Flat Creek Estate Muscato D'Arancia Orange Muscat 2010 Texas

Bottle 2 of 7 is on the table tonight.

Here's why I bought this one:

Slight residual sugars enhance the fruit flavors and balance the acidity in this food-friendly wine.  Aromas of orange blossom and magnolia match the soft texture.

OK, that, and the fact that I might have possibly been in a buying frenzy. Because that description, while nice (I especially like the bit about orange blossom and magnolia!), is not quite as enticing as it was in my memory. However, I loved that Purple Cow Muscat so much that it sure would be nice to find another one like it that might be easier to obtain.

So, the bottle (which, by the way, has another Carrollesque Drink Now label) is slightly smaller than most, at 500 mL as compared to 750 (sad face), but it was also cheaper than its larger brethren at Flat Creek (happy face). It has a pleasingly long and narrow shape. The wine is a pretty sunshiney golden color. And (while once again wondering just how suggestible I might be) I do catch a faint whiff of orange.

To taste, the wine is just a bit sweeter than I'd like. But for a Muscat, where some sweetness is expected, this is not a valid complaint. Without a side-by-side comparison it's hard to say for sure, but I have the feeling that the Purple Cow Muscat was more to my liking. But even if this one is not my favorite, it's still very enjoyable. I like the fruity flavor, and it's nice to have a white wine that I don't find bland or musty or one of those other negative descriptors I've used for whites in the past.

As for "orange blossom and magnolia" . . . I have discovered something interesting tonight. If I tell myself, "This tastes like orange!" and then take a sip, it tastes like orange. If I say, "This tastes like peach!" and take a sip, I taste peach. If I say, "This tastes like pear!" and sip . . . asparagus. (Just kidding. It's pear.) I'd like to believe this says more about the fruity flavor of this wine than it says about the inability of my palate to distinguish between flavors, but I must admit I'm not convinced of that fact.

Here's the official verdict. If you are looking for a sweet summery wine, I'll say this one gets two thumbs up. If putting "sweet" and "wine" together in the same sentence is not for you, move along.

Flat Creek Estate Rosé 2012 Texas

Just over two years ago I had a lovely and memorable visit to a winery near Austin, Texas, called Flat Creek Estate. I've been meaning to write about their wines ever since, but it just hasn't happened.

UNTIL NOW!! 

You'll have to continue waiting an undetermined length of time to hear about the wines I tried two years ago, but I currently have the exciting opportunity to try a few new Flat Creek bottles. I'm going to draw out the suspense and not list the other wines here yet, but I will tell you that this very evening I found seven (SEVEN!!) different Flat Creek bottles on my doorstep, nestled all safe and snug in a tidy shipping box. I was all but giddy as I liberated them from their packaging, trying to decide where to start and wondering how quickly I could get some chilled.

My first question was answered by THIS on the label of the Rosé:

I know what Alice would
have done . . . same thing
I did!

My second question was answered by a bit of googling (and the answer was 20 minutes in the freezer).

So. You know I go for reds. Why did I choose something pinkish? Here's what sold me:

Strawberry, raspberry, and watermelon explode out of the glass, then follow through on the palate with intensity. The lively acidity helps extend the finish and reveal just a hint of pepper, lasting just long enough for the next sip.

Sounds so summery! So fruity! And I can't resist any wine that claims a hint of pepper.

With my rosé wine that I have been commanded to Drink Now after a twenty minute stint in the freezer, it's time to put it to the test. Of course, fond memories of Flat Creek predispose me to a favorable opinion of this wine, but I'm not going to be swayed by sentiment.

Ready?

The real thing is a very beautiful pinkish color that glows in the light. And I do smell berries. And the taste? Ah, it's heaven! Light and fresh and crisp, a slight sweetness--not too much, no depressing flashbacks of wine coolers here--and a peppery tang. Not something I would reach for in the dead of winter, but a perfect wine for warmer weather.

Score! Kathy likes Flat Creek Estate Rosé 2012.