Welcome to the Texas Wine Scene podcast, the
most up -to -date information to help you prepare
for your wine tasting weekend. I'm Mike, your
Texas Wine Scene correspondent, bringing you
all the wine happenings in and around the great
state of Texas, from the high plains to the hill
country. If you love Texas wine, you've come
to the right place. Let's take a trip. Calling
all Texas wine lovers. From January 27th through
February 21st, the Texas Hill Country Wineries
will be hosting the Wine Lovers Celebration Passport.
Ticket holders will receive complimentary tastings
at over 45 wineries throughout the beautiful
Hill Country on this self -guided tour, as well
as 10 % discounts on bottle purchases of three
or more. This is a perfect way to celebrate the
beginning of the year with a loved one or friend
while you explore what the Texas Hill Country
has to offer. And if you're looking for other
ways to get involved in the Texas wine scene,
check out our new THCW Social Club. Members will
receive a 10 % discount on all THCW events, including
passports, winemaker dinners, and more. Specially
curated events throughout the year will also
be exclusively offered to club members. For more
information, check out our website at TexasHillCountryWineries
.org. Welcome back everyone to this Valentine's
Day weekend edition of the Texas wine scene podcast
I am your host your Texas wine scene correspondent
Mike Cole bringing you all the wine happenings
in and around the great state of Texas if you
are subscribed to the podcast Thank you so much
for returning and tuning in to this week's episode
and if you are new to the podcast Thank you so
much for stopping by to check us out. We are
an information -based podcast supporting and
sharing wine events, tastings and industry news
from around the great state of Texas. So I hope
you enjoy this content, and if you do, please
consider subscribing and sharing the podcast
with all your wine -loving friends. It helps
to continue to spread the word about the podcast
and keeps everyone informed about current wine
-related events. Also, Please follow me on my
socials at Texas Wine Scene on Instagram and
Texas Wine Scene on Facebook where you will see
all the posts about upcoming events for the weekend.
So now let's get into the Texas Wine Scene news.
In a recent article in the online publication
Morningstar in Austin, Texas Wine and Grape Growers
Association announces Uncork Texas Wines as the
title sponsor for the 2025 annual conference.
This strategic partnership continues the conference's
commitment to excellence, innovation, and fostering
collaboration within the Texas wine and grape
growing community. This year's conference will
be held on March 3rd and 4th at Embassy Suites
by Hilton San Marcos Hotel Conference Center
in San Marcos, Texas, and will bring together
industry professionals and enthusiasts for two
days of learning and networking. This year's
theme is intertwined, which embodies the spirit
of the Texas wine industry where every connection
strengthens the whole, says Julie Herbert, the
Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association 2025
president and COO of Health Family Brands. She
goes on to say, Uncork Texas Wines support underscores
the importance of these connections and aligns
seamlessly with the conference's mission. Uncork
Texas Wine is the marketing campaign of the Texas
Department of Agriculture's wine marketing program
run by Texas Agricultural Commissioner, Sid Miller.
He said, wine is over a $20 billion industry
in Texas filled with a vibrant community of winemakers,
grape growers, and industry enthusiasts. I am
thrilled to partner with the Texas Wine and Grapegrowers
Association as the title sponsor for their 2025
annual conference and trade show. Together, we
look forward to creating an unforgettable experience
that not only celebrates the rich traditions
of Texas wine, but also sets the stage for a
future of continued success and collaboration.
There's continued expansion for some wineries
in different markets across the state of Texas
in a recent article by Rene Ravens entitled a
new family -owned winery and event center now
opens in Lubbock. It reports that Adelpho Cellars,
which had been producing wine from a vineyard
just outside Lorenzo, Texas has a new tasting
room and event center in Lubbock, Texas. The
beautiful new tasting room opened January 27th
and had its grand opening. opening on February
8th. In their slightly sloped and terraced estate
vineyard Cerro Santo, meaning Holy Hill, Adelpho
Sellers grow great varieties such as Primitivo,
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Seurat, Monte Puccino,
Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon
Blanc. Adelpho Sellers' story centers around
strengthening relationships, finding common ground,
and loving their community. They believe that
wine is a great way of creating bonds and connecting
with each other. In a recent article in the online
publication Wine Industry Advisor, Serendipity
Wines, a leading distributor and importer of
fine wines with a division in Texas, is thrilled
to announce the establishment of its new National
Accounts division led by Vice President of National
Accounts, Holly Lewis. The article reads that
the strategic move reflects the company's commitment
to enhancing service for regional and national
chain accounts across both on -premise and retail
channels. Serendipity wines, which distributes
Texas wine brands such as Wine for the People,
a local Texas favorite, prize themselves on building
connections and lasting partnerships with family
producers rooted in quality, authenticity, sustainability,
and a shared passion for discovery. Winemaker
Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars in Lubbock,
Texas recently received some well -deserved industry
recognition at the annual Texas Hill Country
Winery's Hill Country Wine Symposium. McPherson
received the 2025 Tall Texan Lifetime Achievement
Award for his outstanding contributions to the
Texas Hill Country and Texas wine industry. With
his commitment, influence, experience, and contributions
to the Texas wine industry, as well as his professionalism,
dedication, and passion for Texas wine, Kim McPherson
embodies what this award and recognition is all
about. Congratulations, Kim. You deserve it.
