When was the final time you drove by the Hill Nation’s wine area? Final month? Final 12 months? It’s possible you’ll be stunned on the adjustments underway. There at the moment are over 60 wineries, and extra are cropping up. New tasting rooms and storage amenities are below building, new wines are being launched, and new causes to uncork a bottle come up day-after-day.
October is Texas Wine Month, a really perfect time to discover together with your vineyard passport, which is offered on the Texas Hill Nation Wineries web site. It gives reductions on wine buy and complimentary tastings at as much as 4 wineries per day.
The wineries stretching from Johnson Metropolis to Fredericksburg have completed their harvest, in what many think about one of the best 12 months Mom Nature has ever handed them. And whereas that juice remains to be fermenting, you may pattern present award-winners constructed from a number of grape varieties.
Planning forward could make your expertise extra pleasant. We propose you assume in teams of as much as 4 wineries per day, and we’ve collected some suggestions to get you began.
Bear in mind, reservations are appreciated in any respect wineries and mandated at some, not simply these listed right here.
Day 1: Johnson Metropolis
Sandy Street Vineyards
383 Winery Row, Johnson Metropolis512-589-1826sandyroadvineyards.com
Along with its award-winning wines, Sandy Street Vineyards has turn out to be identified for his or her tree home tasting space, the place non-public events can take pleasure in some wine on an elevated platform excessive above the vineyards. It’s excellent through the cooler months, says co-owner Bryan Chagoly, who can normally be discovered within the tasting room main guests by the vineyard’s lineup.
When you go to this fall, you’ll see building on a brand new constructing that will likely be a mix tasting room, kitchen and manufacturing facility. Plans are for it to open early subsequent 12 months.
Chagoly is worked up about his property wines, which embody the 2022 Prieto Picudo, a grape he says is new to the US, in addition to the 2021 Marselan and the 2021 Grenache. New this 12 months is the vineyard’s first Chardonnay, constructed from Texas Excessive Plains fruit.
Elisa Christopher Wines
1851 Ranch Street 2721, Johnson Metropolis830-554-9772elisachristopherwines.com
While you go to Elisa Christopher Wines, chances are high you’ll be tasting the wines with the winemaker, Elisa Jones. That’s as a result of when she’s not monitoring grapes within the winery or overseeing their fermentation, she’s working the tasting room.
“It’s like a one-on-one with the winemaker,” she says. “It does assist of us perceive the method” of wine going from floor to glass.
Elisa Christopher is on the forefront of bottling glowing wine within the Hill Nation. The 2023 Glowing Blanc du Bois and the Glowing Trebbiano are at the moment accessible, with extra types growing old till they’re prepared for launch. Hearty reds embody the Patriarch, a Merlot-Malbec mix, in addition to Tannat, Aglianico and Sangiovese.
Tatum Cellars
109 N. Nugent Ave., Johnson Metropolis817-301-4632tatumcellars.com
Tatum Cellars is an actual one-man operation. Proprietor Josh Fritsche is his personal winemaker, tasting room supervisor, occasion planner and wearer of every other hat that’s wanted.
Fritsche, who additionally makes wine for 2 different Texas wineries, doesn’t develop his personal grapes; he sources them from vineyards throughout the state. So, don’t anticipate to see breathtaking vistas of vines if you arrive. Tatum Cellars, named after his daughter Tatum Rose, is barely a tasting room.
But it’s what Fritsche does in that tasting room that makes Tatum price a go to. A refreshing rosé is on the high of his wine record together with Rhone varietals and blends. There’s music on the file participant, small bites to take pleasure in and loads of wine to pattern. All of it goes to create a low-key, laid-back ambiance, particularly on Thursday’s BYO Vinyl nights, when you may spin your individual discs for everybody to take pleasure in.
Add linguist to Fritsche’s credit. As he sees it, “Meals, music and drink — these are the three common languages for me.”
