1840 Blending Experience 2022 Winner Announcement

One of the perks of 1840 Club membership is the opportunity to compete in the 1840 Blending Experience. During January of 2022, 44 teams became the winemaker for a day and participated in the competition. Participants were provided with barrel samples of four wines and the necessary measuring tools to master the perfect blend. This year’s blending wines were:

• 2019 Charbono, Sierra Foothills
• 2019 Malbec, Texas High Plains
• 2019 Sagrantino, Texas High Plains
• 2019 Tannat, Newsom Vineyards

  

Co-owner & Winemaker Dr. Bob Young and General Manager Jennifer McInnis Fadel evaluated all of the blends over a two-day period and narrowed down the finalists. On March 5th, they tasted through the final blends live at the Wine Club Lounge and announced the winners. Watch on Facebook Live

The top three winning teams will be receiving an invitation to a very special dinner at the winery.

Congratulations to:

1st place: Wine-Ocologists

2nd place: Saints of the Grape

3rd place: Bender Blenders

 

An honorable mention goes out to the 4th place team: Coassolo Torinese

Blend breakdowns:

Wine-Ocologists 90% Charbono – 10% Sagrantino

Saints of the Grape 64% Tannat – 36% Charbono

Bender Blenders 60% Tannat – 40% Malbec

We’d like to thank all of the 1840 Club members that came out to participate in this fierce competition, and cheers to the winners!

Texas Tannat Represents at the Wine Museum of Paris

A Bending Branch Tannat recently made its debut at the Wine Museum of Paris. Located near the Eiffel Tower, the Musée du Vin Paris was born thanks to the will of the members of the Council of The Échansons de France, an association whose goal is the defense and promotion of French wine in the world. The museum’s permanent collection, rich in more than 2,200 objects and property of the Council of The Échansons de France since 1984, pays tribute to all those who have worked to produce world-famous wines. Trades and traditions are evoked, illustrating several thousand years of know-how and the richness of French winemaking heritage.

So, how did a Texas Tannat make it all the way to the Wine Museum of Paris? Bending Branch Co-Owner and Winemaker Dr. Bob Young was inducted into the Renaud Society in 2009. The Renaud Society is a group of medical professionals with an interest in better health and a passion for wine. The Society honors the legacy of Professor Serge Renaud, father of the French Paradox, and supports wine and health research and education, and promotes the sharing of wine and health interests among medical colleagues worldwide. In May of 2019, Dr. Bob attended the International Wine & Health Summit held at UC Davis, where he met Dr. Tedd Goldfinger, Arizona cardiologist and Grand Maître of the Renaud Society. Dr. Bob left some Bending Branch wines with Dr. Goldfinger after the summit, including a 2014 Tannat.

  

On January 29, 2022, Dr. Goldfinger poured Bending Branch’s 2014 Tannat CM, Newsom Vineyards, at a Fédération Internationale des Confréries Bachiques (International Federation of Wine Brotherhoods) meeting held at the Wine Museum of Paris where it was met with rave reviews. In 2018, this wine earned a score of 90 points in the James Suckling American Wine Revolution and was also awarded a gold medal at the Lone Star International Wine Competition.

We are honored that our wine was represented in Paris and was met with such enthusiasm. We would like to thank Dr. Goldfinger for sharing the great photos and video from this tasting. We would also like to thank Marie Bourdillas from Vignobles Bourdillas for translating the video. Cheers to Texas Tannat on the world stage! Brought to you by the Tannat House of Texas.

Pictured bottom left: Dr. Tedd Goldfinger

2022 YourSA Readers’ Choice Awards

We are honored to be nominated for Best Winery in the 2022 YourSA San Antonio Express-News Readers' Choice Awards. We can't do this without YOU!

Please take a moment to vote for Bending Branch.

VOTE HERE

You may vote once per day through February 28th.

Thanks to our loyal fans, Bending Branch has been voted Best Winery for the last six years: 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 & 2015. (There was no competition in 2020.)