In a recent article in Center Daily Times by
TJ Masias, he announced that Kubisak Vineyards
in the Texas High Plains is for sale for a handsome
ransom of $6 .5 million. The 140 -acre property
features 60 acres of vines with an exceptional
selection of 12 great varietals planted from
2016 to 2022. The property also includes a 2
,500 -square -foot four -bedroom, four -bath
with a swimming pool and a 3 ,000 -square -foot
barn and tasting room. This sounds like a property
that can be on the episode of The Lifestyles
of the Rich and Famous with champagne wishes
and caviar dreams, Texas style. Adam Russell
in AgriLife Today recently wrote about a new
wine science and vitriculture certificate program
now available online at Texas A &M. The online
program provides both professionals and enthusiasts
with the unique opportunity to master the science
behind grapevine cultivation and winemaking,
which will pave the way for careers in the growing
Texas wine industry. Dr. Amit Dhingra, head of
the Department of Agricultural Sciences said,
we developed this course based on industry feedback.
analyzing the need of producers and reviewing
existing certificate programs across the country
to ensure that their curriculum and training
meets the highest quality standards. It really
does bring everything together under one umbrella
and provides a structured certificate the industry
wanted and needed. Coursework begins in the spring
of 2025. In a recent article by Erica Chang,
entitled Exclusive Members -Only Wine Club, 5570
is coming to Houston, Texas. They announced that
the fancy wine club 5570 is making its sommelier
field debut on the River Oaks area of Houston,
Texas sometime in 2026. Founder Tommy Shuey opened
one of the first Texas' few private social wine
clubs in Dallas, Texas in 2022, which has generated
an exclusive following for its luxury wines and
four -tier membership system. Shuey said, We
are thrilled to bring the 5570 concept to Houston,
a city known for its entrepreneurial spirit,
global fare and vibrant dining scene. Named after
the optimal temperature and humidity for wine
storage, 5570 features over 800 rare wines, highly
trained sommeliers, and a full -time wine concierge.
According to the press release, the Houston location
will offer a high -end culinary framework with
chef -driven fare as well as interactive wine
classes, demonstrations, and pairings. Tickets
are now on sale for the 2025 Rootstock Wine Festival
in Waco, Texas, which will be held at the Earl
Harrison House and Pape Gardens. This year's
theme for the event will be Texas -grown wines
made from Spanish and Portuguese varieties such
as Tempranillo, Morved, Torrego Nacional, Alberino,
just to name a few. Your ticket purchase includes
a wine glass, 15 wine tastings, a plate of paella,
and live music and flamenco lessons. Early bird
prices are set at $55 until March 16th, but if
you use the Texas Wine Lover website promo code
TexasWineLover, you can get 10 % off your ticket
purchase. I attended this event last year and
had a blast. This is a wine event you definitely
don't want to miss. So head on over to their
website at rootstockwinefest .com and purchase
your tickets soon. And that's your Texas wine
scene news. Before we get into the wine events
for the weekend, let's check the weather. The
weather for the weekend in the High Plains wine
growing region will have high temperatures of
63 degrees with low temperatures of 32 degrees.
The North Texas wine growing region will have
high temperatures of 69 degrees with low temperatures
of 30 degrees. The West Texas wine growing region
will have high temperatures of 68 degrees with
low temperatures of 35 degrees. The Texas Hill
Country wine growing region will have high temperatures
of 73 degrees with low temperatures of 45 degrees.