Misplaced Draw Cellars
1686 U.S. 290, Johnson Metropolis830-992-3251lostdraw.com
Co-owner Andrew Sides likes to emphasise the vine-to-wine expertise at his winery. “The agriculture factor is so necessary,” he says. “It’s a giant a part of our model story.”
In case you neglect that whereas visiting, there are sheep roaming the land to function a reminder whereas they supply some pure soil fertilizer and soil vitamins for the vines.
Your tasting will happen among the many wine barrels, and it is going to be led by one in all Sides’ employees, all of whom have achieved the second stage of sommelier certification. So, they’re prepared for any questions you’ve got.
You too can decide up a can of Sway, a canned rosé co-produced by Misplaced Draw and William Chris Vineyards. It’s excellent for if you’re on the river, tubing or tenting.
Day 2: The Hye space
Siboney Cellars
3427 W. U.S. 290, Johnson Metropolissiboneycellars.com
“The guts of winemaking is completely within the winery,” says winemaker Barbara Lecuona, who runs Siboney together with her husband, Miguel.
You’ll be able to really feel it beating whereas sitting on the vineyard’s spacious terrace, which overlooks greater than 50 acres of vines, whilst you sip a calming glass of Scorching Shot, Siboney’s Rhone-style white mix. New this fall is the 2022 Nebbiolo, the vineyard’s first because the 2017 classic.
Siboney takes pleasure in its single winery wines. It additionally gives a number of glowing wines in addition to the Pinque-cito, a pink piquette sparkler constructed from the leftover skins, seeds and stems of the counoise rosé. This low-alcohol refresher is dry and “a brilliant refreshing various rosé,” Miguel says.
Siboney’s month-to-month Domino Day is a Cuban-flavored celebration that features dominoes, an entire roast pig (lechon asado), Cuban espresso and music. Alternatives from their cigar program are additionally accessible. Verify the web site for dates.
Ron Yates Vineyard
6676 W. U.S. 290, Hye512-585-3972ronyateswines.com
When Ron Yates visited Spain in school, he found his love of wine. He nonetheless talks about Tempranillo with a way of awe. “It’s my love,” he declares. The one distinction is that he’s now speaking concerning the model that he bottles at his personal vineyard.
Ron Yates’ 2021 Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, each from Friesen Winery within the Texas Excessive Plains, are the autumn releases he’s most enthusiastic about. “I haven’t been a believer in Cabernet Sauvignon,” he says. “Then we acquired John Friesen’s grapes,” and his opinion modified fully.
At Ron Yates, the tasting room is a comfortable 750 sq. ft, whereas the patio handles any overflow. While you go to this fall, you may see that can change quickly. Development on a a lot bigger tasting room and kitchen must be completed subsequent 12 months.
Reservations or not, “we will get you in, it doesn’t matter what,” Yates says. “We’re by no means going to show anybody away … nicely, smaller teams, that’s.”
Calais Vineyard
8115 W. U.S. 290, Hye830-213-2124calaiswinery.com
Calais Vineyard expresses it reverence for French winemaking types and traditions by flying the French flag at its entrance. When you cross the gate, you’ll head to The Cave, an underground vineyard, cellar and tasting room.
There you may pattern a sequence of wines made within the Bordeaux types, winemaker Benjamin Calais says. The TX RD is a Proper Financial institution Bordeaux-style mix whereas the TX RG is within the Left Financial institution model. Style the variations for your self. Among the many new releases are the 2020s, which is “nearly as good a classic as we’ve had in a while,” he says.
Calais, who comes from the French city of Calais, can be the winemaker of close by French Connection, which focuses extra on Rhone varietals.
William Chris Vineyards
10352 U.S. 290, Hye830-998-7654williamchriswines.com
A brand new 15,000-square-foot warehouse is the most recent can’t-miss attraction on the vineyard. It’s the most important barrel program in Texas, co-founder and government winegrower Chris Brundrett says. It’s accessible for excursions and contains barrel tastings, so you will get a style of how a wine progresses from barrel to bottle.