Let's make it seven years in a row!

Make your reservation now for the 1840 Blending Experience

Be the winemaker for a day! The 1840 Blending Experience is available to all 1840 and 1840 Custom Case Club members from January 2 through January 31. It’s easy and fun to compete. Here's how:

• Assemble a team of 2 to 8 1840 Club members. 
• Choose your date and time, then reserve a table by emailing club@bendingbranchwinery.com or calling the estate tasting room at 830-995-2948.
• When you arrive for your reservation, you’ll be provided with barrel samples of four wines and the necessary measuring tools.
• Once you’ve mastered the perfect blend, submit your formula on the official entry form before you leave. (You will not submit a sample of the wine.)

The Bending Branch winemaking team will recreate all the submissions in February, when Owner Dr. Bob Young and General Manager Jennifer McInnis Fadel will judge the entries.

Winners will be announced at the Wine Club Lounge at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. The winning teams will be treated to a very special Winner Dinner in the spring.

 
All seating is outdoors, by reservation only.

Please note that we may have to reschedule your reservation due to inclement weather.

Don’t wait until the end of the month – reservations are limited!

Looking for teammates?

New for 2022 – If you would like to be placed with other 1840 members to form a team, we are offering group dates on the following weekends:

Saturday, January 8  Noon-2 p.m.
Sunday, January 9  2-4 p.m.
Saturday, January 29  Noon-2 p.m.
Sunday, January 30  2-4 p.m.

Call 830-995-2948 or email club@bendingbranchwinery to reserve your spot on a team!

Blending Experience FAQs

May I enter the competition by myself, or must I have a team?

• A team can be from 2 to 8 1840 Club members.

May I have more than 8 people on my team?

• 8 is the maximum team size.

Can a team include non-member guests?

• All team members must be 1840 Club or 1840 Custom Case Club members. A non-member can sign up today for a one-year 1840 Club membership.

May I bring a non-member along who will not be participating in the Blending Experience?

• Yes, guests are always welcome to enjoy our standard tasting.

May I be a member of more than one team?

• Each club member may only participate on one team.

May we have the Blending Experience at the Wine Club Lounge?

• Yes, the Blending Experience is available by reservation at both the estate tasting room (7 days) and the Wine Club Lounge (Sat-Sun).

What if there are no reservations available when I can attend?

• Plan ahead! Reservations are limited and end on January 31, 2022.

What if I cannot come to the winery during the month of January? Can you ship the wines to me?

• All blending entries must be done in person, by reservation, at Bending Branch Winery. No exceptions.

Is there a charge for the Blending Experience?

• The Blending Experience is complimentary for 1840 Club members. It will be your comp tasting/glass for this visit.

Holiday Staff Picks

What are the Bending Branch staff drinking for the holidays?

We've tasted them all. Here are our top picks!

 

Jackie Swan, Tasting Room Associate

I will be drinking our new release 2018 Tannat, Tallent Vineyards for our Christmas Day dinner. We will be having a standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding. It's a family tradition.

Erin Shields, Wine Club Assistant

My family tradition is chili (with beans). My whole life we have had chili on Christmas Eve. Growing up this was always a tradition that we celebrated by gathering at my Grandma Margaret's. Although she is no longer with us and our family is in different parts of the country, we still prepare chili on Christmas Eve in our respective homes. My pairings would be Bending Branch 2018 Tempranillo and/or 2018 Ursa Zinfandel.

Kim McCallum, Tasting Room Associate

My thoughts for dinner are to make individual Beef Wellington’s paired with Tallent Tannat, a Tannat red wine mushroom sauce and cheesy potatoes gratin. As an appetizer a baked brie with raspberry chipotle puff pastry served with the bubbly Brut! And, I might add, playing Charlie Brown Christmas music by Vince Guaraldi.

