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What it’s like to be a wine judge
If drinking a glass of wine is like taking a walk in the park, then tasting and scoring a hundred wines is more like running a marathon. Wine judging takes discipline, focus, and endurance–not to mention a lot of crackers and celery! Since judging my first wine contest in 2025, I’ve been involved with several…
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TEXSOM 2026: The week, the work, and the wine!
TEXSOM 2026 has come and gone. Across seven days, I tasted wine, gabbed about wine, and learned more than I would have thought was possible. This was my second TEXSOM Conference–and although my assignments were more challenging this time around, I felt far more confident and more connected. Wine has been good to me this…
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Your Hill Country wine trip: A wine lover’s guide to tasting Texas
Planning a Texas Hill Country wine trip? There’s so much exciting wine being made in Texas, and the choices can be overwhelming. The Fredericksburg and Johnson City area features over 50 wineries and tasting rooms along the 30-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 290. In total, the greater Texas Hill Country region is home to over…
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Be a wine judge for the day at the 40th Annual GrapeFest!
The quality and variety of Texas wine is expanding so quickly that keeping up with it can be quite a task. A delicious task–but daunting nonetheless. Fortunately, whether you’re a bona fide Texas wine superfan or a newcomer, you can taste wines from across the state without leaving the DFW area. The 40th Annual GrapeFest®…
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TEXSOM Sommer Camp 2026: The most exciting week in wine
It’s a reunion that I’ve been awaiting for many months: TEXSOM 2026 and almost an entire week of Sommer Camp! Sommer Camp starts in Irving, Texas on August 20. In the summer of 2025, I was a raw beginner with stars in my eyes and a brand-new wine blog. I registered for five days of…
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Merlot Thursday: Siboney Cellars “Storm Breaker” Texas High Plains Merlot (2024)
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…
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Texas Wine News Roundup: Summer 2026
Big news from the Decanter Awards, a new grape variety, and a new place to sip sparkling wine in the Hill Country! In our quarterly news roundup, we share some of the top Texas wine news stories that have hit the presses in 2026. Story #1: Texas wines make a huge splash at the 2026…
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Onward and upward for Texas wine! Tasting North Texas at the Frontiers of Flight Museum
Texas wine took over the Frontiers of Flight Museum for a day, with a dozen producers showing up to pour their wines for thirsty Dallasites. A backdrop of historic aircraft and spacecraft set the scene as the post-brunch crowd streamed in for an afternoon of tasting. The Wine Fairy was there, too! Here’s what we…
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Texas Wine News Roundup: Spring 2026
Spring is here in Texas! That means it’s time for bluebonnets, barbecue, and rosé on the patio. As Texas wine superfans, we’re always on the lookout for new wines to taste and new places to visit. Here are the five Texas wine stories that broke through the noise in the first quarter of 2026. Story…
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A Texas Tempranillo Experience at Red River Wines (Sadler, TX)
With its versatility, affinity for oak aging, and heat tolerance in the vineyard, Tempranillo is arguably the signature black grape of Texas. (It’s currently the second-most planted, after Cabernet Sauvignon–and gaining.) Since the first commercial plantings in the early 2000s, Texas winemakers have looked to this variety to craft bold reds with balanced fruit, spice,…
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DFW Wine Events: February 2026
Hello, loveys! Have we got big list of February events for you! This weekend’s winter storm is assuredly going to suck–but the sun (and the wine) will come out tomorrow. So get ready to shake off the winter blahs, get out from under the covers, and indulge your craving for tasty wine adventures around the…
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The boldest reds in the West: Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard (Grapevine, TX)
Part Texan, part Italian, and completely delicious–that’s how I describe Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard to North Texas newcomers. The family-owned winery was founded in 2010, following an Italian-American winemaking heritage that was passed down through generations. Make it part of your weekend wine trip, and enjoy Italian hospitality, Texas style! If you think you’ve…