In September 2019, an epic thunderstorm tore through the Texas High Plains, sending growers and winemakers scrambling into the vineyards to grab up their grapes. Those who waited for the rains to pass risked muddy fields and watery fruit. Those who rushed in got some excellent raw materials (and a story to tell).
Such was the case with Siboney Cellars‘ 2019 “Storm Breaker,” a limited-production batch made from six tons of Newsom Vineyards Merlot. The name–and the label photo, by co-founder Miguel Lecuona–recalls the electric ordeal of that autumn harvest.
On this past July weekend, it was all blue skies and smiles as we tasted a barrel sample of the follow-up, the 2024 Storm Breaker. Available to members of Siboney’s wine club, this 2024 Merlot is also sourced from the renowned Newsom Vineyards in Comfort, Texas. The Texas High Plains enjoyed a very warm but high-quality vintage in 2024, with fewer of the spring and fall weather disruptions that marked 2019.
Texas single-varietal Merlot is a rare bird. In Texas, Merlot is most often used as a blending component in Bordeaux-style blends (alongside Cabernet), and occasionally to plump up the color and body of Tempranillo.
When it appears as a varietal wine, Texas’s warm-climate Merlot can taste cooked and overripe–though it’s sometimes redeemed by intriguing flavors like plum sauce and soy.
Siboney’s Merlot is not that. It is not the salty and savory Texas Merlot that we have often known. Instead, it embraces its berrylike richness and snuggles up to oak.
Newsom Vineyards sits at just under 4,000 feet above sea level, and its Merlot is sought-after for its signature combination of bold flavor and fresh fruit. When you taste the quality of the fruit, you understand why someone would brave a cloudburst to bring it in to harvest at the right moment.
Winemaker and Siboney co-founder Barbara Lecuona poured Merlot samples from a decanter. Violets, forest berries, and dried cherry swirl around in the glass, spiced up with vanilla bean and cinnamon. It’s moderate in structure with silky-soft tannins and balanced acidity. Flavors of fresh and raisined red and black cherry, red plums, and vanilla are at the core, accompanied by tea leaf and mint. After some time, it develops a creamy, leafy aroma and taste of matcha tea.
The fruit is 100% Texan, but the winemaking is Old World. The Lecuonas draw inspiration from Bordeaux’s Right Bank, where fruit ripeness, subtle green notes, and luxurious barrel treatments coexist harmoniously.
This weekend’s party even had its own mini en primeur: Members could pre-order the 2024 Storm Breaker Merlot in advance of its upcoming bottling, securing their allocation at a special price.
The Lecuonas are consummate hosts, who met all their guests at the end of the driveway with a glass of freshly sabered sparkling Mourvèdre. Wine flowed through the multi-story tasting room, past barrel racks and across limestone terraces that gaze out onto the vineyards. Spanish guitar and maracas played. People strolled around the gift shop, browsing for chocolates, cigars, and beribboned straw hats.
My wine friends and I made a nerdy wager on the Merlot’s ABV, and Barbara graciously indulged us by testing a sample. (It’s 14.1% by the way–enough to feel rich and vinous on the palate, but fully in control of its heat.) As the musicians wrapped up and the buffet began to close, Miguel brewed Cuban-style cafecito for the stragglers. We wandered the barrel room, soaking up the scent of toasted oak and coffee.
It was a treat to taste this small-production Texas Merlot at one of the loveliest places in the Hill Country, if not on Earth. Tip o’ the fedora to Barbara and Miguel, and to Jesse Garrett (of JG Does Wine) who invited me to tag along.
Bottle: Siboney Cellars “Storm Breaker” Newsom Vineyards Merlot (2024) – Texas High Plains AVA, United States
Variety: Merlot (100%)
ABV: 14.1%
Suggested retail: $55
My rating: Not scored (unreleased barrel sample)
Where: Siboney Cellars, 3427 US-290, Johnson City, TX 78636
Further reading:
The Chalk Report: Siboney Cellars Makes a Fast Start in the Hill Country
Siboney Cellars: Letter to WineAmerica: Correcting the Record on Texas Wine Harvest
JG Does Wine: The Best Was Saved for Last (2026 trip report)
The Wine Fairy: A visit to Siboney Cellars (2025 trip report)
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.
Leave a Comment