Inwood Estates Vineyards

For years, I’ve wondered why someone hasn’t grown the Palomino, one of the great grapes of Spain, in Texas. After all, the stretch of land from Fort Stockton to El Paso looks identical to the area around Jerez de la Frontera.

Dan Gatlin’s family has a long history of fine wine sales in the Dallas area, and when his family sold the shops, Dan devoted himself to making great wine. He spent 25 years of his life growing vines, experimenting and then ripping them out to plant new ones, until he found the perfect place for the grape in Texas, just east of Dallas. Despite the lack of name recognition for the Palomino, Dan feels it has huge potential, if you know where to grow it and what it requires. In his advocacy of the variety, he point out that, “although Palo is only an occasional blender in California, here in Texas it becomes a completely different wine. I believe that we are the only US winery that produces a wine with it as the primary ingredient.”

Yes, Dan’s Palomino is expensive. It’s also a completely unique version of the grape, unlike its character anywhere else in the world. The reason is that the grape is a terroir sponge. No matter where it’s grown, Palomino takes on the effects of its environment. Inwood Estate’s has honeyed melon aromas and rich mouthfeel. The 30% Chardonnay simply adds a little complexity. Gatlin only sells this wine to restaurants (mostly steak houses) but it is one of the most fascinating white wines to come out of Texas.

Reviewed December 13, 2006 by Wes Marshall.