Merlot? Yes please. Blackberry? That sounds nice. Tie it altogether and what do you have? A glass of semi-sweet red wine that is not too over-the-top sweet that a dry wine fan (ahem, that’s me) can’t savor every sip… Aisling Blas by Red Road Vineyard and Winery in Naples, Texas.
Moving to Texas from California, I admit to being spoiled when it comes to wine. And sorry Texas, but 9 times out of 10 I’ll pick a Sonoma or Napa Valley wine over a Texas one. But when I stumbled upon Red Road in 2017, I was truthfully (and joyfully) shocked! First and foremost, we need to talk about the tasting room in Naples. Tucked away, inside an old ice house along side the railroad tracks, parts of the building have original cork insulation, tracks along the ceiling which were used to move large blocks of ice back in the day… this place is seriously cool (pun absolutely intended). It is important to note though that the tasting room is only open on Saturdays from noon to 6PM. However, the owner and staff are awesome and say they are willing to open any time if you call ahead and let them know when you’d like to visit! If you visit on a Saturday they have an awesome special where you get to taste 5 wines and keep the glass. (That’s how places always get me… I’m a wine and beer glass hoarder. Don’t judge.)
What is it you’ll be tasting? For those who prefer sweeter, more traditional Texas wines, Red Road has you covered! They are known for their Chocolate Lach Rua (a sweet, chocolatey red) and also feature a peach harvest white called Solas. Not my cup of tea, but I know many people who love these, as well as their other sweets. Their one sweet I can get onboard with is the red moscato. Deliciously crisp on a hot summer day! Yes, that is what you see (probably the entire bottle) in my giant tumbler cover pic! For the dry wine folks, Sedoga (a blended white) and Mourvedre (a dry red they recently began bottling) are my top recommendations for you! In my household however, we run into a conundrum where my husband prefers wine on the sweeter side and I prefer dry. Rather than opening two bottles of wine (though now that I think about it that truly isn’t a bad option…) we found the perfect compromise at Red Road…. Aisling Blas! Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, just ask me if I want a glass.
Bottom line, Red Road Vineyard and Winery is a hidden gem in northeast Texas. Unless you know about it, it’s hard to find. But once you have heard about it, I promise it’s worth a visit.
Life Tastings 