The Wine Fairy

“Texas wine is bad” is one of those wine-industry truisms that I wish I could erase from conversation.

The truth is, Texas wine runs the entire gamut of quality, from undrinkable to world-class. In that way, it’s a lot like Merlot–another wine category that has fallen victim to unfair generalization and unfair disdain. The only way to rehabilitate them is to keep finding wines that surpass expectations.

Today, we’re going to check two boxes at once and open a single-vineyard Texas Merlot for #MerlotThursday! On the tasting table is a bottle of 2021 Ron Yates Friesen Vineyards Merlot.

About Ron Yates

Ron Yates is one of the winemakers leading Texas’s multi-decade arc from regional curiosity to serious world wine region. The Ron Yates family runs both their namesake winery off Highway 290 in the Texas Hill Country, and the nearby Spicewood Vineyards, which they acquired in 2007.

Accessible pricing and the importance of terroir are two values that Ron Yates learned early, while drinking cheap Tempranillo as an undergraduate studying abroad in Spain. (Most Ron Yates bottles are in the $50-$60 range–firmly boutique-winery territory. But Ron Yates also released the world’s first Texas-grown boxed wine in 2025.)

As a producer, Ron Yates is probably best known for Tempranillo–and for strong relationships with some of Texas’s top grape-growers. He sources fruit from several sought-after vineyards in the Texas High Plains, in addition to making wines from local Hill Country grapes. The wines consistently score well in prestigious blind-judged competitions, including the TEXSOM International Wine Awards and the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Tasting

I received this bottle as a gift from wine friends–so let’s pull the cork and have a taste!

It pours up a deep cherry red, tending garnet. A thin watery rim and slow-running, clear tears.

A powerful, complex nose of soft blackberry, plum sauce, and old cedar with nose-tickling alcohol. It’s followed by Brazil nuts, cola nut, and light cola spice. The bouquet concludes with garden-like aromas of fresh mulch and rosebush.

The palate is much fresher than expected–but it’s exciting rather than incongruous. Zingy acidity matches with tart red- and black-cherry flavors. Medium-plus body and fine-grained tannins elegantly convey Merlot character. The finish is both sweet-smelling and herbaceous: Heather honey, lavender oil, and cut rose stems. The perfectly medium-ripe berries still give a liqueur-like impression at the end…likely due to the viscosity and heat of its 15.1% alcohol.

This is a potent, maturing wine made from 100% Texas grapes. Although it’s picking up some intriguing earthy and nutty aromas, its main assets are here and now: Invigorating acid structure and fragrant, unembellished fruit. Drink now or soon.

The grapes for Ron Yates’s 2021 Merlot come from Friesen Vineyards, a 33-acre estate in the Texas High Plains AVA. (Friesen grows just three acres of Merlot.) Vineyards on the High Plains’ vast, flat mesa (more than 3,200 feet above sea level) escape Texas’s generally hot and humid climate. Instead, they experience long, dry summers and cool nights, allowing Merlot to ripen fully while holding onto its freshness.

If Texas wine and Merlot both suffer from a reputation for being clumsy and overcooked, this wine makes the opposite case: A Merlot that’s expressive, evolving, and unmistakably shaped by place.

Bottle: Ron Yates Friesen Vineyards Merlot (2021) – Texas High Plains AVA

Variety: Merlot

ABV: 15.1%

Suggested retail: $50

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Further reading:

Wine Characters: Ron Yates, Spicewood Vineyards (winemaker interview)

Texas Wine Lover: Friesen Vineyards Grower Profile (grower interview)

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

On Thursdays, we Merlot! See past #MerlotThursday reviews.