Review: Heath Family Wines Holiday Magic Box Set (2025)
Well aligned with the adage about everything being bigger in Texas, Heath Family Brands doesn’t do anything half-steppin’. The operation stretches across five distinct labels, each vying for a little piece of the Lone Star spotlight. Today, we are trying three wines grouped as a holiday 3-pack, all available either in time for the holidays or at their sleek new tasting room in Fredericksburg, roughly 90 minutes west of Austin, give or take the traffic and patience for adhering to the speed limit.
2022 Grape Creek Vineyards Bellissimo
A blend of 71% Sangiovese, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 7% Syrah, 5% Rubired (a hybrid of Tinto Cão and Alicante Ganzin) and, for good measure, 1% Tannat. A Texas hot take on the Super Tuscan, the delivers bright aromas of sour cherry, cranberry and vanilla charging out of the glass, competing for attention with very little subtlety. However, the palate follows with soft, well-tempered notes of raspberry and pomegranate and a finish of leather and cigar box. Tart acidity smooths over the tannins, and slight touch of oak makes a cameo towards the finish. B+
2022 Heath Sparkling Wines Euphoria
With a wildly precise composition of 39% Chenin Blanc, 32% Semillon, 23% Trebbiano, and 6% Viognier, this blend pours pale yellow-gold and leans fully into dessert bakery territory, featuring, heavy but well-integrated aromas of orange zest, tangerine and a slight touch of lemon peel complementing bready, sourdough notes. However, on the palate, the yeast recedes and the wine snaps into an engineered crispness: all clean, citrusy angles and polished, tart edges. The bubbles are small but abundant, ushering in a long, pleasing finish that is tinged with a slight note resembling a Creamsicle. A-
2022 Invention Vineyards P2
Opening with aromas of black cherry, cassis and cracked black pepper, this blend of 93% Petit Verdot and 7% Rubired straightaway demands attention. Violet drifts in and out as well, adding a gentle floral flourish suggesting this wine is every bit Ivy League as it is SEC. On the palate, everything falls nicely into line, with a core of jammy dark fruit and spice integrating so well with tannins and acidity that they could file joint taxes. You can open this now, but plan accordingly: this requires, at minimum, an hour before approaching. This is also a bottle that could stick around for several years without losing its edge to the kids coming up from behind. A-
$175 for a 3-pack
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