Flat Creek Estate Review
Address: 24912 Singleton Bend East Rd. Marble Falls,Texas 78654.
Phone Number: 512-267-6310
Tasting Hours: Tues-Sun 11:00-5:00
Region: Texas Hill Country AVA, Texas
Reviewer: Becky Parr
Review Date: 8/31/2013
Reviewer: Becky Parr
Rating: 4
The Review
We visited Flat Creek Estate on a hot and steamy August afternoon but the heat was the only down side of the experience. If it had been 20 degrees cooler, it would have been a perfect afternoon.
The Place:  If you know Texas Hill Country at all, youre prepared for the winding, two-lane roads. Flat Creek wasnt hard to find at all, but people certainly do like to drive quickly on that curvy road!
There are several buildings on the Flat Creek Estate property, including a large pavilion that would be perfect for a birthday party or wedding reception. The signage is great; while we first started down the path to the bistro, the large sign showed us the error of our ways so we could change course.
Just going in the front doors of Flat Creeks tasting room is something of an experience. The facility is built into the side of a hill, so you actually enter the building and walk DOWNstairs into the gift shop and tasting room. And its beautiful. I felt like I was walking into a high-ceilinged Tuscan villa. In fact, I took a picture of the ceiling! Theres wine-themed framed art on the walls and clever creations made entirely out of wine corks. Outside the tasting room is a small patio that would have been lovely for sitting and sharing a bottle if it hadnt been a million degrees outside. Glass doors and windows allow guests to look into the barrel room.
The People:  The tasting room seemed fairly busy, but there were several employees on hand, so we didnt have to wait at all. A very nice lady named Teresa brought us tasting menus and didnt get a bit fussy with me when I couldnt decide what I wanted to try! Its $5 for six tastes, and with two of us we figured wed taste 12 different wines and pass them back and forth but the problem was that there were 15 on the list and I couldnt decide which ones to pass up! Fortunately Teresa solved part of my problem by bringing us each a taste of the Rosé to sip on while we decided. I think a free taste to start out is such a classy touch at a winery. Like the Super Texan, which Ill get to in a minute, the Rosé a Sangiovese blend.
The Wines:  Upon learning that Im generally a red wine drinker, Teresa suggested I try their four reds (that wasnt a hard sell) and then a sparkling and a dessert wine. My fiancé tried some dry whites, some sweet wines, and the Port. My favorite of the whites was the Viognier; to my palate, it has hints of pear and pineapple, but my fiancé said he got vanilla, apricot, and peach. He liked the Blanco Brio, which was too sweet for me, but I did like the touch of effervescence. To its credit, although its sweet, its not syrupy.
Now, the reds. Several of them were a bit tannin-heavy, which might smooth out over time. Upon hearing I usually like wines described as spicy and peppery, Teresa told me Id like the Syrah, which was also her current favorite and she was right. Its nicely balanced, and a bottle came home with me.
My fiancé is on a quest for the perfect Orange Muscat, and although he liked Flat Creeks Muscato DArancia, he said it still wasnt the wine tasting of orange blossoms that hes looking for. I had a sip and found it to be less orangy than I had expected. The Mistella, which was a dessert wine, actually tasted more of orange to me, but that one was far too syrupy for my taste. Teresa warned me she said it was like orange candy in a glass, and she was right. The Port was not nearly as sweet as I had expected.
Flat Creek has two sparkling offerings Sparkling Raspberry and Sparkling Almond. My fiancé had the Almond on his tasting list, but I really wanted to try the Raspberry, particularly after hearing the Bistro uses it in mimosas. Teresa was kind enough to give us each a gratis taste of the Raspberry Sparkling, and it paid off I bought a bottle to take home. Im not sure Im willing to use it in mimosas, though its too good!
The Experience:  I would go back to Flat Creek in a heartbeat, and I would take others with me. Id love to experience the outdoor patio in appropriate weather, and the wine was good, so I am interested to see what Flat Creek comes up with in the future. In addition to Teresa, who had to leave before we were completely done with our tasting, we were assisted by Daffna (Im sure I didnt spell that correctly!) and another woman, and they were all equally knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly. We stayed much longer than we had intended, just enjoying the wine and the atmosphere.
Insiders Tip:  On our way out, we noticed a small sign advertising guided tours twice a week (I think Wednesdays and Saturdays). I think that would be worth trying.