While we were coming home from our road trip to the Texas High Plains last week, we decided to detour through San Saba and Bend to hopefully visit with Jim and Karen Johnson at Alamosa Cellars. We had been able to message them earlier in the day, but got our wires a little crossed and weren”t able to confirm whether they were available, so we drove out to the vineyard and winery and took some pictures of their vines – the last time we were at Alamosa, the vines were bare.

While we were still on the outskirts of Houston, we finally got a reply from Jim (or was that Karen?) letting us know that they had been in Houston visiting family and making deliveries to a couple of Specs Liquor stores and Top Shelf Wine and Spirits in Sugarland. They made a point to say that Top Shelf was a very nice shop.

Well, during our regular Saturday morning drive listening to “Car Talk” and “Wait Wait Don”t Tell Me” Julie noticed that Simon (our genius car) had taken us to Sugarland. I just point Simon and drive, so online casino we never quite know where we will end up on any given Saturday. She remembered that Jim had pointed out Top Shelf, so she looked it up and, lo and behold, we were right around the corner.

Now this is what a Wine and Spirits shop should be like. Relaxed, comfortable, and roomy. They had Alamosa”s highlighted on an end cap at the front of the store. Let me restate that. They had decorated a shelf on the end cap with boots, bandanas, and a cowboy hat and showcased the Alamosa wines. Nice job!!

Julie and I told them about our friendship with Jim and Karen, and mentioned my blog about Texas wines, and we spent the next hour (or so) talking. We met David Hubenak, CSW – the store manager – and he and I talked about wine in general, and Texas wine in specific.

Since Top Shelf is a “boutique” shop – not a massive store like Specs, Dave really tries carry wines that are a good value – great taste while not breaking the bank. They have free weekly tastings on Friday evening and Saturday to introduce their patrons to the various wines, a practice which is a definite win-win by allowing customers to try new wines and allowing Top Shelf to increase their exposure (and sales we hope 🙂 ).

He”s starting to carry a good stock of Texas wines, too, so I offered to help him pick the “standouts” that I have found in our journeys. I”ll be taking him some Duchman “09 Dolcetto and Canto Felice this friday when we attend his tasting featuring the Alamosa Cellars wines. I”ll also take him a list of my personal favorites.