Tucked
away in the hills just north of Wimberley, is a small family boutique winery
and vineyard that is a must on your wine travel itinerary. You may have to take a few careful turns along
the windy unpaved road and navigate some narrow paths slowly, but you will
eventually be rewarded at your destination with an oasis with majestic views
and a handsome vineyard that greets you at the entrance. The original vineyard
is no stranger to the Texas Hill Country AVA but succumbed to a fire during the
great Texas drought of 2011. Owners Paul
Dierickx and Ben Stovall had taken over the estate in 2016 and began the
journey to bring wine life back to this spot. Planting top-quality Mediterranean
varietals of white, rose, and reds that year, the 8-acre vineyard started to
come back to life with vines of Mourvédre, Sangiovese, and Albarino. The
winery’s name pays homage to the limestone rock shelf that cascades downward
towards the vineyard below. The first wine release and opening day was in 2020
and the fun has never stopped. Christine Daly helps oversee the vines and wine
production. There is a large, covered
area near the vineyard for tastings, but the real treat is the deck next to it
overlooking the terrace and vineyard below.
Tastings
are done by “Wine of The Week” so they rotate on a regular basis. You will get a selection of five wines to try
from about 14 wines on their menu. For this tasting session, we enjoyed the
whitetail which is a white wine blend of 34% Roussanne, 33% Trebbiano, and 33% Albarino.
The wine was well balanced, medium bodied and would pair nicely with slow
cooked chicken, and honestly is wonderful on its own on a warm day. The second
white we sampled was the 2021 Albarino. Sourced from Narra Vineyards, this
jewel had great acids, some tropical and citrus notes and was on the bold side
for a white wine. We moved onto the Dolcetto
Rosé. Offered on tap, this easy sipper was dry with notes of cranberry, good
acids, and a touch of effervescence. A 2021 estate blend Rosé of Sangiovese and
Mourvedre is also available, and we felt it was a must to take home! For the
reds, their 2019 Sangiovese has Texas High Plains fruit aged for 21 months in
neutral oak. It's light in color, smooth to the taste, and has just enough
acids to dazzle your palate. The 2020 Tempranillo was sourced from Crooked Post
Vineyard of the High Plains. Aged 20 months in oak, this Texas red wine has
medium tannins, along with a subtle light smoke and hint of leather. It is probably the smoothest and easiest
Texas Tempranillo to sip than any other you have had. The 2019 Mourvèdre from the Texas High plains
will delight the senses with red berries and moderate tannins. Try it again in a
couple of years to see how well it continues to mature. There is a 2020 estate
Mourvèdre that you will want to make sure you try as well. The real piece de
resistance was the 2020 Teraldego. This High Plains sourced fruit from Pepper
Jack Vineyards had a deep dark plum color, rich berry flavors, and a nice lingering
finish. It just might rival several good Cabernet Sauvignons. Growlers are available for some of the wines,
with a nod to sustainability and just like in the old county, bring your empty
one back for a refill. Look for the artistic “smoke” rendering on the labels that
pays homage to the previous vineyard. No
worries if a wine bottle you think looks good isn’t on the weekly list. Nothing
on the menu will disappoint and this is the place to step out of your comfort
zone and try something new, you just might find a new favorite to love.
Everything
is worth a try and a wonderful sipping experience, so plan to bring a cooler
and take some bottles home to continue enjoying for later. The beauty of these
wines is that they are each entirely enjoyable alone but can also be enjoyed
with food. In the future the winery has
plans to release a Fiano and Tannat. With
the fantastic vineyard views from the terrace, fabulous wines, and excellent
staff to take care of you, there is no need to rush life while you’re here. Bring
a picnic lunch or charcuterie snacks, friends, significant others, guests,
yourself and just take a break to enjoy the great outdoors, a nice cross breeze
on the deck, the vineyard views of this lovely gem and understand what “La
dolce vita” is all about here. Relax, slow down and be present in the moment
and one with your wine. Cheers!
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