Tom Kartrude, Tasting Room Associate

Our holiday meals must include a beef rib roast. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Newsom Vineyards tastes like a great pairing for our favorite recipe for coffee and pepper rubbed rib roast (along with some Dijon mustard and crushed garlic). The 2018 is a bit lighter and more complex than most young Cabs, allowing it stand in well for Cabs with a little more age and finesse. The 2019 Napa Cab would be a great alternate, but with the limited supply I doubt it will still be available for the holidays…plus I think we just need to celebrate the holidays in true Texas style. After all, Santa may be watching.

Carla Carter, Tasting Room Associate

My go-to is Texas Tannat as a standalone or pair it with shrimp creole.

Deborah Elissagaray, Co-Winemaker at Ursa Vineyards

It's no surprise that the wine we'll be pouring is the D’Elissagaray Basque Blend. It takes me back to Amatchi's (grandmother in Basque) and her long family table (24 of us without guests!) and the smell of lamb and garlic potatoes and drinking wine out of any vessel, goblets to jelly jars.

Allison Thomason, Enologist

I act the same way at home as I do in the office, I snack all day! This year I will be snacking on my Mimi’s cranberry pecan jalapeno chutney on top of cream cheese with a glass of Desert Willow Mourvèdre to the point I almost ruin my dinner. After Christmas, I will read my new book from Santa with Double Barrel Tannat and ALL of the leftover fudge in the house.

Sara Potter, Marketing Coordinator

I’m looking forward to opening some bottles I’ve been holding on to for special occasions, like the 2017 Celebration Cuvée and also Chloe Cuvée. And bubbles, of course! I have a couple of bottles of Tannat Frizzante left and Bending Branch Brut is a no-brainer for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Will Thomas, Tasting Room Associate

I am enjoying the 2018 Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards which features nice berry fruit and integrated tannins making it a versatile food wine. I have paired it with smoked chicken and grilled cedar planked salmon with great results and plan on drinking it with filet mignon on Christmas Day.

Amy Wagner, Cellar Assistant/Tasting Room Associate

I’m definitely a Bending Branch Brut girl. As I get out of bed on Christmas, I look forward to the smell of banana nut stuffed French toast being warmed in the oven as I make my mimosa! This year we will have tamales on the menu, and I’m going to pair them with the 2018 Mourvèdre. I love this wine, and it really brings out the flavor in my tamales.

Susie Boswell, Wine Club Manager

The 2018 Double Barrel Tannat is by far the best we’ve ever had! We will pair it with prime rib for Christmas dinner.

Jennifer Cernosek, Direct to Consumer Manager

The Bubbles Trio that we are offering is a must-have, especially at $80 per package. Three bottles of Bending Branch Brut hits some of the major traditions for my family. Tradition 1: Each year, when decorating our Christmas tree, my husband Brandon and I always pop a bottle of bubbles to celebrate. Tradition 2: Perhaps a new tradition, my cousin Christy and I hosted Thanksgiving together for the first time. For everyone prepping food at her house that day, we started with a pour then toast of Bending Branch Brut. And while I could come up with a dozen other reasons to open celebratory bubbles between Christmas tree decorating (which is before Thanksgiving at my home) and New Year’s Day, celebrating with Bending Branch Brut is a staple to any New Year party (Tradition 3).

My other holiday pick is 2018 Petit Verdot, Newsom Vineyards. I could not be more excited about this wine, and it is the first vintage of single-variety Petit Verdot produced by Bending Branch Winery. This grape was harvested with the intention of using it for blending, but when tasting it from the barrel, it was so good that the winemaking team chose to bottle it on its own. With less than 40 cases available to sell, it was first offered to 1840 members as an add-on to their December release. Very little of it remains. Not only is it incredibly good, but it is a conversation piece. Bringing a very rare wine to a holiday gathering is a thoughtful and special touch. It’s bold and will pair well with charcuterie, appetizers or the main course. So how to you get it? It’s not online, but you can call the tasting room at 830-995-2948 to purchase or stop in and buy a bottle. While supplies last, of course.

