Wine of the Week: Helotes Creek Winery Malbec
We’re going local this week, Wine Lovers! It turns out that there are quite a few hidden gems in Texas that produce really good wine and deserve more buzz!!
The wine I’m reviewing this week is from Helotes Creek Winery, a quaint winery located in Helotes, Texas. They make their own wine on premises and offer a variety of different wines for the tasting!
If you haven’t been there, I encourage you to go out and visit them. The atmosphere is relaxing (inside and outside seating available), the service is top-notch, and they also occasionally have live entertainment in the evenings on the outside patio. It’s a great place to meet with friends, go out on a date, and/or bring the kids along.
But is their wine worth the visit? Well….
In this 16th Edition of Wine and lavender’s Wine of the Week, we will explore:
Helotes Creek Winery Malbec
Helotes Creek Winery Price: $14.95
Sight: This wine is full-bodied and Magenta in color.
Smell: SWEEEEEEEET. This wine smells very sweet and a little oaky with a little bit of black cherry… ok, a lot of black cherry. LOL I’ve had it before, so I know what I am in for… and I’m pretty excited to have it.
Taste/First Impression: Smelling all that black cherry makes your taste buds anticipate a very tart wine. HOWEVER, at first sip, it is extremely smooth, with a little bit of tart at the very end. That tart is definitely there in the background just waiting to get your taste buds at the end… but in a good way.
After taste: No nasty fumes, and no unpleasant and lingering acid, but it does come to somewhat of an abrupt end. This leaves you missing the sweetness, so you go in for more and before you know it, the glass is empty. This may or may not be a downside, depending on how quickly you like to finish a bottle of wine.
The Experience: Overall, this Malbec is a pleasant one. In fact, it was my favorite of Helotes Creek Winery’s… until I tried something new they had… and I was so looking forward to posting a review on that one, but recently found out that they are sold out… I can’t say that I’m surprised, but I will be looking for the next batch to let you guys in on their Black Forest Port. Exotic sounding, no??
The Next Day: I felt completely fine the next day- no mild headaches, stomach pains, or hangovers to report.
The Label: Besides the Surgeon General’s warning, and address of the winery, there is not much on the “back label”. I suppose there really doesn’t need to be. You can ask for a taste of any of the wines they make, and are welcome to try before you buy- so you are welcome to come up with your own description. Since you can’t get these wines anywhere else, it’s up to you to imagine what you would put on the back label and I challenge you to do that. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the wines they have at Helotes Creek Winery.
Alc. %: I’d have to call and ask, but I am assuming it’s probably between 12.5% and 13.5%.
Repeat: Of course. I really like this Malbec and I enjoy going to this winery.
Rating: 3 1/2
Again, if you’ve never been to Helotes Creek Winery, I encourage you to get out there. It’s a local, female-owned small business that produces some great wine and provides a relaxing atmosphere. Check them out on Facebook.
They’re located in Old Town Helotes- nestled between a group of older buildings filled with small business shops and restaurants. Once a month, Old Town Helotes hosts a Ladies Night (the 2nd Wednesday of every month), where ladies are invited to come out and sip some free wine while they browse and shop around. There’s a passport that you complete by stopping at the various stores for a chance to win raffle prizes. It’s a fun event and there are many wonderful women who attend. Hope to see you there!
If you’re looking for more Texas wines, check out my posts Texas Wine Revolution and Kissing Tree Vineyards White Merlot.
#ShopLocal and check out the yummy #wine at Helotes Creek Winery! Share on X
Wine of the Week Update
As you may have already noticed, I made the Executive decision to scale back on the Wine of the Week posts a little. Things have been busy around here, and I’m needing to make room for a few new topics to cover.
So what does this mean? Well for one thing, it DOES NOT mean no more wine. It just means less reviews. Instead of posting on a weekly basis, I’ll be posting reviews as I come across wine worth mentioning- good or bad. I thought that would be sufficient enough for my wine lovers.
We don’t want anyone thinking we’re lushes… LOL
If you prefer the regular schedule, let me know, and I will re-evaluate. In the meantime, there are plenty of reviews on good, affordable, and accessible wines already on the blog. Just head over to the category tab and click on wine, or check out my personal faves: Confidencial, Two Vines, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Stressed Mommy.
Have you been out to Helotes Creek Winery? What were your thoughts? Are there any hidden gems in your town, that deserve a look?
First of all–I am so glad that you introduced me to Helotes Creek Winery. You’re right…the atmosphere is amazing and you can’t get that wine anywhere else. I’m planning on going there tomorrow afternoon 🙂
Secondly…thank you for getting me to try different types of wines, I would have never tried the Malbec on my own and I really, really liked it. You know I love sweet wines.
Looking forward to your next review!
Awww, you’re so welcome, Crystal! I’m glad you’re getting out of your comfort zone with wines- there are so many to try! Thanks for stopping by!