On Saturday before heading out on the tours during the grape festival, we headed up closer to Lubbock and did a tasing at English Newsome (website).

2019 Trebbiano

Their notes: This light bodied, pale straw wine boasts a flavor profile of green apple, lemon, and minerals. Trebbiano has bright aromatic notes of seashell, citrus and oregano. This Italian varietal pairs well with seafood, pastas and roasted chicken. (website)

My Notes: I actually bought a bottle of this wine- so I will write it up separately. However, I bought to see if my thoughts on its pairing were right. (Sorry, no spoilers.)

2019 Roussanne

Their Notes: This Rhone varietal is pale straw in color and has bright aromatic notes of pear with slight notes of honey. It exhibits strong aromas of lemon and keylime combined with strong flavors of citrus and almond. The first sip brings you pear with meyer lemon and ends with a soft finish. Enjoy this variety with a pairing of roasted chicken or veal with a cream sauce. (website)

My Notes: Love the scent of this one – its a combination of sugar, honey and sweet tart. It has a bit of pear to it. My tasting companion described it as “the Arnold Palmer of wines.” I’d agree – easy to drink with flavors of white grape and lemonade. If I hadn’t been told it was a Roussanne, I wouldn’t have guessed it. I would have said it was a white blend. It’s not as astringent as the Trebbiano. We rated this as a Tuesday with leftovers, or something simple like a pasta with just a pesto (with the pine nuts) and some cheese.

2019 Mourvèdre

Their Notes: This Rhone red variety features a bold smoked ruby hue with notes of blackberry, stewed cherries and a subtle kiss of oak. It pairs well with smoked meats such as pork, and beef. Mourvèdre also pairs well with chicken dishes. (website)

My Notes: It got stewed cherry in the scent followed by petroleum – or I suppose you could call it the Mourvèdre Funk, since the petroleum flavor killed the fruit flavor for me. However, the more you drink, the less petroleum you get, and the more air its exposed to the tarter it got. So I loved the scent but not the taste. My tasting companion said this was “a Mourvèdre that needs to be blended.”

We struggled with what to pair this wine with… and said maybe meatloaf or a pork chop. Thus it got a Monday rating.

2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

Their Notes: This full bodied varietal is deep ruby in color and displays warm aromatics of cherry and black currant. Notes of green pepper, jalapeno, olive, mint, clove and prune can also be identified. The rich and velvety tannins bring a balance to this varietal. There is a smooth finish that is filled with mixtures of red and black fruit, pepper, chocolate, coffee and vanilla notes. Pair this big Bordeaux varietal with a juicy steak, or braised beef short ribs. (website)

My Notes: This had the scent of “Tomacco” (tomato and tobacco for those that miss the Simpson’s reference). It tasted of blackberry and pepper. The pepper really hits the back of the throat and is strong. My tasting partner got some cinnamon. It had a rather flat texture, meaning it wasn’t as heavy as some cabernets as there were not a lot of tannins like I expected. At the same time I couldn’t stop drinking it, and literally sat there and drank it without thinking about it while talking about its rating.

This was a Wednesday – but also a Sunday dinner with friends/family – good enough for those who appreciate good wine, but not so expensive that would waste it on those who when you asked them about the wine would reply “it’s a red.”

I did find out it is 25% merlot and 75% cabernet sauvignon – so that could explain the more mellow qualities to the wine.

Peach Sangria

Their Notes: This sweetened white wine strongly exhibits flavors and aromas of peach that present a refreshing sensation. This sangria pairs well with spicier dishes, but also compliments desserts and fruit platters. (website)

My Notes: Also known as “Just Peachy.” I didn’t realize that Newsome also grew peaches. It tastes like all parts of the peach, the fruit, the pit, the flesh (skin). I don’t usually like this type of wine – but it was a good finish to the tasting and was great on a hot day. It’s a porch pounder.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed our tasting at English Newsome – it was very quiet – though we got there just shortly after they opened. I was a bit disappointed in the staff’s knowledge of the wines. You could tell they read the description before they came over to the table. They also told me nothing about the winery itself or history – or even if the wines were estate, 100% Texas or anything much. Now, to be honest, I didn’t ask a lot of questions because I wanted to see what they’d tell me. However, I would recommend a visit. The ground and facility are lovely, as you can see from the pictures below.