Join us at Invention Vineyards as we sit down with Jason Englert, VP of Winemaking, and Ryan Miller, IV Winery Manager. We discuss the intricate process of secondary fermentation, the massive investment in bringing specialized production equipment to Texas, and what makes the Heath Sparkling experience—including their famous paired tastings—a must-visit destination on Wine Road 290.
In this episode, we cover:
The history and vision of Brian and Jennifer Heath.
A breakdown of the traditional method vs. forced carbonation.
The "Tirage" and "Disgorgement" process and the equipment required.
The four signature sparkling labels: Euphoria, Adoration, Ebullience, and Blanc de Blancs.
Visit *Heath Sparkling Wines*
00:00:11 Texas Wine Lover App
00:03:06 Welcome to Texas Under Vine
00:04:01 Introduction to Heath Sparkling Wines
00:06:27 Meet the Winemaking Team: Jason Englert and Ryan Miller
00:08:22 Bringing Production In-House at Invention Vineyards
00:11:07 Traditional Method vs. Forced Carbonation Explained
00:13:23 The Step-by-Step Process: Primary Fermentation to Dosage
00:17:38 What is Riddling and Gyropallets?
00:20:41 Future Production Tours
00:21:38 Interview with Jason Englert and Ryan Miller
00:31:01 Sourcing Texas Fruit: High Plains and Varietals
00:37:34 Wine Club and Member Benefits
00:41:48 The Tasting Room Experience and Reservations
00:48:16 Seasonality of Sparkling Production
00:54:08 Sweetness Levels and Brut vs. Extra Brut
01:00:14 Scott’s Paired Tasting Experience
01:01:32 Featured Wine: 2021 Adoration (Pinot Noir Sparkling)
01:02:42 Summer Donation Drive and Patreon Info
Become a Patreon of Texas Under Vine and get access to bonus content, like photo galleries from the episode, video walkthroughs of the location, and sneak peek videos of where I'm headed next for future episodes! (https://www.patreon.com/texasundervine)
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*Locations mentioned in this episode:*
Heath Family Brands (https://heathfamilybrands.com/)
Llano Estacado Winery (https://www.llanowine.com/) - Also check out TUV Episode 49 (https://texasundervine.com/video/episode-049-hp-llano-estacado-winery)
Grape Creek Vineyards (https://www.grapecreek.com/) - Also check out TUV Episode 30 (https://texasundervine.com/video/episode-030-hc-grape-creek-vineyards)
Rack & Riddle (https://www.rackandriddle.com/)
Kuhlman Estate (https://heathfamilybrands.com/k-estate/visit/) - Also check out TUV Episode 30 (https://texasundervine.com/video/episode-032-hc-kuhlman-cellars)
Lahey Vineyards (https://laheyvineyards.com/)
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*Texas Regions Guide (see the Texas Under Vine website for map):*
(https://texasundervine.com/episode-region-map)
*CT* - Central Texas
*ET* - East Texas
*GC* - Gulf Coast
*HC* - Texas Hill Country
*HP* - Texas High Plains
*NT* - North Texas
*ST* - South Texas
*WT* - West Texas
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Be sure to check out https://www.TxWineLover.com!
Merchandise Store (https://texasundervine.company.site)
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