This 2024 Sangiovese Rosé from Kalasi Cellars is a fun and
refreshing sipper made from their High Plains estate fruit at Narra Vineyards.
Part of the Heritage Collection, it shows off a warm pink-orange color in the
glass and brings enticing notes of cherry and strawberry right up front. With
bright acidity and a clean, refreshing finish, this one is just right for
kicking back on a warm day. Cheers!
To say that one trip changed a lot for owners Craig Stevens and
Chesney Castleberry is an understatement. During a safari, they witnessed the
tragedy of rhino poaching firsthand, an experience that inspired them to get
involved in conservation and eventually create a sanctuary in the Texas Hill
Country. Their 55-acre property west of Stonewall became an ideal home for
Blake, their Texas-born rhino resident. Building a sanctuary and relocating a
rhino was no small task, but Craig and Chesney’s determination made it happen.
Oh yes, and there is a winery here, too! Since opening in 2022, it has become a
natural extension of their passion for fine wine and a meaningful way to
support their conservation efforts. Originally a peach farm, the estate now
includes nearly 10 acres of Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Merlot, and Malbec. With
most vines in their fourth leaf, estate-grown Texas wines are still on the way,
but visitors can already enjoy excellent Texas wines made from High Plains
fruit along with standout South African selections. The McPhersons have helped
craft many of the Texas wines, while Dr. Bob Young has contributed red wines
aged in Texas oak. A top-notch team of South African winemakers helps support
wines made from the Stellenbosch district, Elgin ward, and the coastal region.
The tasting room and back patio offer spacious seating, beautiful views of the
Pedernales River Valley, and direct views of Blake. The north-facing wine
tasting patio is an extra plus design to have, especially with the infamous
Texas summer heat.
For your testing selection, you’ll have a great list to
choose from so your only issue is picking which flight to enjoy. For this
tasting session a mix of South African and Texas (both reds and whites) were
sampled. Starting off with the Sumatran Sparkles, this South African sourced
bubbly is Pinot Grigio based with notes of honeysuckle, citrus, and some good
minerality. Next from the same country
was their Wijde Sparkling. This white bubbly was blended with 53% Chardonnay,
46% Pinot Noir, and 1% Pinot Meunier. It expressed itself with an elegant
floral aroma coupled with bright acidity and a touch of pear. Following these were
two of the Crash label brands. Both Pinotage based, with the dry version a nice
and light easy drinking wine featuring notes of strawberries with bright
acidity. The sweet Pinotage bubbly version (though more lightly sweet) exhibited
more of a cream sensation with a touch of cherries. Moving on to the white
wines, the first sipped was the 2024 Albariño. This Texas white wine has
some good pineapple notes giving a pleasant tropical finish. The next white was
the Texas High Plains 2025 Viognier. Sourced from Lahey Vineyards, this one was
quite impressive with apricot and lemon to tease your wine senses. The next
Texas red to dive into was the 2024 Horn Red Blend. This High Plains sourced
fruit comprised of 40% Malbec, 25% Dolcetto, 25% Sangiovese, and 10% Petite
Sirah had notes of clove and cherry going for it with balanced tannins and
acidity. Texas Mourvèdre has been making big waves in the Texas wine industry,
and their 2023 vintage has Grenache blended with it to yield an intense fruit
forward wine with blackberry to satisfy the nose and palate. The final Texas
red wine sampled was the 2024 Sangiovese. With cherry, raspberry, and a touch
of spice, this classic Italian varietal was quite satisfying. For the South
African red wines, the 2022 Cabernet Franc was the first to sip and swirl. Part
of the winery’s Keras collection, this big bold wine was loaded with great
tannins and had a firm mouth gripper for sure! Following that were two 2022
Cabernet Sauvignons. One was also from the Keras collection with deep cocoa and
raspberry notes and a fine tannic finish. Not quite as bold, but still big, the
other Cabernet wine displayed more blackberry and plum notes with a bit of
leather at the finish. Rounding out the tasting adventure was the 2023 Five
Species. This Bordeaux style red blend had Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Malbec, and some Petit Verdot blended to craft a well-balanced, smooth, and
elegant wine to savor all evening.
With a long family history in the Hill Country spanning more
than a century, Craig and Chesney are adding their own chapter to the region’s evolving
story. The property offers one beautiful surrounding scenery, dedicated up-close
viewing sessions with Blake, and local artwork displayed throughout the tasting
room. At its heart, this place is a true rhino conservation effort,
strengthened by excellent wines from South Africa and Texas that help support
the mission. It is a unique gem in the Texas Hill Country. Cheers!
This classic white wine blend from Kuhlman has always been a
rock solid go to white wine blend. Crafted with 35% Roussanne, 34% Albariño,
16% Viognier, and 15% Trebbiano, this High Plains sourced fruit is holding up
very well. The wine shows off a moderate straw hue in the glass with bright
citrus notes for the initial greeting. It delivers great acidity that is
complimented by hints of pear and a pleasing touch of minerality. Altogether,
this is a well-balanced white with enough freshness and structure to suggest it
still has a few more years of life left. Cheers!
Get a load of this mighty creation! Harvested from Peter’s Prairie Vineyard of
the Texas Hill Country AVA, this Barbera-based Rosé is spot on for a perfect
warm weather season pairing. Unfiltered and naturally hazy, it bursts with
bright acidity and enticing notes of cherry and strawberry, finished with a
playful touch of spice. Wow, right? Crisp, refreshing, and a satisfying
mouthfeel, there is nothing wrong with savoring this bad-ass beast for an
all-day Rosé indulgent. Cheers!
Couldn’t resist opening this 14-year-old Tempranillo to see
how it was holding up. Sourced from Newsom Vineyards of the Texas High Plains
AVA, it really benefits from about 90 minutes in the decanter. Clocking in at
14.5% ABV, the acidity is still going strong, and the plum and cherry notes are
still respectfully present. The color is starting to show a little age, but not
nearly as much as you might expect. There’s also a bit of smoke and spice after
that first sip, and the finish is oh so fine. This vintage still has plenty of
life left and is a real pleasure to drink. And the best part? There’s also a
reserve version from the same year to try later, so stay tuned. Santé!
This Mourvèdre is a fun one for any celebration. Made from
estate fruit of the future Hickory Sands AVA and clocking in at a respectable 14.8%
ABV, it brings plenty of satisfying flavor without going over the top. Notes of
rich cherries and plums are the first to wake up your wine senses followed by a
little nutmeg spice, and just enough dark chocolate to keep things interesting.
It is medium-bodied, smooth, and has just enough tannins for a delightful
finish. Basically, the kind of red wine you keep going back to. Cheers!
This Rioja blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano shows
off a light garnet hue with moderate red berry notes that are still intact
after nearly 16 years. On the palate, it offers a lively mouthfeel, medium
acidity, and a long, lingering finish, with subtle leather and earthy
undertones adding depth and structure. This wine is still drinking really well for
its age and could easily cellar for a few more years. For the best experience
of this mighty red beast, decant for about 90 minutes before serving. ¡Salud!