And the Gulf Coast wine growing region will have
high temperatures of 76 degrees with low temperatures
of 42 degrees. Head on out to downtown McKinney,
Texas and join the fun at the Valentine's chocolate
and wine walk event on Saturday, February 15th
from 12 to 6 p .m. Gather your best Galentines
or your sweetheart for a fun day of wine chocolate
and shopping in historic downtown McKinney Sip
premium Lone Star Winery wines, savor decadent
lint chocolate truffles, and soak in the sweet
atmosphere of love. There are several options
to enjoy this delicious fun event, and for wine
-only tickets, you get 12 tastes of locally made
wines with a souvenir wine glass and one bonus
taste at Lone Star Winery. A wine and chocolate
ticket includes a souvenir wine glass and a wine
passport for a taste of 12 wines, 12 lint chocolate
truffles to pair with each wine, and one bonus
taste at Lone Star Winery. Or step it up to the
VIP tasting which includes a taste of 15 wines
with 15 lint chocolate truffles to pair with
each wine, one bonus taste, and a VIP glass lanyard.
For more information and ticket purchases for
this event, visit Valentine's Chocolate Wine
Walk at Eventbrite .com. While you're in the
North Texas area, stop in to the Dallas Farmers
Market for the Texas Harvest Wine Tasting event
on Saturday, February 15th from 1 to 4 p .m.
Celebrate bold flavors, passionate winemakers,
and the rich stories behind each of the North
Texas wineries. You will enjoy sipping through
20 tastings from over 12 wineries, meet growers,
taste limited release and exclusive vintages,
explore exquisite food pairings matched perfectly
to your wines, and get a behind -the -scenes
look at the grape growing process in Texas vineyards.
A few of the wineries participating in this event
include Eden Hill Winery in Salina, Texas, Lost
Oak Winery in Burleson, Landon Winery in Denison,
and Brennan Vineyards in Comanche, Texas, just
to name a few. For more information about this
event, visit Harvest Wine Tasting at Eventbrite
.com. Join Bending Branch Winery in the Barrel
Room in Comfort, Texas for their Ursa Tasting
with the Winemakers event on Saturday, February
15 from 1 to 3 p .m. Winemakers Greg Stokes and
Deborah Elissagary will guide you through a selection
of 8 Petite Seurat wines from Ursa Vineyards
in addition to a few new releases all accompanied
with a charcuterie plate. For more information
about this event, visit their website. at BendingBranchWinery
.com. Are you ready to take your wine knowledge
to the next level? Well, if so, then head on
out to Maristone Vineyards in Stonewall, Texas
for their systemic approach to wine tasting event
on Sunday, February 16th from 12 to 1 .30 p .m.
Have you ever wondered the right way to taste
wine? Or are you looking to become a more savvy
wine sipper? Join Maristone Vineyards. They demystify
the wine tasting process from start to end. You'll
expand your wine vocabulary and gain useful tools
to identify an array of wines as you taste through
a flight together. This educational wine tasting
course will include a light food pairing to demonstrate
the influence of food on wine, along with written
take -home tasting materials and a souvenir wine
glass. For more information about this event,
visit their website. at mirrorstonevenuards .com.
Join Messina Hoff Winery in Bryan, Texas for
their Galentine's Bouquet Making event on Thursday,
February 13th from 6 to 8 p .m. This Galentine's
Day event in the cellar room at Messina Hoff
was created to celebrate platonic and self -love
during a season that heavily prioritizes romantic
love. At this event, guests will receive a sparkling
wine cocktail and create their very own miniature
bouquet in the Messina -Hoff premium style wine
glass. Florals will all be provided for the guests
to artfully arrange their bouquet however they'd
like. Messina -Hoff in Grapevine, Texas is also
having their Galentine charcuterie design and
wine tasting event on Thursday, February 13th
from 630 to 830 p .m. Grab your bestie and head
on out to Messina Hoff for a fun -filled night
of charcuterie design and delicious wine. Keep
your glass filled with Messina Hoff wine as they
walk you through how to design your very own
charcuterie bouquet. You'll assemble a bouquet
in a box to enjoy right away or take home for
later. And remember, bestie time is the best
time, especially at Messina Hoff. For more information
about these events, visit their website at messinahoff
.com. Messina Hoff is having another one of their
murder mystery events, this time it's Valentine's
Day style. Secure your reservation at Messina
Hoff in Grapevine, Texas for their Till Death
Do You Part Murder Mystery Dinner on Friday,
February 14th from 630 to 930 p .m. The stage
is set to join Hannah and Harry Hart, high school
sweethearts, as they host their annual Valentine's
Day Soiree at Mi Amor Cafe. However, something's
amiss. Dreadful scandals have plagued the hearts
of their guests. Hannah and Harry hope everyone
can put aside their differences so they can host
a bash without a sliver of chaos or a flake of
misfortune. But is that possible? For more information
and reservations for this murder mystery event,
visit their website at MessinaHoff .com. Pedernales
sellers in Stonewall, Texas would love for you
to join them for their savory, salty, and sweet
For the Love of Pairing event on February 14th
and February 16th. They're excited to combine
their passion of exceptional 100 % Texas wine
with the romantic ambiance of the beautiful Pedernales
views. This year, they're hosting an elevated
tasting experience, pairing their favorite wines
with savory, salty, and sweet bites. Enjoy a
welcome wine and four paired wine and food samples.
This is a one and a half hour reservation only
and seated event. After your tasting, bottles
and wine by the glass can be enjoyed on the patio,
soaking up the views. For more information and
reservations for this event, visit their website
at perennalessellers .com. Spicewood Vineyards
in Spicewood, Texas is having a Valentine's Day
exclusive wine tasting event on Saturday, February
15 from 1 to 5 p .m. Enjoy a tasting of some
of their favorite wines and a small dessert pairing
in their wine cellar to celebrate their mutual
love of wine with your special someone. For more
information and reservations for this event,
visit their website at SpicewoodVineyards .com.
Join the Texas Wine Collective in Fredericksburg,
Texas for another special chocolate and wine
pairing event on Saturday, February 15th from
11 to 4 p .m. This chocolate and wine pairing
event will be a memorable and relaxing way to
learn more about Texas Wine Collective wines
while sampling delicious chocolate. The knowledgeable
staff will thoroughly explain each wine and why
it pairs well with chocolate. For more information
about this event, visit their website at TexasWineCollective
.com. Here's the ultimate most exciting and most
impressive Valentine's Day date for the love
of your life. How about heading out to Flat Creek
Estate Winery in Marble Falls, Texas and book
a romantic helicopter ride on Saturday and Sunday,
February 15th and 16th. You and your special
love will take in the breathtaking views of Flat
Creek Estate Winery and Lake Travis from the
sky. Your ticket purchase includes a glass of
sparkling wine upon arrival, followed by a scenic
helicopter tour, and a wine tasting and charcuterie
board post -flight. Flat Creek Estate Winery
is a pristine 80 -acre property that features
an elegant tasting room, full -service restaurant,
covered pavilion, and an 18 -hole golf course.
For more information and reservations for this
event, visit their website at flatcreekestate
.resdy .com. And those are your wine events for
the weekend. Stay tuned for your music lineup
for the weekend. Up next. Arrowhead Creek Vineyard
in Stonewall, Texas gets the music lineup started
for the weekend with Davey Shrink on stage Saturday,
February 15th from 2 to 5 p .m. Covington Cellars
in High, Texas will have Josh Claus on stage
Saturday, February 15th from 2 to 5 p .m. Flat
Creek Estate Winery in Marble Falls will let
Robert Jericho assume the musical duties on Saturday
February 15th from 2 to 6 p .m. Followed by Kate
Wright on Sunday February 16th from 1 to 5 p
.m. Texas Heritage Vineyards in Fredericksburg
has a fantastic music lineup for the weekend
starting with Anthony Garcia on stage Friday
February 14th from 2 to 4 p .m. followed by Justin
and Jacob Furr on stage Saturday, February 15
from 2 to 4 p .m. as well. Shani will take the
stage on Sunday, February 16 from 2 to 4 p .m.
The Texas Wine Collective in Fredericksburg will
have Tyler Cannon on stage Saturday, February
15 from 1 to 5 p .m. Tornell Locks Vineyards
& Winery in Vernon, Texas will have Rodney Howell
on stage Saturday, February 15 from 2 to 5 p
.m. Whistlin Duff Winery in Weimer, Texas will
have the J &B duo on stage Saturday, February
15 from 2 to 5 p .m. Bernhardt Winery in Plantersville,
Texas will have Frank Martin Gilligan on stage
Saturday, February 15 from 1 to 5 p .m. followed
by Yelba's love songs of the ages on Saturday
February 15th from 3 to 5 p .m. Michael Ross
Winery in Fredericksburg, Texas will let Justin
McFarlane jam out on Friday February 14th from
2 to 5 p .m. followed by Dee Dee Lally on stage
Saturday February 15th from 2 to 5 p .m. Carter
Creek Winery in Johnson City will have Paul Vowell
on stage Friday February 14th at 7 p .m. followed
by Ray Palisac on Saturday February 15th at 7
p .m. as well. Taste of Vineyards in Huntsville
Texas will let the beautiful Jessica Callahan
provide the musical tunes on Saturday February
15th from 4 to 7 p .m. West Sandy Creek Winery
in Richards Texas will have Guthrie Jones on
stage Saturday February 15th from 4 to 7 p .m.
