We celebrate Texas wines all year long in the Lone Star State, and more so during Texas Wine Month…that’s October. There is one place in San Antonio that you can learn about — and taste — more Texas wines than any other location around these parts. I’m talking about Steinheimer’s Lounge at the Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort, the gateway to the Texas Hill Country wine region!
The resort sommelier, Steven Krueger, is an old friend and extremely knowledgeable on Texas wines, and has certainly seen their progression in the last decade. As of today, the Westin La Cantera property is home to 26 different Texas wines. While most appear on Francesca’s wine list, you’ll also find them available at other on-site eateries such as Tio’s Lobby Lounge, Brannon’s Café, and, of course, at Steinheimer’s.
Every Tuesday – Saturday, in the bar at Steinheimer’s, they do Texas wine tastings. It’s a fabulous way to find out more about the wonderful wines that come from right within our own state borders. For your own purposes, if you’d like to be sure that a wine labeled as a ‘Texas Wine’ is correct, you’ll want to confirm its made with grapes actually grown in Texas. If a label says “For Sale Only in Texas,” this doesn’t necessarily mean the grapes used are from here. Steven shares three things to pay attention to when inspecting the bottle:
- Alcohol Percentage
- Vintage Date
- Source Claim: 75% had to come from Texas
Our sommelier explains more in our short interview…great tips for ensuring you get the full “Texas” experience ;). Some new additions to the resort include Bridal Blush from the Wedding Oak Winery, a beautiful blend of Italian white grapes, and Kiepersol Estates Texas Syrah. Here’s to new favorites!
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Jeff Cope says
The wine from Wedding Oak was called Bridal Veil. They also make a Bridal Blush not shown. And to add to the excellent description, if a label says “American” this doesn’t necessarily mean the grapes used are from here either. Cheers!