New releases in William Chris’ single winery sequence La Pradera are anticipated this fall. Brundrett describes them as “beautiful … lush, fragrant” wines that mirror the limestone soil of that Hill Plains winery.
Additionally new to the vineyard is Seth Urbanek, who’s making William Chris’ burgeoning glowing wine lineup.
Day 3: The Stonewall space
Ab Astris Vineyard
320 Klein Street, Stonewall830-644-8369abastriswinery.com
Ab Astris co-founder and winemaker Mike Nelson sums up his vineyard’s philosophy in a couple of phrases: “We’re all Texas, on a regular basis.”
He takes pleasure “in expressing the terroirs of Texas,” showcasing fruit from the Excessive Plains in addition to the 12-acre Stonewall property, the place the varieties Tannat, Souzão, Montepulciano, Petite Sirah and Clairette Blanche are grown.
Ab Astris is a family-run enterprise that tries to deal with all its guests like household too, Nelson says. So, along with serving up some Texas hospitality, guests can pattern the vineyard’s fall releases, which embody a pair of gold medal winners: the 2023 Avignon, a Rhone-style purple mix, and the Souzão, a Portuguese selection comparatively new to the state. For lovers of white wine, there’s the most recent bottling of Stello, additionally a Rhone-style mix that’s incomes its personal stage of acclaim.
Pedernales Cellars
2916 Higher Albert Street, Stonewall830-644-2037pedernalescellars.com
Pedernales Cellars has all the time practiced sustainable farming. Now Julie Kuhlken, who co-owns the vineyard together with her brother David, needs to take their vineyards to the subsequent step, having her grapes licensed as natural. It’s a course of that takes years, however it means lots to her to have the ability to say “our wine will likely be made with natural grapes.”
Pedernales has lengthy been identified for its daring, inky Tempranillos, and the vineyard gives a number of single winery choices in addition to a reserve. By this fall, the vineyard may have additionally launched its 2023 Viognier Reserve; the 2022 classic took a number of gold medals, together with one from the San Francisco Worldwide Wine Competitors.
Repeat guests to the vineyard ought to discover a couple of adjustments to the setting, such because the railing being faraway from the deck. “Persons are simply blown away by the view,” she says.
Hilmy Cellars
12346 E. U.S. 290, Fredericksburghilmywine.com
At Hilmy Cellars, they love to do issues by hand. The property vines and plenty of of their Texas Excessive Plains grapes are hand harvested, which helps protect their recent, ripe flavors. The blends, too, are made by hand to make sure winemaker Michael Barton’s desired profile for every.
Hilmy’s efforts are paying off. The vineyard scored large this 12 months on the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competitors, grabbing eight medals in all. Three have been gold: the 2019 Politics & Faith (a mix of Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), the 2021 Montepulciano and the 2022 Tejas Blanc.
Among the many vineyard’s new releases is the 2022 Sangiovese, made solely of fruit from the Lahey Vineyards within the Excessive Plains, and the vineyard’s signature white mix, Doo-Zwa-Zo, a refreshing option to escape the Texas warmth whereas enjoyable on the patio and having fun with the serenity of the vineyards.
Becker Vineyards
464 Becker Farms Street, Stonewall830-644-2681, ext. 502beckervineyards.com
Becker Vineyards has been on the forefront of Texas wine for nearly 30 years. Their wines have received dozens of medals at worldwide competitions and been poured in every single place from the White Home and the Texas governor’s mansion to picnics in wildflower fields.
The expansive amenities embody a tasting room with a number of stations and an occasion middle with a kitchen for tastings, luncheons and receptions.
Proprietor Richard Becker has been tasting barrel samples these days earlier than they’re set to age of their bottles. He’s notably excited concerning the varied Rhone blends the vineyard gives, each reds and whites. One other of his favorites is the Provençale Rosé, which he calls “simply superb.”
