Are all Texas wines worthy of a 90+ Wine Spectator rating….No. But, in general, the quality of Texas wine are on pair with those of many other regions and the price point on those that have major distribution are not bad.

Where else can you get a premium red wine in the price range of $25-35, and most wines are in the range $10-20. It is only the wines that are in only limited distribution or offered for sale in tasting rooms that usually have higher prices than expected.

The one thing that amazes me is that people (as Dee does above) talk tough on Texas wine. But, I have had the opportunity to judge and organize tastings that are conducted totally blind (without the knowing the winery or the wine producing region) and include wine-knowledgable tasters. Generally, when Texas wines are tasted blind, tasters/judges give higher ratings to Texas wines than when they know that they actually come from Texas.

I once took a bottle of Becker Vineyards Claret to a high end tasting group in Houston upon invitation. The wines were bagged and all people tasted and rating the wines. Some wines in the tasting were from California, Spain, France and Italy. At the end of the evening, the winning wine was mine – Becker Claret. It suprized a lot of people and me too. But, most of all, I was suprized that I was not invited to come back even after seven years from this “Judgement of Houston”.

This bias is something like that in the Pepsi Challenge conducted back in the 1980′s. When they did not know what they were drinking, they picked Pepsi. But, when the same test was peformed (not on camera) where they did know which was Pepsi and Coke, the tasters prefered Coke. It is just human nature to be biased by what you LIKE or what SHOULD be worse.

I agree with Andrea that McPherson Cellars from Luboock is a good value buy – Viognier, Sangiovese and Tre Colores. But, Becker Vineyards Cabernet, Llano Estacado Viviano and Fal Creek Meritus are ingredible, age-worthy wines at value prices compared to what comparable wines would cost from other regions.

My personal recommendation is Fall Creek Meritus. This is a wine that any wine state would be proud to have! Evening CA.

I’ll be making more forays into the Wild West of Texas Wine and reporting back to you on exciting finds. And I have no Texas pride, so don’t worry that you’ll be hearing any tall tales from the Scamp!

I’d like to know if there are any solid wines in Texas. All those I’ve tasted are dumbed down or unremarkable. Yet bottles command the same price as California wines. Is it Texas pride that keeps these places afloat, or just ignorance of what wine can be?

Hoping to be impressed, someday…