Texas Winemakers Episodes

My guests Remi and Tate Gregory are two rising young stars in the Texas wine industry. They hold important roles with some very established wineries in the state, plus they’re promoting their own wine brand – The Burg Wine Company. They’ve already garnered serious acclaim for their minimal interven…

On episode 94, I’m thrilled to be talking with Dr. Bob Young, owner and winemaker of Bending Branch Winery. Bending Branch's focus on innovation and sustainability was a key reason for their inclusion in Wine Business Monthly's list of Hot Brands 2024. In an exclusive podcast interview, Dr Bob is a…

My guest today is award winning winemaker Jackie van Sant Downes, a native Texan who learned to make wine and had a flourishing career in Sonoma, and then returned to Texas to make wine for Driftwood Estate Winery. You may also know her personal brand, Jaclynn Renee Wines. She joins me for a really…

Chris McIntosh is co-owner and winemaker for Edge of the Lake Vineyard in Valley View, Texas (Texoma AVA). He is also the current president of North Texas Wine Country, the winery association that covers North Texas wineries. We talk about what’s going on at Edge of the Lake as well as developments…

Rebecca Conley co-owns J.W. Hardin Wine Co. in Comanche. Comanche is a town that’s rich in Texas history, and Rebecca has done a fantastic job conveying the history of the town and the man J.W. Hardin himself. He was an outlaw, y’all! Listen to hear how Rebecca and her husband Dr. Travis Conley rel…

Henry Crowson of Crowson Wines in Johnson City is always a ton of fun. Both his "0-0" winemaking style and his plans for his brand are pretty unique in Texas. Henry tells all about a future move and his long-term vision for Crowson Wines. In the Texas wine news, there’s a focus on news from Nort…

Jeremy Wilson joins me for episode 84. He's a sommelier and brand ambassador for Adega Vinho Winery and my latest guest in an occasional series of Texas Wine Country Personalities. Jeremy has been around the Texas wine industry for quite awhile not only as a winery employee, but also as a Texas Win…

This is episode 81, and my guest today is Mike Batek. Mike and his wife Denise own Hye Meadow Winery in Hye in the Texas Hill Country. Mike is also the current president of the Texas Hill Country Wineries association. His story starts at the beginning of his wine journey and ends with upcoming trav…

My guests today are Kristin and Mike Nelson of Ab Astris Stonewall. In 2020 I answered a call for harvest help, met the Nelson family, and have enjoyed getting to know them and their wines ever since. Our conversation includes their thoughts on the family business, sustainability, authenticity, and…

Kim McPherson a Texas wine trailblazer and son of Texas wine pioneer Doc McPherson who was one of the great texas wine pioneers, growing grapes in west texas in the 1960’s when nobody else was doing it. Kim has made his own mark on the Texas wine industry, first as a winemaker at other Texas wineri…

Happy Texas Wine Month! My guests on this episode are some of the pioneers of the Texas Wine industry. Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo are the co-founders of Messina Hof Winery, and they join me to talk about the early days of Messina Hof and the Texas wine industry. They share how Texas wine consumers…

My guest today is Amie Nemec, the new co-owner of Texas Wine Lover. We discuss how she got her start in wine, what she’s learned along the way, and her new role with Texas Wine Lover. Plus it's harvest time across much of Texas. William Chris makes the Top 100 Vineyards in the World list for the s…

Evan McKibben wants nothing more than to share the stories of the vineyard with Texas wine drinkers. He's the vineyard manager at Pedernales Cellars’ Kuhlken Vineyard just north of Fredericksburg. Before that, he managed vineyards for William Chris Vineyards and also founded Red Caboose Winery with…

Michael Barton is the winemaker at Hilmy Cellars in Fredericksburg. He’s earning rave reviews for his wines, and today you’ll hear about his deep appreciation for Texas grape growers, the changes he’s been making at Hilmy, and what he learned working for some larger wineries. If you haven’t been to…

Today you’ll hear from Phil Lopez of Silver Spur Winery in Hico. He’s a Texan who got into wine while living in California. Phil is most at home in the vineyard, and you'll love what Phil has to say about Texas wine. After 62 episodes, finally someone wore a cowboy hat to the interview. But firs…