Texas Tasting: Messina Hof (Grapevine)

When Paul V. and Merrill Bonarrigo planted some vines in Bryan, Texas in 1977, they might not have guessed that the single-acre, experimental vineyard would become one of the oldest and most awarded estate wineries in Texas. Messina Hof wines are familiar to Texas wine fans here and abroad.

There’s a large portfolio of wines, covering an immense range of styles. There’s a bed and breakfast, restaurant, event venue, subscription wine club, and tasting rooms in four Texas cities: Bryan/College Station, Fredericksburg, Grapevine, and Richmond. The Wine Fairy had some Messina Hof gift certificates that were expiring soon, so we flitted over to the Grapevine location (about 20 miles west of Dallas) to pay them a visit.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, downtown Grapevine was all decked out for Christmas. Main Street was closed off to allow holiday shoppers to stroll (and “stroller”) through the tasting rooms and boutiques of this charming old downtown. Grapevine has recently rebranded itself as The Christmas Capital of Texas^®. Although that’s cheesy AF, it was a scene that would soften all but the hardest grinchy heart. There were Santas and twinkling lights, hot chocolate and pop-up photo booths. We didn’t mind parking a couple of blocks away to access the pedestrian-friendly Christmas wonderland that Grapevine has created.

On to the wine! Messina Hof’s Grapevine location is in the historic Wallis Hotel on Main Street. 2024 marks the tenth year of the Grapevine establishment, and there was Messina Hof anniversary merchandise everywhere. (The name is a nod to the Bonarrigo family’s Sicilian and German heritage–from Messina, Italy and Hof, Germany.)

As you might expect during a holiday market festival, the tasting room was bustling. There isn’t bartop seating at Messina Hof and table service is limited. You have to elbow your way up the bar and get the attention of one of the wine ambassadors, all dapper in their oxford shirts and vests. If the line is out the door, you can mosey around the extensive gift shop attached to the foyer. It’s stocked with wine by the bottle, jams and spreads, chocolates and other gourmet treats–many of which are already wrapped up and ready for gift-giving.

Once it’s your turn at the bar, get ready! You get a glass and 5 wooden tokens to go through the tasting at your leisure. Taste your first wine, then come on back for a refill. The basic $25 tasting allows every wine on the tasting room menu except the reserve “Library” wines. There are also around 40 wines available by the glass, with tapped white wines starting at just $5.

Messina Hof produces numerous collaborations and special bottlings, like their Aggie Network Collection and annual Artist Series. It can be overwhelming! I recommend having an idea of what styles you like before venturing into the bar or gift shop. For the indecisive sipper, they offer laminated menus to pore over your choices. And they have a handy color-coded label system to help sweet, sparkling, and dry wine drinkers find bottles they’ll enjoy.

I’ve enjoyed wine flights at Messina Hof Grapevine on numerous occasions. Service is usually hurried but polite. Sometimes they open the upstairs tasting room which does help to relieve the wait times for refills.

Does wine-tasting make you hungry? Messina Hof offers heaping, made-to-order charcuterie boards in three sizes ($10, $28, and $38). These were flying out of the kitchen on our visit. Hover until you can snag a table, then place an order with a server. Sausages, cheese, and crackers come paired with spicy German-style mustard with Riesling and Syrah cranberry jam.

Messina Hof only uses Texas-grown grapes, which makes their range of expressions even more impressive. Favorites from this trip included the Texas Viognier, all ripe peach laced with haunting aromas of honeysuckle and lily. The Artist Series off-dry Gewürztraminer dazzles with intense florals, a tongue-tickling mouthful of ginger and a creamy lychee finish. I’ve enjoyed their Italian reds in the past, but the Sangiovese and Primitivo didn’t stand out on this visit.

My souvenir from the trip: Messina Hof’s berry-laden blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.

My favorite red this time was the Mourvèdre, which showed beautifully balanced tannins and a distinctive black-olive character. This is the Year of Grenache for me–so I couldn’t leave without a bottle of Messina Hof’s GSM (Texas High Plains AVA, non-vintage, $30). It came carefully packaged with a clean, tissue-wrapped Messina Hof tasting glass.

Messina Hof is a fabulous place to spend a couple of hours–whether you’re a wine explorer, history buff, or just want to snack on some wine and cheese with friends. The large wine list and ever-rotating limited-edition bottlings reward repeat visitors. You may have to taste through a couple of flights to find your flavor of the day, but there is something here to sway even the stubbornest Texas wine skeptics.

Where: Messina Hof Grapevine Winery

201 S Main St, Grapevine, TX 76051

When: Daily, 12 PM – 8 PM (9 PM on weekends) unless closed for an event or party. Check with the winery for current hours.

How much: Tasting flights are $25 each, and include a souvenir wine glass. The tasting fee is waived with the purchase of 6 bottles.

Wine by the glass is $5-$16, excluding reserve wines. Most bottles are $15-$60.