Tempranillo finds a home in Texas

Tempranillo finds a home in Texas

It is called Tempranillo and is found in northern Spain. This red grape has hints of tobacco, spice, and leather in a round, balanced wine. If you extend latitudinally from Spain’s Rioja region where these luscious reds grow westward to the New World, Texas fits perfectly in that temperate zone. Texas is becoming known as a state where outstanding Tempranillo grapes are grown and made into award-wine red wines. To help boost this grape, the Newsome Vineyards on the Texas High Plains featured the Tempranillo grapes and wines at its annual Newsome Grape Day held at the Newsome Vineyards. Held last Friday, this all-day event featured the best of what Texas has to offer as far as technical advice in growing these thin-skinned reds and in extracting the best from these Texas grown grapes. After a warm Texas welcome from Neal Newsom, Dr. Ed Hellman from Texas AgriLife and Texas Tech University compared Tempranillo grapes produced in Texas and its parent country of Spain in the New World. Ed talked of the similarities of elevations, growing degree days and such between Spain and Tempranillo regions in Texas. In addition, Dr Justin Scheiner with Texas AgriLife discussed canopy management in the vineyards to help the Tempranillo grapes be the best they can be. Canopy management is labor intensive providing the right amount of leaf coverage to amount of grapes. Leaves provide the photo-synthesis required to produce the sugars at proper levels for the grapes. Too much photo-synthesis can negatively impact the grapevine. It is also important to properly shade these grapes to avoid sunburn. Bob Young with Bending Branch Winery discussed cold deep maceration which is a technique used to extract the fullness of the grapes into the juice before fermentation begins. Dan Gatlin with Inwood Estates Winery told of his many years of pioneering with Tempranillo grapes. His Inwood Estate Tempranillo wine is one of Robert Parker’s favorites! Sommelier Rafael Ruiz talked of experiences on the selling side of the Tempranillo wines with consumers. Prominent Texas Winery Owners like Gene Estates of Lost Oak Winery had extraordinary things to same about this full day of technical presentations such as “ I could see winery owners taking copious notes and new growers signing up for Tempranillo.” However, the best thing that happened during this entire day was the extensive networking among vineyard and winery owners. Opportunities abounded for networking during the BBQ lunch, evening Mexican dinner, and discussion which lasted through dawn in the Newsom barn. This barn is interestingly decorated with UFO and aviation paraphernalia. Neal and Janice Newsom are third generation cotton farmers who are converting to growing wine grapes. Their son is now growing grapes following his Father’s footsteps on nearby family land. Expectations are high for Tempranillo grapes and wines in Texas. Texas grown grapes made into wines have already earned numerous Gold Medals. Time will be the best indicator of how successful Texas Tempranillo wines will be!

Origin information: The Courier