Texas Winemakers Episodes

Today my guest is Jon Leahy, the winemaker at Becker Vineyards, one of the first, and one of the largest wineries in Texas. We take a look back at some of the most memorable wines he’s made, his extensive travels, and what’s next for Becker Vineyards. I’ve got a last minute ticket giveaway for Toast of Texas! And as always, we’ll review some of the news stories where Texas wine has shown up. Cheers y'all!

Dan Gatlin joins me to talk about his almost 50 years in the wine industry. We cover a lot of ground including including the development of the wine industry in Napa Valley, the lessons learned in the early years of the Texas wine industry, Dan's unconventional ideas about terroir, and why he wishes the Texas wine industry would have adopted some of the strategies from the Oregon wine industry. In Texas wine news, big congrats to a Texas winemaker for making VinePair's List of 50, kudos for Texas women in wine, a feature article on Texas red blends, and a new documentary about Texas wine. We end with a gold star for a Texas winery for their recent blog post with great information on aging wine. Cheers y'all!

Today's guests are Nikhila Narra Davis and Greg Davis of Kalasi Cellars. They’ve got a major presence as both High Plains grape growers and as winery owners in Fredericksburg. You’ll hear from Nikhila, who handles wines and vines, and Greg, who handles the rest. In the news, you’ll find out who’s receiving the Doc McPherson Award, why you should attend the Texas Wine Auction, and Valley Mills Vineyards’ Sarah Holder joins me to talk about Rootstock and the ins and outs of planning a wine festival. Cheers y'all!

It’s the end of 2022, and it’s time to take stock of the big stories in Texas wine industry this year. Today I’m going to talk through it all with John Rivenburgh of Kerrville Hills Winery. We talk about the Texas wine stories that made the news, those that didn’t but should have, our personal Texas wine highs and lows, and even a few predictions about 2023. In other Texas wine news, I’ll tell you what I’ve learned about what's going on at Uplift Vineyard, the cool new address for Lost Draw Cellars, Texas wine award winners, and more. Cheers y'all!

You may know Adrienne Ballou from her time at a couple different Hill Country wineries, most recently Southold, or from her own label, Lightsome Wines or from Nice n Easy, the bar she co-owns in Johnson City. She's got an interesting background and a lot to say about Texas wine, In Texas wine news, I’ll share some holiday wine deals, some great press for Texas wineries, and dig a bit deeper into the winners at the Houston Rodeo’s Uncorked International Wine Competition. Cheers y'all!

Sergio Cuadra, director of winemaking at Fall Creek Vineyards is celebrating his 10th harvest in Texas, but he’s been working in wine for even longer in Chile. Hear what he thinks about the unique opportunities that growing grapes and making wine in Texas presents. In Texas wine news, we’ve got several articles about Texas wineries in the news. Plus awards results from two different competitions. Listen for all these details and more. Cheers, yall!

Don Pullum is a proud resident and ardent supporter of Mason, Texas. In this episode, tells me about why he chose Mason to plant a vineyard back in the 90s, and what makes it special today. There’s also BIG news about how big the Texas wine industry is, how many acres are planted, and much more. Cheers y'all!

Today I’m pleased to share my recent conversation with Ricky Taylor of Alta Marfa in the Texas Davis Mountains. I’m excited to give some airtime to this AVA. It's so unique and filled with possibilities. Surrounded by desert! Volcanic soils! Launching Alta Marfa has required incredible tenacity, and I applaud Ricky and Katie. Lots of Texas wine news too. Is Johnson City the newer, cooler Fredericksburg? Does the High Plains do all the "dirty work" when it comes to Texas wine? Find out what people are saying. Cheers, y'all!

Michael Bilger of Adega Vinho joins me for a talk about the viticulture and enology practices he employs at Adega Vinho in Stonewall, Texas. We get specific about the terroir in the Texas Hill Country, efforts to add sub-AVAs to the Texas Hill Country appellation, and the modern agricultural practices that are being implemented in the Bilger family vineyard. You’re sure to learn a little something about soil health, Portuguese wine varieties, and what’s so special about the Texas Hill Country. Cheers, y'all!

In this episode you’ll hear what’s important to Southold Farm + Cellar's Regan Meador. We discuss his thoughts on growth, distribution, winemaking and vineyard practices. And in Texas wine news, find out about The Vind app, camping at 4R Ranch, wine recommendations for crawfish, and the Wine & Food Foundation's June 5 event. I'll be leading a VIP pre-party, and I hope to see you there! Cheers y'all!

Today you’ll hear my interview with Kyle Johnston and Tiffany Farrell of Haak Winery in Santa Fe TX. We discuss not only Haak’s rich history, but also what’s new since a new ownership team purchased Haak last year. Texas wine news includes another new consulting winemaker working in Texas, big time news coverage for the Texas Hill Country, a review of a special tasting of Texas wine, and announcing a summer Texas wine event that you won't want to miss! Cheers y'all!

