Nestled in the heart of Northeast Texas, Cicada Ridge Vineyard is another of the Texas Wine Industry’s hidden gems. Erwin Cain has been growing grapes and making wine in East Texas for over 20 years. Recognizing that East Texas has a unique environment that only favors the hardiest of grapes, he has finally found what he was searching for…grape varietals suited to East Texas that produce quality wines that are distinctive, bold, and capture the essence of Texas terroir.
When we arrived at Cicada Ridge Vineyard, Erwin met us at the tasting room and offered first a tour of the 1.5-acre vineyard. When he first started the vineyard, he planted primarily vinifera varietals that he personally enjoyed: Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, and Mourvèdre. Over time, he lost all of these vines to the humid growing conditions in East Texas and Pierce’s disease. Determined to make unique and high-quality wines, he searched for hybrid grape varietals that were more suitable for his vineyard.
Currently, 100% of the vines in Cicada Ridge’s Vineyard are hybrid disease-resistant varietals:
- Caminante Blanc (UC-Davis)
- Ambulo Blanc (UC-Davis)
- Blanc du Bois
- Paseante Noir (UC-Davis)
- Camminare Noir (UC-Davis)
- Champanel (TV Munson)
- Black Spanish
We couldn’t wait to get back to the tasting room and try the wines, many of which we had not tasted before. Cicada Ridge offers individual tastings by the pour or a flight of all five wines for a set price. We chose the flight with all of the wines. They offer a small charcuterie board which Erwin suggested we order to pair with the wines we were tasting. He was right; the items on the board paired very well with the wines selected.
The wines that were offered on the flight at the time of our visit included:
- Blanc du Bois – Dry white with aromas of melon, green apple, and fresh-cut grass with a crisp grapefruit finish on the palate.
- Caminante Blanc – Dry white with floral notes of lychee and rose with a creamy smooth mouthfeel and soft finish.
- Ambulo Blanc – Dry white. Honey butter notes of citrus, lime, and golden delicious apples. Reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc. Bronze Medal at the 2024 Lone Star International Wine Competition.
- Paseante Noir – Dry red. Mild spice and caramel bouquet with a soft palate feel and a long subtle finish. Gold Medal at the 2024 Lone Star International Wine Competition.
- Camminare Noir – Dry red. Bold aromas of plum, spice, leather, and light pepper with a medium, mouth feel and balanced finish.
At the end of the tasting, Erwin brought out a bottle of five-year tawny port made from his Black Spanish vines. The wine has been bottled but not yet labeled and released. We enjoyed it with some chocolate. Great way to end a tasting!
We enjoyed all of the wines we tasted and bought home a bottle of Blanc du Bois, Paseante Noir, Caminante Blanc, and Ambulo Blanc. While doing the tasting, we couldn’t help but notice the beautiful labels on their bottles. Erwin shared the story of how Cicada Ridge Vineyard got its name. While sitting out by the pool one evening with his wife Hope, listening to the loud songs of the cicadas, Erwin commented on how the noise reminded him that it was a hot Texas summer. Hope responded by saying how she actually enjoyed it. “It’s the sound of summer!” The name Cicada Ridge Vineyard was born. To capture the “sounds of summer,” the logo on the label is a treble clef with the lovely translucent cicada wings.
The visit wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the wine production room located in the same building as the tasting room. Erwin doesn’t hide his excitement for making great wines. He is very proud of his vineyard and the wines from grapes of character distinctive to East Texas.
Escape to Cicada Ridge Vineyard and let the sweet songs of the cicadas transport you to a world of tranquility and East Texas Wine Country at its best. The label on the back of every bottle of wine produced says it all:
“Of all natures singers the Cicada’s crescendo cries most remind of the sounds of summer. The wines of Cicada Ridge Vineyard are reminiscent of East Texas’ warm sun, gentle breezes, and summer’s songs.”
Erwin Cain
2677 Co Rd 2324, Como, TX 75431