I’ve had the opportunity to sample several Texas wines, both red and white, over the past month. Tonight’s wine, a 2005 Tempranillo, hails from San Martiño Winery and Vineyards located in Rockwall, Texas. Native to Spain, Tempranillo is quickly finding a home in the Lone Star State.
The Tempranillo retails for $32.50 and is available for purchase online from the wineries website. Oak aged for 24 months, the wine clocks in at 14.5% alcohol. On the nose, earthy-leathery scents followed by cherries and plum. In the mouth, black cherries, plum, black currant, and spice. Solid tannins are present but integrated with nice structure and a firm finish. A delicious wine by San Martiño, and one I would revisit again, if not for the steep price tag.
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The price is typical for boutique Texas wineries that sell primarily from their tasting room. They usually less price sensitivity than through normal distribution and provide a quality product. Similar MO is at Sandstone Cellars in Mason. Great wine (red Med blend) and worth the $40 per bottle price.
The San Martino Tempranillo is one of my faves. It made my 2009 Pick Six from Texas. Check out: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=738
Russ
Grape prices, increasing each year, will affect final pricing in the bottle.There comes a point that regardless of how good those grapes are perceived to be, they will price themselves out of the market. One can stretch that price elasticity so much before that rubber band snaps.
It is difficult to sell wine for much less than $30/bottle when the raw cost of grapes start at $2,000/ton. Prices this year are averaging about $2,200/ton. Similar and better quality grapes from California are going for half that price delivered to Texas. Many local wineries have been trying desperately to continue to produce wine in Texas using Texas fruit. However, the market in general doesn’t feel that wine from Texas grapes are worth the prices that wineries are charging to stay in business. Basically, we are pricing ourselves out of the market. The only solution left for the wineries is to abandon Texas grapes and start making their wines in Texas shipping in out of state fruit. Wineries in Texas can make a Cabernet that matches the quality of a Napa or Sonoma Cab that usually costs $40 but when we price ours to the same level, the consumer traditionally picks the California wine. The price point of Texas wines has a short price ceiling where California, France and others do not have it. Many of us in the wine business already reached the price point when everything starts to unravel. However, the cost of grapes keeps on going up. We either shut our doors or start going out of state for survival. Either one is not in the best interest of the Texas wine industry.
Maria del C. Ramos
San Martino Winery & Vineyards