Colleen Mergele, Tasting Room Associate

We will enjoy 2018 Petit Verdot with dill mushroom soup with farmhouse sourdough bread.

Judy Sullivan, Tasting Room Manager

I will be enjoying the bubbly Brut with divinely decorated Christmas cookies!

Stephen Mergele, Ursa at Branch on High Tasting Room Manager

My family will be drinking the 2017 Mencía and the new 2018 Zinfandel. After dinner, it’s time for the 2013 Angelica with dessert.

Terri Reusch, Tasting Room Associate

We will have a bottle of 2020 Tannat Rose, Tallent Vineyards served with roasted turkey and all the fixings. And of course, a bottle of bubbly Brut to bring in 2022!

Karen Cook, Tasting Room Associate

I am decorating my glass with 2018 Tannat, Tallent Vineyards. I was fortunate enough to get a preview when we bottled this over the summer, and now I plan to enjoy it with baked ham glazed in chipotle and apple butter, and a sharp cheddar potato galette.

Jim Mitchell, Tasting Room Associate

On very special occasions, I like to grill a large Texas Tomahawk Ribeye. I marinate the ribeye overnight with a coconut garlic amino sauce, Rudy’s rub, Himalayan salt and crushed black pepper. I like to grill it old school style on an open fire pit with charcoal and mesquite wood. When the coals are ready, I sear the steak on all sides and then move the steak away from the high heat and take my time to slow cook it. Lots of patience and a glass of a good Kentucky bourbon is required. When the steak is ready, I top it with slabs of butter and let the steak rest several minutes. Now, it’s ready to eat and nothing goes better with it than a Double Barrel Tannat. I have currently have three bottles in my wine chiller – one 2017 and two of the 2018 vintages.

 

Ursa Vineyards Winemaker Dinner

~Exclusively for Ursa Gold Rush Club Members~

We are thrilled to hold our first-ever Ursa Winemaker Dinner on November 19th at The Ingenhuett on High. Originally scheduled for November of 2020, the pandemic forced us to postpone this Ursa Gold Rush Club-exclusive event. Ursa Winemakers Greg Stokes and Deborah Elissagaray will be traveling from Placerville, California, to be a part of this special evening along with the Ursa at Branch on High team.

Tickets are on sale now for this Basque-inspired wine dinner prepared by Tina and Lucas Kent of The Bread Box. The event will feature wine and food pairing stations so guests can move around the space throughout the evening. The Ingenhuett on High has both indoor and outdoor areas for guests to mix and mingle.

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MENU

6:30 p.m. Welcome wine | 7 p.m. Dinner

Charcuterie
Individual cups filled with Jamón, Manchego cheese, quince paste, olives, dried apricots, and pecans

Veggies
Cold smoked asparagus, mushrooms, squash, and tomatoes marinated in fresh Spanish oregano and extra virgin olive oil

Meats
Seared lamb marinated in fresh yogurt and herbs
Seared beef tenderloin marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh parsley

Dessert
Basque cheesecake

$50 per member. Limit 2 tickets per membership. This event is 21+ only.
**URSA GOLD RUSH MEMBERS – CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR THE EVENTBRITE TICKET LINK.**

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Not an Ursa Gold Rush Member? Visit our Wine Clubs page to join today! Contact Ursa at Branch on High if you need assistance: 830-995-3394 or club@ursavineyards.com.

Pictured: Deborah Elissagaray and Greg Stokes, along with Vespa and Coco, at Ursa Vineyards in Placerville.

Texas Vintners Cup Winner - 2017 Tannat, Newsom Vineyards

Just in time for Texas Wine Month, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Uncork Texas Wine program teamed up with Texas Monthly to create the inaugural Texas Vintners Cup 2021 competition to select 12 wines that represent the best in Texas.

