. This bottle is modestly priced, in the $15 range when bought from a retailer, but was $36 at the restaurant which is fair enough. So, bottom line, it's a good wine. We liked it. BTW, the Crispy Cauliflower is awesome! #wine #winenight #blog #instalook #blogger #ontheblog #lifestyle #texas #wineenthusiasts #texaswinecamp #lifestyle #love #vino #travel #lifeisgood #cork #winelover #vino #winery #grapes #winetime #glassofwine (at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen)