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!
