Texas Aggie Horticulturist John Mortensen knew what he was doing when he introduced Blanc Du Bois to the American Southeast.  It shrugs off the hot, sweaty climate and struts on by like a cool breeze.  Just a "little kiss" of sweetness transforms this classy white wine into a refreshing cooler to beat the Texas heat.

2021 Prudence – (100% Counoise) – Texas High Plains A.V.A. - Our second Provence-inspired rosé. Counoise (coon-whaz) is primarily a blending grape in the famous Chateauneuf du Pape AOC, but elsewhere in Provence, it's bright acidity, light color, and low tannins make delightful rosé. 196 cases produced.

2022 AGlianico – Pepper Jack Vineyard – 100% Aglianico:  Back in 2019, we made our first vintage of Aglianico. It was the first wine that 12 FIRES produced –bought the grapes, processed them, pitched the yeast, punched it down every day, twice a day, pressed, racked, and barreled it – really MADE the wine. It was coming along beautifully! If you’ve been with us for a while, then you probably know the unintended, but serendipitous, fate of that wine. (It became a major component of our Calaboose dessert wine, by accident.) In 2022, we finally got another stab at it! Our friends at Pepper Jack Vineyard were able to allocate two tons of Aglianico for us and we jumped on it. Rich and unexpectedly complex for a single-variety wine; I get dark berries, cigar box, and cocoa, but that’s just me. What do you taste? By the way, we know the g is silent, but we pronounce it AG-lee-yaw-nico, because we just have to.  120 Caes Produced.

Dolcetto – A lesser-known grape variety from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Low acidity and mild tannins make this an easy-drinking wine that pairs nicely with pizza and hearty pasta sauces.  2022 Dolcetto – (100% Dolcetto) Pepper Jack Vineyard, Brownfield, Texas Texas High Plains A.V.A. – 240 cases produced.

2023 AGlianico – Pepper Jack Vineyard – 100% Aglianico:  Rich and unexpectedly complex for a single-variety wine; I get dark berries, cigar box, and cocoa, but that’s just me. What do you taste?  Here at 12 FIRES it’s pronounced AGlianico!  By the way, we know the g is silent, but we pronounce it AG-lee-yaw-nico, because we just have to.  Full-bodied and hearty this grape is famously from around the ankle of the Italian boot.  Think of it as a bigger, better Tempranillo. – yeah, we said it!  Pair it with fatty brisket to sop up those tannins.  125 Cases Produced.

2022 Tempranillo – Lahey Vineyard – 100% Tempranillo:  Tempranillo is THE red wine grape of Spain, and it’s got a pretty firm foothold in Texas too! It just really suits the Texas profile – bold, but not overly aggressive; rustic, but fruit-forward and a little jammy; a “noble” grape, but not uppity about it. This is our first Tempranillo offering since the 2019 vintage and the best yet, in our humble opinion. Screams for brisket and deer sausage form the grill!  120 Cases Produced.

2023 Mourvèdre– (100% Mourvedre) White Rock Vineyard, Texas High Plains. Made in a light style, like a Pinot Noir but less fruity and more rustic, with just a dusting of tannins. Serve lightly chilled, around 55 degrees. 206 cases produced.

2023 Sangiovese – (100% Sangiovese) – White Rock Vineyards, Texas High Plains A.V.A. – Sangiovese is the most widely grown grape in Italy and many popular Italian wines, while not called “Sangiovese” are entirely or mostly composed of Sangiovese wines – Chianti, Brunello, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (obviously a different wine than Montepulciano made with the grape of that name).  Typically known for being a light wine with a herbal flavors and is often served at a lower temperature than most reds. 225 cases produced. 

Sweet Pea (Montepulciano & Dolcetto blend) - Texas High Plains.  Lathyrus Odoratus is a species of vine that, like most of our wine grapes, originated overseas and were introduced to America where they have flourished.  It's also an endearment for those that are precious to us.

2023 Teroldego (90% Teroldego, 10% Aglianico), Pepperjack Vineyards, Texas High Plains.  
 

A rare Italian red wine grape from Trentino, known for deeply colored, fruit-forward wines with bold structure, vibrant acidity, and flavors of dark berries (blackberry, plum, cherry), spice, herbs, and sometimes smoky or earthy notes, pairing well with hearty meats, cured meats, rich pasta, and mushrooms. It's the signature red of Trentino (Teroldego Rotaliano DOC) but also grows in California, offering versatile styles from juicy to age-worthy. 

Trebbiano – one of the most commonly grown white grapes in Italy, is grown throughout the country, most notably in Tuscany. The climate of the Texas High Plains is similar to that of Tuscany - but with cowboys. Giddy up!  2022 Trebbiano (87% Trebbiano, 13% Marsanne) Texas High Plains A.V.A. (Treb is from Pepper Jack Vineyard) was treated like a Chardonnay – meaning it was fermented in French oak barrels, malo-lactic fermentation, and aged on lees for 6-months. Softer and smoother than the 2021 with just hint of oak. Only 68 cases produced.

Texas Aggie Horticulturist John Mortensen knew what he was doing when he introduced Blanc Du Bois to the American Southeast.  It shrugs off the hot, sweaty climate and struts on by like a cool breeze.  Just a "little kiss" of sweetness transforms this classy white wine into a refreshing cooler to beat the Texas heat.

Developed by Texas Aggie Horticulturist John Mortensen, Blanc Du Bois was made to thrive in the challenging environment of American Southeast.  This versatile grape, the jewel of East Texas, is presented here dry, its most naturally expressive state.  Seriously, try it with Gulf oysters.

Known as a "teinturier", Black Spanish is an uncommon type of grape with tinted juice that gives this unique Rosé-style wine its dark hue. East Texas is a rough place, but Black Spanish can tough it out. So good-bye to weak pink wine - this is rough tough, real stuff! A tribte to J.V. "Pinky" Wilson who penned the Aggie War Hymn in a foxhole in France during World War One. 

2021 Grenache - (90% Grenache, 5% Sangiovese, 5% Aglianico) Lahey Vineyard, Brownfield, Texas, Texas High Plains A.V.A. - Grenache originated in northwestern Spain but is probably best known as a staple grape in the Rhone region of Southern France, and more recently in California as part of the Rhone Rangers movement. It tends to make a lighter wine, but not this one!  Light in color, yes, but full bodied and well balanced enough to have a 16% ABV and not taste or feel like a high-alcohol wine. This one surprised me! 150 cases produced. (Lots of tartrate crystals <WINE DIAMOND> formed in the bottle in this one – pour carefully.)

SAW ‘EM OFF – RED WINE BLEND (40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Franc) – Texas High Plains A.V.A.  A delicious of flavors, aromas, and textures that draw from all of these different grape varieties.  This wine includes notes of dark berries, black cherry, plum, or hints of oak, spice, and earthiness.  250 cases produced

WHOOP! Sparkling Rosé’– (75% Blanc Du Bois, 25% Black Spanish) - Texas – A unique wine for celebrations! A dark roséwith a lot of distinctively piquant Black Spanish flavor and fresh bright citrus and stone fruit flavors from the Blanc Du Bois with light effervescence. Our first sparkling wine. 136 cases produced.