Since he retired from his medical observe, Becker will be discovered extra typically on the vineyard. “I’m glad to be simply an enthusiastic observer,” he says. “When you adore it, it’s similar to drugs.”
Day 4: The Fredericksburg space
Heath Glowing Wines
10591 E. U.S. 290, Fredericksburg830-304-1011heathsparkling.com
Glowing wine is ideal for any celebration. So carry your celebration to the one vineyard within the Hill Nation devoted completely to the creation of those wines made within the conventional technique.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are among the many grapes utilized in Heath’s bubby whites and rosé.
The sprawling 290 Vineyards campus is house to 2 extra wineries and tasting rooms:
Grape Creek, a longtime Hill Nation presence, gives a number of nonetheless whites, reds and rosés.
Jenblossom Cellars describes itself as producing Cabernets and Pinot Noirs sourced from ultra-premium California vineyards. Personal tastings solely.
The Heath Household Manufacturers portfolio additionally contains Invention Vineyards at 4222 S. State Freeway 16, Fredericksburg.
Inwood Estates
10303 E. U.S. 290, Fredericksburg830-997-2304inwoodwines.com
Inwood Estates has all the time prided itself on producing extremely concentrated wines, proprietor Dan Gatlin says. To do this, the vineyard reduces the variety of grape clusters on every vine, thereby reaching a richer, extra concentrated array of flavors and aromas when bottled.
Inwoods choices vary from a 100% Pinot Meunier rosé to varied Bordeaux-style purple blends. The most recent Oentrepid is due in November. It’s a multi-clone Cabernet Sauvignon that Gatlin praises for each its depth of taste and its recognition. Proscribing yields does result in larger costs. The 2020 Oentrepid sells for $185 a bottle. Different vintages have offered out, testifying to its recognition.
Gatlin has been making Texas wine since 1981, when there have been solely a handful of wineries in your complete state. He has now handed alongside his information to a brand new winemaker, his son Spencer.
However don’t assume Dan Gatlin is sitting by, ready for his grape juice to ferment. “I’m a helicopter winemaker,” he says proudly.
Wine for the Individuals
113 E. Park St., Fredericksburg830-992-3136wineforthepeople.com
Wine for the Individuals’s tasting room opened earlier this 12 months, however the vineyard itself has been round since 2010. Winemaker Rae Wilson launched her first bottling, Dandy Rosé, in 2014 whereas her model La Valentía debuted in 2019.
The vineyard’s mission is to make wine accessible to all, and the low-key, welcoming ambiance of the tasting reinforces that.
So, you may sip Dandy Rosé alongside the Dandy Bubbles. Or in case you desire a purple, La Valentía gives Cinsault, Dolcetto, Grenache and Carignan. After a glass or two, you’ll uncover wine’s energy to be an equalizer.
Arch Ray Vineyard
4160 E. U.S. 290, Fredericksburg830-304-2900archrayresort.com
This vineyard is a part of the bigger Arch Ray Resort, which can be house to Paul Bee Distillery and Ogle Brewery in addition to 1894 Ranch to Desk, a restaurant that includes their very own Angus Wagyu beef. So, you will discover one thing to go well with most each style.
Arch Ray is a household enterprise, and member of the family Weston McCoury heads up the wine program, which has produced an award-winning portfolio. The Texas-grown grapes he makes use of with co-winemaker Pablo Jass embody Tannat, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Viognier, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Grigio.
There are tales behind every of the wines, the labels and the remainder of the property, McCoury says. It’s the identical with each vineyard. So, have your questions prepared.
Texas Wine Month Passport
texashillcountrywineries.org
Have fun the Texas Hill Nation Wineries Affiliation’s twenty fifth anniversary. The Texas Wine Month Passport prices $85 for a person cross or $120 for a {couples} cross and gives complimentary tastings at as much as 4 collaborating wineries per day and a 15% low cost on 3+ bottle purchases at every vineyard.