The Bending Branch 2017 Tannat, Newsom Vineyards made the list! This wine was produced using a combination of cryo-maceration and flash détente technology, two techniques used to extract more color, flavor and tannins from grapes to make bold, but balanced red wines.

Rounding out the top 12 were Honorable Mention wines that included another Bending Branch Tannat – the 2017 Tannat CM, Tallent Vineyards.

Bending Branch – considered the Tannat House of Texas – planted its first Tannat in 2009 on its estate property and was among the first wineries to release a Tannat in Texas, a 2008 Tannat released in 2010. This year, Bending Branch had more than a dozen Tannat wines in its portfolio.

Here’s what the judges had to say about the 2017 Tannat, Newsom Vineyards:

“It’s amazing to see how well Tannat is doing in Texas. This wine is big and robust with dark red fruit, blackberry and dewberry, baking chocolate, spice. It’s full bodied, with dense, well-integrated tannin,” said Master Sommelier Jack Mason, who oversees Texas’ portfolio at RNDC Distributing.

“Chewy, leathery, and ripe tannins exemplifying the best of the Tannat grape variety. Note how the baking chocolate from oak complements the blueberry and blackberry liqueur notes. It’s big, but long and fine; a well-made Tannat that shows what the variety can do,” said Master Sommelier James Tidwell, co-founder of TEXSOM.

Mason and Tidwell joined Texas Monthly wine and food writer Jessica Dupuy, certified sommelier and author of The Wines of Southwest USA, as judges who evaluated 260 wines from 67 wineries.

Virtual Wine Tasting for a Cause

Bending Branch Winery is teaming up with Love Not Lost for an October 14th virtual fundraising event. Love Not Lost is on a mission to revolutionize the way we heal in grief. They do this through their photography program, community support program, and corporate care program.

Their photography program was inspired by Founder and Executive Director Ashley Jones’s personal experience. Ashley’s daughter Skylar faced a terminal illness and died at 21 months of age. The photographs that Ashley has from two professional sessions with her daughter continue to offer tangible comfort. Ashley has donated photography sessions for people facing terminal diagnoses since her experience. She says, “Not only do I hope to pay it forward, but I hope to change the way we look at grief and suffering so that we can love people better and bring healing through loss.”

CLICK HERE to read about Ashley’s story in greater detail. Photo of Skylar by Tessa Marie Photography for The Jones Family.

Ashley was introduced to Bending Branch Winery when she met Bending Branch’s General Manager, Jennifer McInnis Fadel. Jennifer was touched by Ashley and Love Not Lost because of her own grief journey, and she also knew there would be synergy between Love Not Lost and Bending Branch.

Bending Branch Winery Co-owners and Founders Dr. Robert W. and Brenda Young face their own grief from the loss of a child. Their son Phillip died in a car accident at the age of 18. It’s not something that they talk about often, but they continually do good deeds in their son’s memory through a trust in his honor.

Ashley and the Young Family share a connection to Atlanta. Love Not Lost is based in Atlanta, and Dr. Bob spent 16 years in Atlanta managing Meridian Medical Group practice. Also, along with a few other physicians in the United States, he developed a new specialty in inpatient medicine called Hospitalist at Eagle Hospital Physicians.

Like many nonprofit organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the ability to fundraise, so virtually bringing together two inspiring business founders – Dr. Bob of Bending Branch and Ashley of Love Not Lost – seemed like a winning combination to impact good.

Participants of the virtual tasting will be guided through tasting three Bending Branch wines while hearing engaging conversations and stories. Participants will also receive a charcuterie package.

CLICK HERE For more information and to purchase the package. Please place your order by September 22.

I’m very moved by the Love Not Lost mission and look forward to October 14.

We grieve deeply because we love deeply, and that love is never lost. – Ashley Jones, Love Not Lost Founder

Bending Branch Estate Vineyard Update

We wanted to share a quick update on the Crimson Cabernet vines planted on the Estate near our Wine Club Lounge. After careful research to find a variety best suited for our site, we selected Crimson Cabernet – a genetic cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Norton – because of its resistance to disease and cold hardiness. The vines proved themselves by thriving after February's Snowpocalypse!

