Spec’sology Blog - Wine

Texas Independence Day weekend is the perfect time to raise your Texas spirits with a trip to a Texas brewery, distillery, or winery! We’ve put together a list of some of our favorites from across the state. These offer not only outstanding products but an excellent atmosphere for learning and fun! Please celebrate responsibly and don’t drink and drive by planning ahead. Breweries Jester King - Austin, Texas Jester King offers an outdoor dining & drinking experience which includes almost 2 miles of hiking trails, live music, and more across their beautiful 165-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country! It’s

Australia is quickly becoming one of the world powers of wine. The wine industry in Australia is perhaps the most technologically advanced, and forward-thinking on earth. Australia has no native vines. Winemaking grapevines first came to the country in 1788, from South Africa. Fast forward 234 years and Australia is now famous for its fresh, fruity red and white table wines that are extremely consistent in quality. Australia now ranks sixth in the world in wine production — making slightly more than half as much wine as the United States — and fourth in exports. The two most popular grapes

Pop the cork on a romantic Valentine’s Day evening without blowing a hole in your wallet! Check out our top 5 picks for deliciously affordable Valentine’s Day wines that’ll have you oohing and aahing all night long. Roederer Estate Brut Estate Bottled Champagne Blend $14.73 An elegant blend of approximately 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, this Roederer Estate Brut is crisp and elegant with complex pear, spice and hazelnut flavors. It is fresh and lightly fruity with great finesse and depth of flavor. Sunny With A Chance Of Flowers Sauvignon Blanc Light $11.99 Sunny with a Chance of Flowers is

Professional athletes have been endorsing products for decades; everything from shoes and apparel to cars and food. 99% of those are not made by the athlete, just endorsed. But when it comes to alcohol, athletes are much more involved in the creation and production of these brands. But are any of them any good? Check out our collection of top-rated wines and spirits from professional football players and, in some cases, entire teams. Raise your spirits with team sprits and bring home the win at Spec’s! Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Dallas Cowboys Special Edition Recently, the Dallas Cowboys teamed up

Looking for a great sparkling wine but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered with this little rundown of what’s what in the world of sparkling wine. The main difference between sparkling wine and Champagne is that Champagne is made in the Champagne region of France and is the only sparkling wine allowed to be called Champagne. Types Of Sparking Wine Cremant – France Cava – Spain Espumante -Portugal Prosecco – Northeast Italy Lambrusco – Emilia-Romagna region of Italy Franciacorta – Lombardy region of Italy Asti – Italy Sekt – Germany American Sparkling Wine As for the price,

We usually get Champagne for a celebration, and we usually want our celebrations to be perfect, right? The last thing you want is for your celebration to leave a bad taste in your guest’s mouth. And while you may have mastered the art of party planning from the music down to the napkins, we could all use a little help on picking the perfect Champagne! Our simple guide will help you choose the perfect bottle for any occasion, even if it’s just pizza on the couch! The Different Types of Champagne/Bubbly Champagne: If the bottle has Champagne (with a capital

When you think winter, you tend to think of cozying up by a fire, enjoying seasonal dishes, and big bold wines. And while many of us equate “big bold wines” with reds, that’s not always the case. A good winter wine has a warming quality to it that pairs wonderfully with cold weather, and they aren’t all reds. We’ve put together some of our top cold weather bottles, both red and white, that may not be on your winter wine list, but definitely should be. Zinfandel With its big, spicy, and jammy flavors, Zinfandel stands up to hearty, warming foods,

Pairing wine with Thanksgiving turkey doesn’t have to be a stress-inducing struggle every year. Instead of trying to find the perfect wine for a large bird with a variety of flavors, we suggest you curate a selection that can be applied to specific parts or enjoyed with the entire meal. For a nice balance to your selections aim for lighter reds and heavier whites. But the best suggestion for wine pairings is to choose something you enjoy! Checkout our top 5 turkey and wine pairings and get ready to be thankful! Sparkling A light sparkling white is an excellent way

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most popular red wines. It’s made from black-skinned grapes that thrive in a narrow spectrum of cooler climates. It’s also notoriously difficult to grow. When done right, it produces lighter-bodied wines of elegance, complexity and longevity. They also pair wonderfully with almost everything you’ll have on your Thanksgiving table! Finding the right Pinot Noir for you can be deliciously challenging as Pinot Noir wine taste varies based on climate, soil, and producer style. So, we’re focusing on some highly affordable west coast Pinot Noirs that all come in under $40! Top Pinot Noir

As a Texas family-owned business, Spec’s makes a point to bring you the latest and greatest made-in-Texas items! We develop special relationships with Texas wineries, distilleries, and breweries to ensure our shelves are stocked with Texas-made items. Supporting local businesses like our own is just one of the many ways Spec’s puts Texas first! Join us on a tour of some tasty Texas towns with a collection of local favorites from across the Lone Star State. William Chris Skeleton Key Proprietors Red – Hye, TX William Chris Vineyards boast a majestically restored Dieke family farmhouse, and they offer barrel tastings,

As autumn arrives, bringing crisp air and seasonal change, our desires shift towards richer culinary experiences. We seek deeper flavors and wines that capture the essence of the season. This transition from light summer wines to heartier fall selections is driven by the harmonious pairing of wine, food, and the overall autumn atmosphere. In fall we’re eating roasted root vegetables, squash, wild mushrooms, game meats, hearty stews, and foods spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, sage and thyme. The wines that shine in this season often feature oak-derived notes like vanilla, toast, baking spice; or they reflect earthiness, forest floor, dried leaves,

Chianti, pronounced “kee-on-tee”, is a red wine blend from the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, made primarily with Sangiovese grapes. You used to see it in a squat bottle wrapped in straw, but nowadays most producers use standard bottles and have left the straw off completely. The History Of Chianti The history of Chianti dates back to at least the 13th century with the earliest incarnations of Chianti as a white wine. Over the years, Chianti has evolved into the red blend you see today. The first known “Chianti recipe” was created in 1872, and recommended 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo