TASTING THE LATEST WINES FROM WILLIAM CHRIS VINEYARDS
- andychalk
- 7 minutes ago
- 3 min read
by Andrew Chalk
A recent visit to the Texas Hill Country gave me a chance to try some of the latest releases in their ever-expanding vineyard-designated lineup. With Jon Gruenhagen of their tasting staff leading the way, treating the occasion like an oenological jam session, improving without fear, I and an anonymous winemaker (known simply by his numeronym “r8y”) worked our way through some of their latest releases.
Some general observations:
The winery now produces six brands:
William Chris Vineyards - the original core label and still the company’s flagship and main identity;
Grower Project 1- A line of wines each of which contains the grapes of a specific Texas grower. It provides exposure to growers who lack their own winemaking and consumers a broader choice of Texas vineyards;
Skeleton Key1 - Wine at a lower price point than the flagship brand;
Uplift Vineyard - An estate-only winery sourced from one vineyard in the up-and-coming Llano Uplift area (soon to be designated as an AVA) in Burnett County. Has its own tasting room and wine club;
Wine for the People 1 - Winemaker Rae Wilson’s winery became part of William Chris in 2021;
YesWeCan1 - A play on the word can. Wines are all sold in cans. Includes Sway Rosé. Starting to also being sold in kegs to bars;
Rebecca Caroline - New sparkling brand. Traditional method. Own tasting room in old Hye post office across the street from the William Chris winery in Spring 2026;
Notes:
Sold through distribution. Mainly to HEB, Whole Foods, and various restaurants
The winery uses 100% Texas grapes;
Finding exceptional vineyards and bottling by their names is the approach here;
When you visit, pay for one of the Reserve or Winemaker's tastings especially if you, like me, have travelled 500 miles round trip. They don’t hold back, and it is worth it.
WINE HIGHLIGHTS
Skeleton Key 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Texas ($25). Easy drinking sauvignon for long summer days in Texas. The acid is not as high as other examples of this grape, which likely increases its audience.
William Chris Vineyards 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Dell Valley Vineyard, Hudspeth County, Texas ($36). An interesting comparison with the previous wine. The acid backbone here is firmer. The citrus fruit is more complex and subtle. Long finish.
William Chris Vineyards 2019 Merlot. Granite Hill Vineyard, Bell Mountain AVA, Texas ($72). Loads of red fruit. Tannins softening with age. Forest floor flavors on the palate. I think this is the first time I have seen the Bell Mountain AVA actually on a wine label.
William Chris Vineyards 2022 Sangiovese, Phillips Vineyard, Texas High Plains AVA, Texas ($54). The winery does this grape extremely well. They bring out the fruit, benefit from forest floor, and integrate herbal notes as well. A San Antonio restaurant with deep expertise in Italian wine and wanting to add a Texas-grown example of an Italian grape to their list chose William Chris over five other wineries.
William Chris Vineyards 2022 Mourvèdre, Alta Loma Vineyard, Texas High Plains, Texas ($54). William Chris is a leader in mourvèdre (or, monastrel, to use its name from its original country of Spain). They have won medals and done as much as anyone to associate Texas with the grape in the USA. This is big, full-bodied, slightly spicy, and powerfully led by its fruit and oak used in aging. One for that wild boar you shot, or just distracting you from that wild bore you are forced to listen to at relatives’ dinners.
William Chris Vineyards 2019 Tannat, Hye Estate Vineyard, Texas Hill Country, Texas ($75). Tannat has established itself as an A-list grape in the pantheon of Texas varieties. William Chris has one that softens the Madiran monster’s often blockish character with more opulent fruit. Color is the characteristic ‘inky monster’. Tannins are powerful but not harsh. This wine will last long enough for fellow Texan E. Musk to serve it on Mars, I conjecture, but is delicious now with a juicy steak or prime rib on planet Earth.
Thank you Jon!