Chris Hornbaker from Eden Hill Winery joins me for this episode. I’ve enjoyed getting to write about Eden Hill Winery and have enjoyed Eden Hill wines for a few years now. It was fun to sit down with Chris to get the behind the scenes stories. And as always, there is Texas wine news including fun new programming, new mentions of Texas wine in the media, a unique spot for a new tasting room, and some nice recognition for yours truly. Cheers, y'all!

Bénédicte Rhyne is my guest on this episode. If you don’t already know Benedicte, you’re in for a treat. In my interview with her, we talk about how Texas reminds her of her native Provence, how she strives for balance in winemaking, and her thoughts on the collaborative nature of the Texas wine industry. Plus the latest news about the Texas wine industry. Cheers, y'all!

Happy New Year! Winemaker Jason Centanni of Llano Estacado Winery is my guest on this episode. We take a trip through Llano Estacado Winery history, talk about Jason's winemaking philosophy, and get geeky on winemaking. Plus catch up on all the latest news about the Texas wine industry. Cheers y'all!

On this episode, you’ll get to know Patrick Whitehead of Blue Ostrich Winery in St. Jo. Patrick is the first person I’ve interviewed from North Texas. He shares his thoughts about growing grapes and making wine in North Texas, his desire for a new AVA for his estate vineyard, and so much more. First, there's Texas wine news including recognition for Leah Derton of William Chris Vineyards, Texas wineries at Wild World Festival in Brooklyn, and Texas wine selections appearing in Decanter. Remembering Dr. Pat Brennan of Brennan Vineyards. Cheers y'all!

How much do you really know about Messina Hof, one of the largest wineries in Texas? My interview with Paul M. and Karen Bonarrigo (winemaker and chief administrative officer, respectively) provides a glimpse behind the scenes of a family business with a rich tradition and bold goals for the future. In Texas wine news, I’ve got a cool wine industry job to share, news of a winery that may be haunted, and results from recent wine competitions. Cheers, y'all!

Valley Mills Vineyards winemaker Joey Bagnasco joins me to discuss growing grapes in Bosque County and making wine in a beautiful three-story gravity flow winery right outside my hometown of Waco, Texas. In Texas wine industry news, there's a major award nomination for McPherson Cellars, a new tasting room for a popular Hill Country winery, national recognition for being a trendy wine region, and more. Cheers, y'all!

Rae Wilson is founder and winemaker for Wine for the People. Her brands include Dandy rose, Dandy bubbles, plus a new label called La Valentía. She also co-founded The Grower Project with Andrew Sides. Rae’s got a unique background as a sommelier and a wine educator, and I happen to think she’s making some of the best wines in Texas. I've also got all the latest news about the Texas wine industry. Harvest is here! Cheers y'all.

Michael McClendon is partner and winemaker in Sage's Vintage Custom Crush Winery in Nacogdoches. He's my first guest from east Texas! Michael has a drive toward excellence and a growth mindset that is inspiring. Plus, a new report on 2020 Texas Wine Grape Varieties details some dramatic changes in Texas High Plains vineyard production. And I'm giving gold stars to winery and tasting room staff who've impressed me recently! Cheers y'all!

This episode features an interview with Mike McHenry, founder of Wedding Oak Winery, and Seth Urbanek, winemaker at Wedding Oak. I’m sharing my tasting notes and a bit more information about the two wines that won the Judges' Selection, the top Texas wine prize at the recent TEXSOM International Wine Awards. Plus, I’ve got all the latest news about the Texas wine industry. Whether you’re a regular listener or joining in for the first time, welcome to This Is Texas Wine.

On this episode, I interview Susan Johnson of Texas Heritage Vineyard in Fredericksburg. I’ve also got the scoop on how Texas wineries fared in the 2021 TEXSOM International Wine Awards, one of the toughest wine competitions in the world. There's a new segment called Demerits and Gold Stars. Plus, I’ve got all the latest news about the Texas wine industry. Cheers y'all!

On this episode, you’ll get to hear from Randy Hester of CL Butaud winery. He's got an interesting history that goes from Texas to California, then back to Texas again. His new tasting room, shared with Rae Wilson's Wine for the People brands, is turning heads. There's also lots of Texas wine country travel tips and an announcement about a winery for sale. Texas weather is in the news again too. Just when we get past a record-setting April freeze event, a hailstorm hits. Will Rogers said "The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer." Ain't that the truth when it comes to our Texas grapegrowers!

Wondering about the new winery being constructed next to Lewis Wines on 290? Barbara Lecuona is my guest, and she explains the who, what, and why behind Siboney Cellars. Plus lots of Texas wine news including the proposed wine labeling laws that the state legislature is considering, medal winners from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a new #txwine tasting room, new food and wine tasting experiences and more!

My guest John Rivenburgh is the new president of the Texas Hill Country Wineries association. I’ll talk to John about his history in the Texas wine industry, the wine incubator he’s running at Kerrville Hills Winery, his passion for the Tannat grape, and more. I’ve also got a rundown of everything you need to know about Tannat, one of the top 10 red grapes grown in Texas.