Texas rosé should be a staple in a wine lover’s repertoire. Not only is rosé a refreshing way to balance the rising temperatures, it’s also an easy beverage to pair with summer fare. Rosé’s mouth-watering acidity and juicy fruit flavors are the perfect complements to summer’s lighter meals.
Texas wineries make rosé from many different red grape varieties including several from the sunny southern Mediterranean region. Cinsault, Carignan, and Mourvèdre are common choices for Texas rosé. Cinsault (which may also be listed as Cinsaut) is native to southern France where it often adds a spicy note to blends. Carignan and Mourvèdre originated in Spain and are now grown in great quantities in France. Both grapes are deeply pigmented and can also be bottled as single-varietal wines. Some winemakers in Texas use just one grape variety for rosé, and others blend several to get the aromas and structure they seek.
Texas rosé continues to be a popular choice, and retail channels may have a limited selection. Many Texas wineries sell out of their annual rosé production quickly. Plan a visit to a winery tasting room near you, and stock up on Texas rosé.
The following selections are all dry, refreshing, and delicious.
4R Ranch Vineyards & Winery 2019 Mourvèdre Rosé
Texas High Plains
Take a drive out to Muenster to sample wine and enjoy the amazing view. After a tour of the production site, attempt to conquer the Brambles mountain biking trail. For a more relaxing option, check out 4R Ranch’s new tasting room on the square in McKinney.
$18
Farmhouse Vineyards 2020 Prohibition Rosé
Texas High Plains
Visit the Brownfield tasting room near the vineyards where the grapes are grown, or taste at Johnson City’s Tipsy Trailer, a decked-out Airstream in an inviting wine garden. The wine bottle includes a Spotify link to “Prohibition Rose”, a song by Tyler Stephen McCollum released to accompany the wine. 100% Cinsault
$20
https://www.farmhousevineyard.com/
Kuhlman Cellars 2020 Kuhlmanation Estate Rosé
The Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes in this blend were grown on the Kuhlman Cellars property in Stonewall, making this the only selection made from grapes grown in the Texas Hill Country. Reserve the Wine & Food pairing to get the full Kuhlman experience. Don’t miss the herbed almonds!
$29
https://www.kuhlmancellars.com/
Lost Draw Cellars Texas High Plains Rosé
A favorite of Fredericksburg locals, the Lost Draw Cellars tasting room has been in the (Lost Draw co-founder) Ottmers family since the 1930s. A previous vintage won Best Rosé at the Lone Star International Wine Competition. A blend of Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Cinsault and Grenache.
$25
Saint Tryphon Farm & Vineyards 2018 Rosé de Mourvédre “Bird in Hand”
Farmhouse Vineyards
A bit of age on this rosé brings about mellow fruit qualities and a pleasant texture. Saint Tryphon is the patron saint of wine growers, birds, and gardeners. Visit the tasting room in Boerne to find out more about Saint Tryphon’s low-intervention approach to winemaking.
$30
Valley Mills Vineyards 2020 Cinsaut Rosé
Lahey Vineyards
Don’t skip a stop at Valley Mills Vineyards’ multi-story, gravity flow winery just outside Waco. The gravity flow design handles the grapes gently and avoids oxygen exposure. Grapes arrive to the winery crushpad on the top floor, then flow to the second floor for fermentation. Finally, the completed wine flows further down to the ground level for aging and storage.
$27