Wedding Oak Winery – San Saba, Texas

A warm welcome to one of the Texas Hill Country’s newest wineries!  Mike McHenry & friends have started up a fine winery in downtown San Saba. The investment represents a huge boom for San Saba and a positive effort at revitalizing downtown businesses there.  They have already done justice to their winery by bringing Penny Adams on board as their winemaker.  Many Hill Country vineyard owners will be all too familiar with her as the Viticulture Advisor for the Texas Hill Country area.  Her expertise in growing grapes in areas of Texas, once seemed impossible, has been a great benefit for the industry.  The inaugural releases, produced at the McPherson facilities in Lubbock, have helped jump start this winery with some lovely wines.  With just over 1200 cases, there are currently five wines available for tasting with most of the grapes coming from the Texas High Plains region.  We haven’t had a bad Texas Viognier yet and their 2011 vintage just adds more proof that this grape will be, if not already, a shining start for white Texas grapes.  The Wedding Oak White is a crisp blend of Vermentino, Trebbiano and Pinot Grigio with just a tad bit of sweetness.  They’ve started off their initial reds with a fine Sangiovese that would make the ancient Romans proud.  The red blend, Tioja, is a blend of 60% Tempranillo and 20% Mourvedre and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It would make a fine compliment to some meaty dishes.  The blush has just a touch of Ruby Cabernet for a very nice raspberry tint and makes a great hot afternoon chilled wine!  If you stop in now, you’ll notice that the wine labels have San Saba Wine Cellars on it.  Unfortunately, just as doors were about to open, news that another winery already had that name prompted the name change. It does, however, give rise to an opportunity to get as many bottles as you can with the San Saba name on it before the labels change!  The current name comes from the history (400 years ago) of the Wedding Oak tree located just north of town.  Have a glass of wine with Mike and he’ll tell you more.  The winery has a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere with chairs arranged in cozy seating areas toward the storefront, and large lovely oak paintings on the walls. Great care was taken to accent the “old/historic feel” of the building, with a more modern, understated elegant twist.  There is a roomy tasting bar and an outdoor patio off the back. You’ll notice next to the tasting room will be the new wine fermentation room (large tanks already there) that will eventually be able to produce 10,000 cases!  Eventually, they will be sourcing grapes from the Hill Country, as well.  We can’t wait to return again in the near future to see the progress in the fermentation room and see this winery in full production as well as to sample new creations.  The Pecan Capital of the World now has a fine winery to likewise brag about! We’re certain come the holidays, there will be some wonderful wine you can pick up to compliment your pecans and holiday meals.   San Saba may be a long drive for some, but this place is definitely worth the trip.  So, stay a spell and enjoy some Wedding Oak wine!  You’ll feel very welcomed by the staff.  They have done the Hill Country winery region proud.

www.weddingoakwinery.com