Sommelier’s pick
Who: Dr. D. Christopher Taylor
Background: A researcher and wine educator whose expertise is in wine marketing, Taylor has published over 30 research articles that have had a global reach and has long been active in the Texas wine industry. He is an assistant professor at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College, where he is also the director of the Beverage Management Program and the Fred Parks Wine Cellar.
What: 2014 Brady Vineyard Paso Robles Zinfandel
Why: Taylor calls this zin “a great example of my favorite varietal, which goes so well with so many traditional Texas foods,” such as barbecue. The grapes were crushed to small steel tanks, where fermentation and maceration lasted eight days, assisted by hand pump-over to maximize color and flavor release. The juice completed malolactic fermentation in French oak puncheons, then matured for 18 months before receiving a final racking to stainless steel, where the blend was assembled. There’s an important personal connection to the wine for Taylor because Don Brady, before he moved to California’s Central Coast, made award-winning wines for Lubbock’s Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock. “It was a tour and tasting at Llano that sparked my passion for wine,” Taylor says. “I have Don to thank for making a wonderful 1989 Chenin Blanc that I still recall like it was yesterday.”
Price: About $25 at various retail outlets across town, including H-E-B.