Spec’sology Blog - Wine

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

Pinot Noir is a black wine grape variety that hails from France. It’s one of France’s oldest grapes, cultivated more than a century ago by the Cistercian monks in Burgundy. Today, collectors prize Pinot Noir for its finesse and age-worthiness. Due to its popularity and difficulty to grow, it’s one of the world’s most expensive wines. Finding the right Pinot Noir for you can be deliciously challenging as Pinot Noir wine taste varies based on climate, soil, and producer style. Cooler climates produce more delicate and light-bodied Pinot Noir. Warmer climates produce riper and fuller-bodied Pinot Noirs with higher alcohol.

You don’t have to fly to some exotic location to enjoy a much-needed summer vacation! With a state as big as Texas, there’s plenty to do all within a day of travel! Check out some of our favorite summer spots in Texas and be sure to hit up Spec’s on your way for everything you’ll need to have a great time! New Braunfels New Braunfels is known for being a city that loves to have fun on its rivers. With two rivers to choose from, and plenty of tubing companies for each, you could spend a whole weekend here and

Choosing an Italian wine can be a bit overwhelming, but that’s what happens when a country has been making wine for several thousand years. In fact, Italy is the leading wine producing country in the world both in terms of volume and exports. Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy and is home to some of the oldest wine-​producing regions on Earth. But don’t let the sheer number of options keep you from exploring all Italian wines have to offer! With such a large array of Italian wines to choose from, you can spend as little or as

Nothing beats a glass of chilled white wine for breaking up a summer’s day! If Chardonnay doesn’t come to mind as your go-to summer white, we’re about to change that. The Chardonnay is one of the six noble grapes, and one of the most popular wines in the world. There are two kinds of Chardonnay, oaked and steel-aged. True to the style of a steel-aged wine, the taste is more minerally with tart fruits like citrus and apple. Unlike rich and heavy oaked Chardonnays, a steel-aged Chardonnay is going to have very distinct characteristics: bright, tangy, and acidic, with fruit

Narrowing your wine preference down to red or white can be relatively easy, but trying to sip your way through every type of white wine is not something we’d suggest. That’s why we’ve broken white wines down into the three most requested types. We’ll be diving deep into dry, sweet, and aromatic (or floral) white wines to give you a good sense of each and help you find a type that’s perfect for you. Dry White Wines When we think of the word dry, we think of an unpleasant mouth feeling. But when white wines are described as dry, what

Spring is officially here and with it comes warmer weather, abundant greenery, wildflowers, and ample time outdoors. So, to help you enjoy nature’s awakening, we’ve put together a collection of wonderful spring wines under $20 to keep that financial spring in your step throughout our favorite sipping season! Yalumba Viognier – $13.99 Viognier is an excellent alternative to Chardonnay wines, and Wine Spectator hailed this one as number 56 on its list of the Top 100 Wines of 2018. The Yalumba Viognier greets you with a blast of the outdoors like stepping into a flower garden on a warm sunny

Nothing defines brunch quite like the mimosa. It’s the only beverage occupying a specific timeslot in our lives. Plus, it’s delicious, easy to make, and looks like a glass of sunshine. The only difficult part about making mimosas is choosing the right sparkling accompaniment, which can be tricky if you aren’t a connoisseur. That’s why we’ve put together this list of affordable champagnes and sparkling wines. It’s 100% ok to use less expensive sparkling wine for mimosas since you won’t be able to taste the subtle flavors of really good sparkling wine due to the orange juice. As for sparkling

The days of judging a wine by its container are long gone. With that in mind, let’s focus on rosé and the myriad ways one can enjoy this delicious beverage! A glass bottle may not always be welcome at certain places like the beach, the pool, the river, etc. But a can allows you to bless any place with rosé grace! But even cans have their limits as you well know if you enjoy tubing Texas rivers, and that’s just one of the many reasons for rosé to come in a box! A box of rosé is also perfect for