Alissa Leenher on October 16, 2013 0 Comments Deep in the Texas Hill Country, in the unassuming town of Mason, a variety of artisans are hard at work. From woodworking to winemaking, the concentration of talent in the small town is evident. Scott Haupert and Manny Silerio are doing their part to showcase the talent and terroir of the region. Together with winemaker Don Pullum, Scott and Manny began Sandstone Cellars with the goal of sharing the unique wines of Mason County. The climate and soil in Mason County has been compared to that of the Mediterranean, specifically Portugal. You’ve heard the phrase, “when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.” The same thing applies to the wine industry if you are trying to produce wines with locally grown grapes. Because of that, Sandstone Cellars produces different blends each year. They look at what they have growing well, the qualities of each harvest, and blend from there. Each wine, therefore, carries a Roman numeral which indicates the year and blend. We had guests for dinner last weekend. The menu was NY strips with Chimichurri sauce, Patatas bravas, and a green salad. I wanted something with big bold fruit and some spice. It needed to have enough body to hold up to the garlic and the acid in the food. I decided to open a 2008 Sandstone Cellars VI, a blend of Touriga, Barbara, Primitivo, and Zinfandel. The dominating flavors were black berries with some acid, earth, and pepper. It was a great match. I asked the Don Pullum about the vintage. “The thing that I am enjoying about the 2008 VI is the interplay between the Touriga and Zinfandel/Primitivo as the wine ages. I think these varieties are well suited together. They keep their individual styles, but together are as graceful as Astaire and Rogers in a close embrace.” That works for me. If you venture out to Mason, you’ll find more than just great wine. They also make a Ruby port and an Apple Cider dessert wine. The bottles and the walls are adorned with artwork. They have a wine bar on one side and a delicious taqueria, run by Manny’s mother, on the other side. The wines will warm your palate and the people will warm your soul. More Reviews: WINE REVIEW: 2009 Lions Drift Pinotage from Silkbush Mountain Vineyards PRODUCT REVIEW: Waring Pro Wine Chiller
