The Wine Fairy

If you’re tired of doom-scrolling, have you tried wine-scrolling? That’s when you try not to consume any news unless it’s related to wine.

I have been wine-scrolling most of this year. I set up my devices to take me directly to wine content, instead of regular economic and political news. Sure, I’m less informed–but much happier.

That’s why this spring, I’m introducing a new feature: The Texas Wine News Roundup. If you want some bite-sized tidbits about what’s been happening in Texas wine, this post is for you. Here are four of the wine stories that caught our attention in the first quarter of 2025.

Story #1: Texas Oak Makes Its Debut

Texas grapes from Texas soil, aged in…Texas oak? Next-level Texas terroir may be coming soon. At least one winery is moving to incorporate Texas-grown wood into their aging processes, Wine Business reports. That would be Bending Branch Winery of Comfort, Texas. The first Texas oak-aged bottles were released in March 2025.

I’m all for winemakers branching out to native trees…but once you root out the details, it seems like this is barrel-y a story. (Sorry.) TLDR: The wine is aged in neutral barrels with pieces of Texas oak added in for additional flavor.

Why oak pieces? Well, the most common oak tree around here is the evergreen live oak, followed by the bur oak and post oak. Their wood is as bitter as a tea bag and not watertight enough for barrels. Due to their tannins, hardness, and porousness, these native Texas species are more suitable for firewood than fine winemaking.

The only American oak that is usually considered to be of cooperage quality is Quercus alba, white oak. But Texas white oak grows only in a few parts of East Texas and it seems that nobody’s actually making barrels out of the stuff. (Not yet, anyway–Bending Branch is reportedly trying to source some Texas oak barrels for future vintages.)

Nevertheless, the winery has an innovative solution: The development of “oak chains.” These are made from Texas-sourced white oak boards that have been sawed, cured, toasted, then strung together like a string of beads. The oak chains are lowered into the bung of a neutral barrel to impart oak flavors.

Winemaker Robert Young MD says that Texas oak has elevated levels of compounds that yield distinctive flavors including vanillin, smoke, and brown sugar. Bending Branch is using the process to age their boldest reds: A Petit Verdot, a Tannat and the Cowboy Cuvée red blend.

Story #2: Messina Hof Scoffs at Tariffs

Will there be any silver lining to the reckless, destructive tariffs that are currently looming over the wine industry? That remains to be seen. Broadly speaking, Trump’s trade policy is not winning praise from people in the wine world. (Don’t believe me? The trade publication Just Drinks has a collection of statements from beverage industry advocates in the United States and around the world.)

While wine drinkers, retailers, and distributors are bracing for the impact of a trade war with Canada, China, and the EU, some domestic winemakers are whistling in the dark. Texas winery Messina Hof is one of them.

Messina Hof founder Paul Bonarrigo told local news outlet KBTX that tariffs won’t substantially affect their business because they source all their grapes and glass bottles from within the United States. (Messina Hof is based in Bryan, Texas and also has outlets in Grapevine, Fredericksburg, and Richmond.) Another wine company that claims to be unrattled by tariff talk is Treasury Wine Estates of Australia, which owns Daou, Frank Family Vineyards and Beringer.

At The Wine Fairy, we certainly hope that Texas producers will reap increased sales and visibility. Certainly, some customers will begin to seek out more American-made wines when their imported favorites soar in price.

However, in our expert analysis–hey, I took Econ 101–it’s more likely that the new tariffs will shrink overall demand for wine and result in higher ancillary costs (equipment, labor, packaging, etc) for small winemakers. In addition, there simply is no domestic source for some winemaking supplies. That includes natural corks (mentioned in Messina Hof’s KBTX interview) and French oak barrels.

Story #3: A Texas Cab Nabs a Top Prize in SF

Texas has our own wine contest, Houston’s Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. It’s been running for 22 years and the 2025 contest attracted 2,876 entries from 20 countries. Many Texas wineries have competed there and won glory for their bottles.

But let’s be honest: There are so many wine awards being handed out in so many categories–by wine critics, by local fairs, by trade associations and such. They’re kind of like participation ribbons at my 1st-grade track and field day. It’s hard to know if a much-decorated wine is any good unless you actually have tried it. And not all wine medals are created equal. When it comes to wine awards, folks who care about such things often look to California and the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

That’s why it was such a coup when a Texas wine beat out its Napa rivals to be named a “Best In Class” Cabernet in San Francisco. The triumphant winery was Singing Water Vineyards. Their non-vintage estate-bottled Cab medaled in the $90-$99 Cabernet category in January 2025. It was proof positive of what Texas wine lovers have been saying all along: Don’t sleep on our hearty reds.

Singing Water produces an exclusive number of bottles, available through its wine club and a couple of San Antonio area restaurants. If you’re lucky enough to get a sip of the prize-winning Cab, let us know how it is!

Story #4: Fredericksburg Gets Posh(er) with a New Waldorf-Astoria

Texas is getting its first Waldorf Astoria hotel. It’s not Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio that has wooed the luxury Hilton brand, however. It’s Fredericksburg–a town in central Texas with a population of under 12,000.

Honestly, that comes as no surprise. Fredericksburg is the emerging center of Texas wine country. As gastro-tourism has bounded back from the pandemic–and the cost to wine and dine in bigger destinations has soared–Texas Hill Country towns have boomed. Fredericksburg in particular has been Big Travel News for at least the last couple of years.

See, when I’m not doom-scrolling or wine-scrolling, I’m travel-scrolling. And every time I pick up my phone it’s full of breathless, clickbait-y articles with titles like, “You’ll Never Guess What Offbeat Destination Wine Lovers are Flocking To” or “The Picturesque Texas German Town You’ve Never Heard Of.”

The thing is, I would guess and I have heard of it. I went to Fredericksburg many times as a kid with my family, and later as a college student in the early aughts. It was offbeat and picturesque–and sleepy. The most recent time I visited was 2023, and already I found the place almost unrecognizable. You can read my detailed trip report here.

Fredericksburg has always been a gem, but now it’s a national phenomenon. Developers and investors are racing in to cater to the well-heeled wine fans traveling into the state from California and abroad. The hotel’s press release describes the Hill Country as “the second most visited wine country in the United States.”

The Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country is slated to open in 2027, according to the same press release. It will feature 60 guest rooms and suites, 37 multi-room villas, and 50 branded private residences. Proposed amenities include five food and beverage outlets, two outdoor pools, a kid’s club, and 11,000 square feet of spa and fitness space.

Listen: We love that more people are traveling to Texas and discovering our state’s unique wines and understated beauty. Just don’t expect to get out of a tasting room for less than 100 bucks ever again.

Further Reading:

Wine Business – Texas White Oak Used to Age Texas Wine

KBTX – Bryan winery not concerned with looming 200% tariff on European wines

Just Drinks: Quote, unquote: drinks industry reaction to Trump tariff announcement

My San Antonio: Tiny Texas Hill Country Winery tops the nation, dethrones California

Haute Living: The first Waldorf-Astoria in Texas slated to open in wine country

Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this article. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.