About Us
Bending Branch Winery was founded in 2009 by Robert W. Young, M.D., his wife Brenda, and their daughter, Alison. Bending Branch Winery marries Old World winemaking with modern science, using Cryo-Maceration and Thermoflash fermentation to make what Dr. Bob refers to as "Next World Wines."
CEO and Executive Winemaker Dr. Bob uses a combination of whole-berry, or carbonic maceration, along with these innovative techniques to extract the best qualities from grapes – color, flavor, and tannins – to make bold, but balanced red wines. Bending Branch is best known for Tannat, a grape variety that exceeds expectations in our Texas terroir. We’ve also had great success experimenting with Charbono, Sagrantino, and Souzão, along with perennial favorites Tempranillo, Malbec, and Mourvèdre.
In February of 2023, father-daughter team and Kentucky natives Dr. Bob and Alison brought some of their Bourbon Country heritage to Comfort by launching two new bourbon brands, Bending Branch 1840 and ChickenDuck. Alison serves as the Master Blender of the bourbon program.
Notable Awards
Dr. Bob’s first experiment with Cryo-Maceration resulted in the Top Texas Wine award at the 2014 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, for his 2011 Estate Tannat. In 2018, Bending Branch Winery was awarded Top Texas Winery at the same competition.
Bending Branch Winery was awarded Grand Champion at the 2020 FWSSR / BRIT™ Texas Sustainable Winegrowing Competition. Top honors were awarded to Bending Branch in combination with Tallent Vineyards of Mason, Texas, for their sustainable practices in the vineyard and other areas of operation in addition to wines submitted for a blind tasting.
Selected as one of just ten wineries nationwide as a 2024 Hot Brand by WineBusiness Monthly, Bending Branch was featured in the February 2025 edition of the magazine.
In 2025, Bending Branch Winery was voted Best Winery for the TENTH consecutive year in the San Antonio Express-News Readers’ Choice Awards.
Accolades
In February of 2026, Dr. Bob Young was honored with the John E. Crosby, Jr. Industry Excellence Award by the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association. This award recognizes a lifetime of achievement and contributions to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the Texas wine industry.
In January of 2026, Dr. Bob received the Gilstrap Innovator Award from the Texas Hill Country Wineries Association. This honor goes to an individual who has made an impact and a long-lasting change to the Texas wine industry.