The 2021 vintage marks the vines’ third year in the ground. A vineyard becomes established and produces its first crop after being planted for three growing seasons or its “third leaf.” The grapes recently went through veraison, which means the berries have turned from green to a deep purple color. It is also around the time of veraison that we have to put up bird netting to protect the fruit. And as always, the Bending Branch chickens have been doing their job helping us with pest management.

Typically, when a grape goes through veraison it is about 6 weeks away from ripeness and ready for harvest. While the vines are healthy and beautiful, there are only a small amount of grapes this year from our 1-acre vineyard.

If you are visiting the Wine Club Lounge, make sure to take a walk through the vineyard to visit the vines. We would also like to thank the members who adopted a vine or an entire row of vines. You can see the names of our row-adopters on name plates at the end of each row. Next year, we look forward to inviting vine adopters to participate in harvesting the Crimson Cabernet to make our first wine from these vines.

Images by Dayna DeHoyos/Stella Haus Films

 

Celebrate Tannat Rosé with an optional summer wine club release and free gift!

June is all about celebrating Rosé with National Rosé Day on June 12th and then International Rosé Day on June 25th. You can drink pink this summer with an optional 6-bottle club release of three different Tannat Rosé wines from Bending Branch Winery and Ursa Vineyards. A $142 retail value – plus $15 summer shipping.

Log in to your wine club account by July 3rd to opt in, and you will receive a pair of Rosé All Day ventilated wine toppers – perfect for enjoying wine outdoors this summer!

Members who opt in will also receive two tickets to attend our Tannat Rosé Club Release Party on Saturday, July 17th.

Enjoy two bottles each of these three unique Tannat Rosé wines.

Bending Branch Winery 2020 Tannat Frizzante Rosé, Texas Hill Country

This sparkling Texas Tannat is fruity, fanciful and fun with notes of strawberry, peach and watermelon. Chill well, pop the top, and enjoy the bubbles!

Bending Branch Winery 2020 Tannat Rosé, Tallent Vineyards

A pastel coral hue with fruity aromas, the 2020 Tannat Rosé delivers refreshing lemon-lime flavors with a delicate raspberry kick in this Texas Hill Country wine.

Ursa Vineyards 2019 Tannat Rosé, Silvaspoons Vineyards

Delicate orange peel and rose petal on the nose, followed by apricot and dry minerality reminiscent of Provence in this wine sourced from Silvaspoons Vineyards in the Alta Mesa AVA.

Protect your wine while sipping outdoors!

 

Stock up for summer with optional add-ons to your Rosé release.

Ursa Summer Whites (4 bottles): 2 Chardonnay, 2 Viognier

Bending Branch Summer Reds (3 bottles): Mourvédre, Petite Sirah, Texas Tannat

Ursa Summer Reds (4 bottles): Barbera, Major Red, Mencía, Zinfandel

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Opt in by July 3rd to receive this club release.

Please verify your shipping or pickup preference. Here’s how:

Log In to your wine club account HERE.

1. Click on Club List
2. Click Edit Club
3. Select the number of Rosé packages you would like
4. Scroll down to verify your shipping or tasting room pickup preference (Bending Branch Winery, Ursa at Branch on High, or Pearl Farmers Market on Saturday, July 24th)
5. Verify all info and click Submit

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IMPORTANT DATES:

July 3 Opt in to receive optional release
July 6 Credit cards will be processed
July 10 Pickup begins at Bending Branch or Ursa at Branch on High
July 13 Releases will ship from our fulfillment center
July 17 Tannat Rosé Club Release Party 1-4 p.m.

Questions?

Contact us at club@bendingbranchwinery.com or call the tasting room at 830-995-2948.

Thank you for being a member!