Celebrate National Wine Day with my favorite wine picks

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As a note to my readers: LLano Estacado gave me this product to try and compensated me for my review. All opinions from here forward are my own, and I only recommend products I truly believe in.

The other day I was looking at my bar and there were at least 20 bottles of wine hanging out, ready to be popped open for a party! It was then that I realized how much I really love wine.

With summertime making its way here, and all of the wonderful parties and celebrations there are, I was thinking about the perfect time to celebrate!

And then it popped up: National Wine Day is May 25 and I have the perfect wines to celebrate with – Llano Estacado Tempranillo, 2016 Maritage Red Blend, and their 2017 signature rosé!

A true pioneer in the Texas wine industry, Llano Estacado Winery has been driven to uncork the potential of vintages produced on Texas soil since 1976.

Now, Llano Estacado Winery is the largest, best-selling premium winery in Texas, producing wines of world-class quality and introducing not just Texans but the entire world to the fine wines made in the Lone Star State.

Whether you’re opting for a fun and fruity Rosé or sultry Cabernet Sauvignon, Llano Estacado offers something for every palate.

The 2016 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo is a blend of 92% Tempranillo, 3% Syrah, 3% Tannat, and 2% Petite Sirah. The grapes for this wine were primarily sourced from their contracted vineyards located in the Texas High Plains. Llano Estacado’s goal was to produce a wine that displays the true expressions of this variety from premium Texas vineyards. This wine possesses a rich bouquet of red berries, licorice, vanilla, and spicy toasted oak elements. Medium bodied and full flavored, this Cellar Reserve Tempranillo has supple tannins and a lengthy finish. We recommend serving Cellar Reserve Tempranillo at a cool room temperature, in a large wine glass with your favorite cut of meat, wild game, or Spanish tapas.

The 2017 Signature Rosé is comprised of classic Southern Rhône varieties: Cinsaut 34%, Carignan 31%, Mourvèdre 22%, Grenache 13%. A maximum of 12 hours skin contact was used for all varieties before being pressed. It was blended early and fermented cold in stainless steel to preserve its delicate aromatics.

The 2017 Signature Rosé is a wine that truly reflects our West Texas terroir. Grown in the high elevation, sandy sites of our best vineyards, this wine is an expression of what classic rosé should be: fruity, aromatic, food-friendly or enjoyable on its own on a hot, Texas summer afternoon. This wine is best served and enjoyed well chilled.

Llano Estacado Meritage Red blend has the distinction of being accepted into the prestigious American Meritage Association. Meritage wines are provocative wines crafted solely from specific “noble” Bordeaux grape varieties and recognizes the centuries-old tradition of blending, long considered to be the highest form of the winemaker’s art.

The 2016 Meritage Red is a blend of predominately Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The wines were fermented separately and blended after completion of Malolactic fermentation in the spring of 2017. In order to enhance its fruit forward aromatics and to add complexity, the blend was aged with 40% new, French oak until it

was bottled in October 2017. Enjoy with your favorite cut of steak, grilled pork chops, or perhaps a wedge of aged cheddar. Serve at a cool room temperature of 65 F.

So, how do you get these wines?

Llano wines are available for purchase online at www.llanowine.com, statewide retailers (TX) or at select retailers nationwide. The winery produces approximately 50 varietals of wine, including numerous award-winning wines.