For A Printable PDF Of This Weekend’s Notes, Click Here!
McPherson Cellars Albariño 2023
Origin: Lubbock, Texas
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.96
he McPherson family has been a part of Texas viticulture and winemaking for over 40 years. McPherson Cellars was created to honor Winemaker Kim McPherson’s father, Dr. Clinton “Doc” McPherson, a founder and pioneer of the modern Texas wine industry. Doc was one of the state's prime grape growers and was the first in Texas to plant Sangiovese in his Sagmor Vineyard. What started out as experimental vine planting in the 1960s—at a time when there were virtually none in the entire state—evolved into an extraordinary framework that has since shaped the Texas High Plains landscape today. In 2000, Kim proudly launched his eponymous label in dedication to his father. In 2008, the family opened McPherson Cellars inside the converted Lubbock’s historic 1930s era Coca Cola bottling plant in downtown Lubbock. A citrus-driven nose of kumquats and preserved lemons turns to under-ripe yellow peach and wildflower honey on the palate. 100% Albariño
Galen Glen ‘Fossil’ Riseling 2021
Origin: Andreas, Pennsylvania
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.96
Owners, Galen and Sarah, established the winery in 1995 when they purchased the Troxell family double century farm from Galen’s father. Galen, a mechanical engineer and 6th generation farmer, and Sarah, a chemist, traded in corporate careers to grow grapes and launch the winery. Galen is an industry leading mechanical wizard and vine whisperer. Sarah is a noted tastemaker and was nationally recognized as best woman winemaker. The 7th generation to farm their land, daughter Erin, has returned to Galen Glen as head of the winegrowing team. Scientifically and culturally relevant, with a tenacious sustainable focus, Erin is a momentous commitment to the future and has already begun to leave her mark. Mandarin orange and white flowers on the nose followed by a bright, refreshing, and barely off-dry palate. 100% Riesling
McPherson Cellars ‘Les Copains’ Rose 2023
Origin: Lubbock, Texas
Retail: $14.95 | Sale: $13.46
Feeding off the tenacity and vision of his father, Kim completed his enology and viticulture studies at world-renowned UC Davis in the 1970s before heading off to work in Napa Valley. Fully believing in the still-vastly-unexplored terroir of the High Plains, Kim came back to Lubbock where he crafted wine at local wineries (including his father’s Llano Estacado Winery) for the next twenty plus years. Since 2000, McPherson Cellars has blossomed into a small but thriving operation that focuses on sustainably farmed, expertly crafted, small-batch wines exclusively from the Texas High Plains. This is a dry rosé of opulent fruit and aromatics: think strawberry, Meyer lemon, wildflowers, and watermelon with a finish that is both creamy and tingles with good acidity for optimal food pairing and porch drinking alike! 50% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 12% Mourvedre, 3% Ugni Blanc
McPherson Cellars Petite Sirah 2020
Origin: Lubbock, Texas
Retail: $24.95 | Sale: $22.46
The Texas High Plains AVA lies within the High Plains subregion of the Great Plains, stretching from Amarillo in the north to the New Mexico border and extending just south of Lubbock. is located on a huge high plateau, with elevation ranges from 2,800 to 4,000 feet above sea level—most vineyards are on flat terrain between 3,000 feet and 4,000 feet. This positioning provides continental climate of long, hot, dry summers and cool evenings—significant diurnal shifts that aid in retaining grape acidity and slower ripening. The region is also windy and arid, relieving the family of any fungal pressures felt elsewhere in Texas. Aromas of blueberry cobbler and brambly berries become cool and concentrated on the palate. A kiss of cracked black pepper, a whiff of woodsmoke, and the glass is gone…but the deep, velvety texture lingers on.