All Heath Family Brands locations will be closed on Sunday, April 5th for the Easter holiday.
Jeff’s Corner Howdy, Howdy,Kathy and I just got back from some much-needed chill time on the Frio River last week, but our return was not without drama. While we were gone, our cat, Rio Frio, somehow learned she was named after the river, rather than the river being named after her. She…
Jeff’s CornerHey, Hey, Hey,Today is Rosé DayYes, today we’ll check out the awesome new 2019 Rosé of Malbec, but first I thought it might be fun to turn back the clock and take a brief look at the history of rosé wine.Rosés are considered to be the very first style…
Jeff’s Corner Howdy, and Hey, Hey, Hey,Today is Riesling Day… But, before we check out our new 2019 Riesling, I want to send a private message (I’m working on my social media lingo) to my good friend and work colleague, Mike Garza. Mike, I realize this isn’t exactly private since…
Jeff’s Corner 7-3-20Hello, Hello,Before we take a peak at our brand new 2019 Cuveé Blanc, I’d like to take a moment and wish everyone a very thoughtful Fourth of July. With the 4th falling on Saturday, it will be a long, busy weekend for all, and I’d like to urge…
Jeff’s Corner 6/26/20 Hey, Hey, Hey,Today is Viognier day!Not too long ago I was doing a tasting and I described our GCV Viognier as “a richly textured, extremely layered wine.” Our guest asked me what I meant by “layered” (a great question, by the way), and I must admit I…
Jeff’s Corner Hello, Hello, Hello, Our longest-tenured wine not only has a new label, it also has a new name! Our beloved Cabernet Blanc is now officially on record with the Feds as “Cab Blanc.” With the cost of new labeling, we figured we could save a little money on…
Jeff’s Corner 4-24-20
Hey, Hey, Hey,
Well, with our tasting rooms closed other than for purchases and Wine Club pick ups, I have been forced to work at home. No sympathy cards required, however, since working at home for me consists of drinking and writing about wine.
The week before we stopped (for the time being) doing tastings, we released the new Rendezvous to rave reviews and brisk sales. When the 2017 (which garnered a double gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle competition) ran out, it was drinking as well as any of our wines, so if you have a bottle or two at home, pull the cork and enjoy.
Jeff’s Corner
We are going to get down to some serious Serendipity stuff in a moment, but first I want to offer a very big personal and public thank you to everyone at Grape Creek for the unity and compassion we have extended to one another in these difficult times.
Not a day has gone by in the last month or so that Kathy and I have not been grateful to work for such a caring and generous company. So, here’s to Brian and Jennifer, Julie, John, Patrick, Christy and John, and everyone else that contributes to what truly is the “Grape Creek family”. Thank you all, from all of us!
Jeff’s Corner Well, Well, Well, Today’s Petite Sirah Day; It’s black and brooding, Volatile and moody, Angst-ridden, And oozing despair. I suppose this is a pretty melodramatic intro to our new 2018 Petite Sirah, but then Petite Sirah has always been, to me, a very…
Jeff’s Corner
Hey, Hey, Hey
It’s difficult for me to remember a Grape Creek wine with a more anticipated release than our 2017 Invention. The staff, and our loyal Wine Club members, were at a fevered pitch between its debut in the Black Label December allocation and when it finally appeared on our tasting bar in early January.
Invention is 100% Texas Petit Verdot, a grape being recognized as a rising star in both the Hill Country and the High Plains. We’ll talk more about this awesome wine in a moment, but first let’s check out this very ancient grape.
Jeff’s Corner
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Habari Gani, Happy Holidays, and to cover all the bases, Seasons Greetings! As the countdown to the final frenzy accelerates exponentially, Kathy and I are going to take a deep breath and chill out. We got some great health-related news yesterday, and everything really is looking “merry and bright”.
We do have some wine to talk about, however. Our new GCV 2017 Merlot was released this week, and completes the transition of all our reds to black labels. Now it’s easy to distinguish what’s in the bottle by the label. Whites and sweets have a white label, reds a black, and the Rosé a black with silver lettering.
Jeff’s Corner
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble
Here’s hoping everyone had a great Turkey Day yesterday and is enjoying a long, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend with friends and family. Our time together is fleeting, and should always be cherished.
Kathy and I spent a quiet day together that began with a lovely brunch of smoked salmon, bagels, cream cheese, capers, red onion and fresh fruit. This, by the way, paired wonderfully with a bottle of 2016 Heath Sparkling Adoration. The rest of the day was filled with memories, laughter, a few tears and the smell of pie baking and turkey roasting.