Recap of the Austin Wine Festival 2008

We went to the Austin Wine Festival this past Memorial Day weekend. It was the second time around for the festival, but the first time for both of us. Along with some music and demonstrations, there were 22 wineries there from Central Texas.

Neil and his wife attended on Saturday, which was the first day of the festival. The gates opened at 3pm, by which time the Texas sun was beating down on the Festival grounds located at the site of the new Whole Foods Market at the Domain. Michael attended on Monday, the last day of the festival, and the gates opened a little earlier at 1pm. The sun was, however, also beating down on Monday.

Festival price, pours, and our tasting strategy

We each got to the festival a little early, but for both of us, there was already a line. Advance day-pass tickets were $20 and according to the web site, proceeds benefit the Downtown Framer’s Market. The day-pass tickets also included a bracelet with coupons for 10 wine “tastes”, equivalent to a 1 ounce pour. Additional 1 ounce tastes were $1 each, and a glass of wine was $5.

The wineries at the festival were all members of the Texas Hill Country Wineries, the group of wineries that also organizes the very popular Hill Country Wine Tours. With 22 wineries and each winery pouring at least 3 wines, it was impossible to try all of the wines at the festival in one day. Not only were there too many people, the cost was also prohibitive.

So we just tried to taste as much wine as possible, and we mainly focused on wines made from Texas grapes.

Texas wine tasting trends and highlights

Over the course of the afternoon, there were a few trends that seemed to emerge. First, in general wine made from Texas grown Muscat, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc were better than the Texas grown Chardonnays from the same producers. Second, wine made from Texas Hill Country Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be light in color and thin on the palate with very fine tannins. In general, they were alright, but not the style of wine that most Cabernet drinkers expect. Finally, the majority of wines available at the festival were made with grapes grown outside of Texas. There are several exceptions, but if you want wine produced from 100% Texas grapes, you have to ask for it.

White wine tasting highlights include the Muscat from McReynolds, the Orange Muscat from Dry Comal Creek, the Viognier from Alamosa, and the Blanc de Bois from Lost Creek.

Red wine tasting highlights were overall less impressive, but included Black Spanish from Dry Comal Creek, a Merlot from Singing Water, and Buckin’ Horse Red from Flat Creek Estate.

We’re sure that there were other good wines at the festival — we just didn’t have the time or the money to taste them all. Also, some of the most critically acclaimed wines were not there to try because this vintage was already sold out.

A few humble suggestions

We had fun at the festival and we will go again next year, but there are a few things that might make the event even more fun. First, it would be more pleasant if it were held later in the year, say around October. It is a little cooler at that time, and the wineries might have more of their wines available to taste and buy. Second, a reserve tasting price would be a welcome addition. When we asked several people pouring wine what was their favorite, they said that they did not bring it with them. Many Texas wines sell for more than $25 a bottle and were left at home because of the $1 per ounce tasting price, but we would have paid more to taste the best efforts of each winery if there was a way to do so.

But these are really just minor issues.

The Austin Wine Festival succeeded very well at getting lots of people to try the wines being made in Texas, and that, of course, was the whole point.

Listing of wineries at the Austin Wine Festival 2008

Alamosa Wine Cellars • Becker Vineyards • Chisholm Trail Winery • Comfort Cellars • Driftwood Vineyards • Dry Comal Creek • Fall Creek Vineyards • Flat Creek Estate • Fredericksburg Winery • Grape Creek Vineyard • Lost Creek Vineyard • Mandola Estate Winery • McReynolds Wines • Pillar Bluff Vineyards • Singing Water Vineyards • Sister Creek Vineyards • Spicewood Vineyards • Stone House Vineyard • Texas Hills Vineyard • Texas Lagato Winery • Torre di Pietra • Woodrose Winery

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