Barron Creek Winery will have music performances
at multiple locations beginning with Kalanee
on stage in Fredericksburg, Texas on Saturday
February 15th from 1 to 4 p .m. Chip Davis will
race the stage at the McKinney location on Saturday
February 15th from 530 to 8 p .m. and Brian Pover
will be on the stage at the Georgetown location
on Sunday February 16th from 1 to 4 p .m. Blue
Ostrich Winery in St. Joe, Texas will have Paul
Terrell on stage Saturday February 15th from
1 30 to 4 30 p .m. Followed by Byron Haney on
stage Sunday February 16th from 1 30 to 4 30
p .m. as well. Arch Ray Winery in Fredericksburg,
Texas will have Jason Conrad on stage Friday
February 14th from 8 to 5 p .m. Followed by Ruben
Pacheco on stage Saturday February 15th from
4 to 7 p .m. Fiesta Winery on 290 will let Ben
Zesch rock the house on Saturday February 15th
from 2 30 to 5 30 p .m. Longhorn cellars in Fredericksburg
will have Manny Velasquez on stage Saturday,
February 15th from 1 to 4 p .m. And St. Jophon
Winery in Bernie, Texas will close out the music
lineup for the weekend with the Nick Brown duo
on stage Saturday, February 15th from 2 to 5
p .m. And that's your music lineup for the weekend.
Stay tuned for Did You Know? This weekend, many
lovebirds around the country will show their
love and affection for that very special person
in their lives as they celebrate Valentine's
Day. Valentine's Day, also called St. Valentine's
Day or the Feast of St. Valentine, will have
many of the romantic types donating a portion
of their expendable income to the tune of $25
billion on items such as jewelry, flowers, dinners,
and chocolates. Chocolate is one of the most
popular items shared on this very special day.
It turns out that 58 million pounds of chocolate
are purchased every year in the seven days leading
up to Valentine's Day on February 14th. According
to candystore .com, here are the preferred candy
choices. for the top five wine growing regions
in the United States. California, New York, and
Washington State prefer the conversation hearts
and the heart -shaped box of chocolates as their
first and second choice with California selecting
M &Ms, New York selecting cinnamon bears, and
Washington State selecting chocolate roses as
their third choice. Oregon and Texas surprisingly
enjoy Hershey's Kisses as their first choice,
followed by M &M's and heart -shaped box of chocolates
for Oregon, and heart -shaped box of chocolates
and conversation hearts coming in third place
for the Texans. Texas' first chocolate love,
Hershey Kisses, was founded by Milton S. Hershey
in 1894 with its headquarters in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The first Hershey Kisses were not produced by
the Hershey Company until 1907, which was the
same year as one of the most significant French
wine revolts in history in the area of the Longue
Dauque Roussillon. Due to excessive imports from
Algerian wine and overproduction and capitalization
of bulk wine, it created a glut of wine that
caused local Languedot -Roussillon viticulture
and wine production to plummet. At the climax
of the revolt, there were an estimated 600 ,000
to 800 ,000 protesters in the area which had
1 million inhabitants. Hershey Kisses are very
well known for its teardrop shape, signature
aluminum foil wrapping, and its narrow strip
of paper called a plume, which was created to
distinguish the Hershey Kiss from its competitors
who were offering similar products. But did you
know? It is believed that Hershey Kisses got
its name from the machine that makes the chocolate
treats by making a kissing sound and appears
to gently touch or kiss the conveyor belt onto
which the chocolate is dispensed. So the next
time you want to non -verbally let your special
someone know that they make your heart skip a
beat and that they're the love of your life,
slide a Hershey's kiss across the table and let
the chocolate do the talking. It will speak volumes.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. Well, that would
do it for this week's episode. Thank you for
joining me. I'm Mike Cole, your Texas wine scene
correspondent, and I look forward to seeing you
next time on the Texas Wine Scene. For more in
-depth information on the wineries mentioned
in this episode, visit the Texas Wine Lover website
at TXWineLover .com or the Texas Wine Lover app.
On the site, you can find a vast amount of information
about Texas wineries and wine -related businesses.
You can also search for information such as maps
of Texas wineries, Texas wine trails, 100 % Texas
wineries, and much, much more. So visit their
website at TXwineLover .com. That's TXwineLover
.com. Also, please leave me a rating and a review
and share the podcast with all your wine loving
friends.