One step on to this mini paradise locale and you might just
want to take up permanent residence. Defined
by scenic landscapes, expansive views, rolling hills, and the gentle sounds of
a breeze through the trees, the peaceful atmosphere for this large family
estate is quite appealing. The Signor’s and Weisinger’s, long-time Texas
family friends, have not only had a rich history of farming in the state, but
have also ventured into winemaking. Already well-seasoned stewards of the land,
they knew quite well the rewards of hard work and patience with farm life. The Weisinger family began their winemaking journey in
Oregon’s Rogue Valley region, establishing what is now Weisinger Family Winery,
before collaborating with their Signor friends to undertake a similar venture
in Texas. Situated on a bluff between the Pedernales River and Grape
Creek River, the current site on HWY 290 was acquired in 2010 with vines planted
in 2015. You can imagine the excitement they had with their first harvest in
2017. The following year, they opened a tasting room to the public and history
has continuously been made ever since. Presently,
the estate grows seven red varietals across nearly two dozen acres:
Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Tannat, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Malbec, and
Montepulciano. Additionally, they source
grapes from vineyards near Fort Davis to further enhance the quality of their
fruit. An on-site production facility was completed a couple of years
ago with a new tasting room in the front currently under construction.
The Member’s tasting room is in a former home on the
property that is quite beautiful and truly stunning as you walk and admire all
the added details of its unique architecture. Its décor just blends right into
the landscape with open settings, split level rooms, and all encased in white.
Adjacent to that is an expansive outdoor patio covered by tall oak trees and
overlooking a pond. There are outside tasting tables on the patio with
surrounding scenic views and usually coupled with great music in the
background. The other enclosed tasting room is the harvest room with large
indoor seating, which seemed quite spacious with views of the vineyard and
estate. Michael Barton has been leading their winemaking, adding his special touch
of greatness to these well recognized wines.
During this visit, a variety of wines sampled starting with
the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was sourced from Oregon’s Rouge Valley
which was quite aromatic with lots of kiwi and passionfruit notes making it a
very refreshing sipper. The second white was the 2023 Chardonnay. Also sourced
from Rogue Valley, citrus notes were pronounced followed by luscious pears. The
finish was quite refreshing and savory, too. The 2023 ‘Mama Said There’d Be
Days Like This’ was an interesting Muscat blend. It is sourced from Texas Hill
Country fruit, with 25% each of Marsanne and Roussanne in addition to the
Muscat. It was quite a treat to have with honeysuckle and peach notes tickling
the tastebuds. For their Rosé wine, the 2024 Rose of Mourvèdre was sampled.
This Texas High Plains sourced fruit packs some good strawberry and melon notes
along with a light crisp finish. Moving on to the reds, the first one to try
was the 2022 Sangiovese with fruit sourced from the High Plains. It poured a light
red hue with herbal notes and just the right acidity to tease your palate. Following that one was the 2021 Dolcetto.
This red wine with grapes sourced from the Rogue Valley expressed itself as light
bodied with dominant cherry notes. The 2023 Texas High Plains Tempranillo, a
well-known Texas red wine, had a perfect balance of oak with dark berries with
a dash of pepper to delight. Cabernet Franc lovers never fear, their 2021 Rogue
Valley bottle was wonderful. There was spice, pepper and a rich deep feel to
this wine, plus an addictive long lasting finish. That Cab Franc demanded a
hearty meal for pairing! Hard to follow that one, but moving on to the Hudspeth
County 2023 Petit Verdot was next. This far West Texas sourced beast was super
rich and bold with dark cherries, a touch of cocoa, and just the right level of
tannins to bring a smile to your heart. The 2022 Touriga Nacional was sipped
and savored too. It was a lovely smooth red wine with that classic strong nose,
black pepper and excellent tannins with a hint of currants. Taking a little
break from bold reds, the 2021 Mozzafiato was sampled next. This blend of
Barbera, Primitivo, Sangiovese, and Dolcetto (Rogue Valley AVA) was very well
balanced with a smooth lingering feel on the finish. Jumping back to bold reds,
was the 2021 Estate Tannat. This big bold red envelops your palate with that
full mouth feel of rich dark cherries and medium tannins. Finally, the 2022
Grand Pere was poured. This mighty red wine was blended with equal parts of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc (Rogue Valley). It had beautiful notes of
blackberries and plums, plus a nice balance making this wine quite versatile
for food pairings. Every wine on the wine tasting menu, (and a few unlisted) was
simply fantastic! You cannot go wrong with whatever type of wine you prefer or
try.
There is so much more that could be said about their
history, ongoing initiatives, and of
course the quality of wine here, but maybe that will be saved for another future
min novel. The staff provided exemplary
service, offering guidance throughout each wine tasting session with both
attentiveness and professionalism, ensuring each guest had a personalized
experience from well-seasoned staff. Do check out Joanna’s Market as
well, which is in a classic farmhouse style home with lots of goodies and
treats to offer. There is an onsite kitchen offering a variety of options, but do
try their famous Green Chili and Chicken Pozole. It will make you a diehard fan
and a repeat customer for sure! There is also a recently
opened location in downtown Fredericksburg now allowing travelers additional
opportunities to experience the winery's offerings. Your visit will
impress you and leave you looking forward to a return stop again soon given how
they treat you like royalty. Cheers!
