This summer will mark the eighth anniversary of my move to Texas but it will have only been about twelve months since I visited my first Texas winery. In other words, it took me a full seven years of living in the state before I stepped foot in one of its over 500 wineries.

Why?

That is a good question.

I imagine there are a few factors involved including that a visit to Texas Hill Country (where many of the state’s best wineries are located) is a bit of a commitment to the average Houstonian; it’s roughly a three or four hour drive. That means an overnight stay somewhere and all the logistics involved.

There is also the fact (at least in my mind) that once I visited a Texas winery, I was admitting, at least on some level, that I was becoming, um, Texan. While that might seem like a leap to many of you, more than any place I have ever lived (to this point I have lived in ten states and France), Texans take great pride in their state, particularly products that are made or grown here.

For many “native” Texans, Texas wine is a really big deal. For most non-native wine lovers, however, they seem to avoid even acknowledging that wine is produced in the Lone Star State (for those wondering, Texas is fifth among the states in annual wine production).

Last, there was the question of where to start? But much like when I wanted to start a wine blog and spent way too much time trying to come up with a name (many of you likely are thinking I should have spent at least a little more time on it), I decided to end the paralysis and just dive in.

From austinchronicle.com

Thus, on a trip to sweltering Austin this past summer (Austin is a great town but best visited anytime other than June-September), I decided to set up a couple of appointments at nearby wineries, including Fall Creek Vineyards in Driftwood, Texas, about a thirty-minute drive outside of town.

Here, I think it is important to mention that I had originally intended to publish this article (and the subsequent piece on Duchman Family Vineyards) in the Fall. Sadly, Ed Auler, the co-founder of Fall Creek Vineyards along with his wife Susan, passed away in October. While I never met Mr. Auler, every account I have ever read cites him not only as a pioneer in Texas wine but also as one of the most caring and thoughtful people in the state. No doubt this was a devastating loss to Susan and her family as well as the Texas wine community writ large.

On a late June afternoon, with temperatures well into the mid-90s (and a humidity level to match), I pulled into Fall Creek Vineyards, where I was met by Susan Auler, half of the dynamic team that has led Fall Creek for nearly a half a century.

After a brief (did I mention it was close to 100°?) tour of the grounds, Susan gave me a little background on the winery. Her husband, Ed, graduated from the University of Texas (UT) Law School in 1969 and was a practicing lawyer when he took over his family’s fourth generation cattle ranch in the Texas Hill Country in the early 1970s.

In 1973, Ed and Susan undertook a three-week tour of France with the intention of learning more about French cattle, particularly Charolais, the country’s well-known beef cattle. Well, as it turned out, Susan wanted to visit the various French wine regions and the two quickly fell in love with France and its wines. As a result, all but two days were dedicated to learning about the French cattle trade as they spent the other 19 crisscrossing the country, hitting all the major wine regions along the way.

A short two years later, in 1975, the Aulers decided to plant a test plot of vines on the ranch and by 1979, Ed had given up his law practice and the couple dove head into the wine business. There was not much wine “business” to speak of in late 1970s Texas, but they received support and encouragement from both Texas A&M and Texas Tech (which must have been difficult given their strong UT allegiance) and continued to plant vineyards.

A few years later, the Aulers expanded their support and consulting base to include winemakers from Napa and Sonoma as well as professors at UC Davis. Most notable, though, is the fact that Ed hired legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff as Fall Creek’s first consulting winemaker which essentially put Fall Creek “on the map” not just in Texas, but on the national stage.

Today, Sergio Cuada is the current director of winemaking after having worked with Concho y Toro in Chile, then Robert Mondavi and eventually Paul Hobbes in Napa. Fall Creek produces about 20 different wines and roughly 25-30 thousand cases annually and we sat down to taste through a handful of wines in the lovely Driftwood tasting room.

2021 Fall Creek Vineyards Vintner’s Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Escondido County, TX: Retail $28. From out near Big Bend in Escondido County. The 2021 is the last vintage for this vineyard. It had originally been planted in 1980s and the new management of the property wants nothing to with the vineyard, which is too bad, since this is a lovely wine. Rather tropical with lychee and lime on the nose. Quite tart and mineral on the palate with great mouthfeel and length. Very nice. Excellent. 91 Points. 

As many of you know, I am a judge for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Rodeo Uncorked!), which has easily the coolest prized of any wine competition.

2021 Fall Creek Vineyards Vintner’s Selection Chardonnay, Escondido County, TX: Retail $30. Fall Creek makes two styles of Chardonnay, with this version being unoaked. From the same vineyard as the Sauvignon Blanc, so sadly this wine, too, represents the last vintage of this wine. Some similar aromatics with lychee and also lemon. 100% malolactic fermentation. 100% stainless steel, but make no mistake, this is a big Chardonnay. Rich, full, and somewhat round. It may be “unoaked”, but it’s old school. Excellent. 90 Points.

2021 Fall Creek Vineyards Lescalo Rosé, Texas: Retail $20. Chenin Blanc with a touch of Tempranillo. Low calorie and less alcohol, this wine is harvested early (to keep sugars low) but otherwise no intervention. The goal is to keep it under 10% ABV and this one succeeds at 9.8%. Steely nose with good fruit, nice weight (particularly given the lower alcohol) and a nice quaff. Very Good. 88 Points. 

2019 Fall Creek Vineyards GSM, Salt Lick Vineyards, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $50. 56% Mourvèdre, 49% Syrah, 4% Grenache. From Salt Lick Vineyard across the street. Medium color in the glass with that classic stewed plum nose with some cranberry and rhubarb. Excellent fruit and balance with rather impressive acidity and weight. OK. Whoa. This ranks right up there with the best Texas wines I have tried. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2021 Fall Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Mission San Antonio De Valero, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $35. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 8% Tempranillo. Officially licensed by the Alamo (which is a really big deal) and honors those who fought there, with a portion of the proceeds going to the historical preservation of the monument. Ed Auler is quite the history buff and discovered that William B. Travis, who taught and died at the Alamo, had owned part of what would become the Fall Creek Vineyard. This is the second vintage of the resurrection of the label. Dark and a bit brooding with red and dark berry fruit with a nice herbal note (mint, basil). Great fruit and tartness with weight and even a slice of verve. A bit of tannic grip on the backend. Excellent. 92 Points.

2017 Fall Creek Vineyards ExTerra Tempranillo, Salt Lick Vineyards, Texas Hill Country, TX: Retail $100. This is from the “Ultra premium line” at Fall Creek. First vintage was 2016. All Salt Lick Vineyard from specific rows and then the best barrels are chosen. Dark and peppery with cassis and blackberry. Yowza. Initially a bit shy on the palate initially but the acidity comes in first then followed quickly by the fruit. Silky and lush with subtle and integrated tannins. Lengthy finish. Outstanding. 93 Points.