Review: Fall Creek 2020 Grenache Rose and 2021 Roussanne
Fall Creek Vineyards is one of the most venerable Texas wineries — to the point where they have a three-letter domain name. Fall Creek’s white and rose releases aren’t your usual “summer drinking” fare. To prove that, here’s a look at two recent bottlings.
2020 Fall Creek Grenache Rose – No saccharine white zin style here; this rose of grenache has an edge driven by elements of guava and papaya, moving into strawberry before finishing with a pop of sharp, slightly metallic earthiness. The wine is pleasant enough for casual sipping (with a hint of toasted marshmallow emerging over time), but it’s ringed by a punchiness that suggests more maturity than you might think. B+ / $16
2021 Fall Creek Roussanne – This is a very honeyed, extracted (and quite yellow-hued) wine that exudes notes of lemon, tangerine, and green apple — before the chewy honey notes completely take over, echoing a cousin of Sauternes at times, sans the overwhelming sweetness. Rich and slightly oxidized — all part of classic Texas white wine character — with notes of guava lingering. A little odd, but quite fun. B+ / $25
2021 Fall Creek Roussanne
$25
