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!

Bending Branch Wine Retreat at Camp Lucy

We are excited to partner with Camp Lucy to offer our first-ever Wine Retreat at their beautiful property in on Thursday, June 24th. Join the Bending Branch team for a private wine reception, dinner in the vineyard, and an overnight stay.

Nestled on an idyllic ranch in Dripping Springs, Camp Lucy has become the ultimate Hill Country getaway with luxury accommodations, world-class services, and gorgeous venues only minutes from Austin.

Camp Lucy is also home to a vineyard. We are proud to work with owners Kim and Whit Hanks, and the exceptional Camp Lucy team, to produce a single-variety Malbec and a three-variety red wine blend. Camp Lucy’s commitment to excellence mirrors the Bending Branch philosophy, generating an impressive synergy.

Join the Bending Branch team for a private reception, dinner in the vineyard, and an overnight stay on June 24th. Come experience the sophisticated style and warm hospitality Camp Lucy has to offer.

The $155 per-person ticket includes:

• 5 p.m. Private wine and bites reception at Ian's Chapel Pavilion
• 7:30 p.m. Dinner experience in the Camp Lucy Vineyard
• Group code for a discounted rate of $199 +tax for your overnight stay on June 24th.*

*The cost of the guest room is not included with this ticket. You will book your room through Camp Lucy online with group code 16357 or call 512-894-4400 to make your reservation. A limited number of luxury suites and cottages are also available at a higher rate.

Each attendee needs their own ticket for the retreat. Ticket sales have ended.

Service Updates

We are happy to report that the Bending Branch team is almost 100% vaccinated. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the safety of our customers and staff has been our top priority. It is important that all guests read and understand the following measures we are taking to offer the safest experience possible. We will continue to be open seven days a week and offer call-ahead curbside service.

COVID-19 Guest Advisory

The following applies to all visits:

• All service is outdoors.
• Reservations are recommended, but not required.
• Masks are not required of guests. Our team will be masked.
• Groups no larger than eight.
• Health screenings for our team.

Sanitation protocols: In addition to cleaning all surfaces between groups, we’ve implemented the use of UVC and ozone equipment to neutralize viruses and bacteria in restrooms and tasting rooms.

Children: Children are welcome at the Estate Tasting Room, and they count toward your group size. The Wine Club Lounge is 21+ ONLY.

Pets: Well-behaved pets on a leash with up-to-date vaccinations are welcome at the Estate Tasting Room. Pets are NOT currently allowed at the Wine Club Lounge. See our full pet policy here. (link to Visit Estate page)

Inclement weather policy: If you have a reservation, Bending Branch may be forced to cancel it due to inclement weather. We will reschedule your appointment or refund any fees paid.

Liability release: Guests acknowledge the risk of exposure to COVID-19 inherent in patronizing any hospitality venue, and release Bending Branch Winery from all liability.

If you’ve had contact over the past 14 days with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, please postpone your visit at least 14 days from the time of contact.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is right around the corner!

Treat the special lady in your life to a wine package from Bending Branch Winery or Ursa Vineyards.

 

Bending Branch Package

Mom will love this 3-bottle package of essential spring wines. She can enjoy a bit of brut for brunch, a glass of pink bubbles in the afternoon, and some refreshing new Mourvèdre with dinner.

Bending Branch Brut

2020 Tannat Frizzante Rosé

2018 Mourvèdre, Desert Willow Vineyards

$88 ― Bending Branch Club discounts apply. PURCHASE PACKAGE

Available at Bending Branch Winery and Ursa at Branch on High, or take advantage of $10 promotional shipping to 30+ states.

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Ursa Vineyards Package

Mom will be thrilled with this 4-bottle collection that showcases Ursa's broad range and classic style:

2019 Chardonnay, Wilson Vineyard

2019 Tannat Rosé, Silvaspoons Vineyards

2015 Barbera, Lone Meadow Vineyard

2018 Grenache, Sierra Foothills

$102 ― Ursa Gold Rush Club discounts apply. PURCHASE PACKAGE

Available at Ursa at Branch on High, or take advantage of $10 promotional shipping to 30+ states.

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Celebration of Texas Wine & Cheese Event

5 p.m. Friday, May 14th at the Wine Club Lounge

Treat Mom to a special LIVE tasting that pairs wines from the four wineries of Texas Fine Wine with four Texas cheeses selected by Antonelli's Cheese.

Wines from Bending Branch Winery, Duchman Family Winery, Pedernales Cellars and Spicewood Vineyards will be paired with cheeses from Pure Luck Farm & Dairy, River Whey Creamery, Eagle Mountain Farmhouse and Veldhuizen Cheese Shop.

The event will be held outdoors and physically distanced at the Wine Club Lounge. Each guest will receive a souvenir wine glass, an individual box with the four cheeses, meat, fruit and crackers from Antonelli's Cheese, and a 2-ounce pour of each featured wine.

$40 per person via Eventbrite. Seating is limited. PURCHASE TICKETS

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Merch for Mom

  

Perfect for warmer weather, gift Mom with an insulated stainless steel Swig wine tumbler or water bottle. We also have coffee cups, journals, cooler bags, T-shirts and more. Available at the Bending Branch tasting room.

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Bring Mom out for a tasting

Enjoy a self-guided, outdoor tasting of four wines. Souvenir wine glass included with paid tasting. Open for tastings seven days a week from noon to 6 p.m. Click HERE to make a reservation on Tock.

New release alert: 2018 Estate Tannat

It's here! The first release of Estate Tannat from Lost Pirogue Vineyard has arrived. Owners Bruce and Jana Colgate impeccably farm a 3-acre vineyard in Center Point that includes an acre dedicated to Tannat. The other two varieties planted, Picpoul Blanc and Souzão, have already seen their first wine releases with Bending Branch.

Tannat is Bending Branch Winery's signature red grape variety, and we've been highly anticipating the release of this special estate wine that was crafted from Lost Pirogue Vineyard's hand-harvested grapes.

The 2018 Estate Tannat is an elegant expression of skillful grape growing and artful winemaking. With notes of smoky dark berries, cinnamon, and clove, this wine will pair beautifully with your favorite cut of steak.

Also available starting today is the new release 2020 Estate Picpoul Blanc, the third vintage of elegant Picpoul Blanc from Lost Pirogue. The 2020 Estate Picpoul was fermented and aged in barrel, broadening the palate and adding complexity. Floral aromas mingle with pear, grapefruit, and creamy apricot in this spring sipper.

If dining with friends, either of these wines are sure to spark conversations about excellent Texas wine. Cheers to you, and bravo to the Colgates and the Bending Branch winemaking team!

  

Beautiful Tannat clusters from Lost Pirogue Vineyard

WINNER! 2021 YourSA Readers’ Choice Awards

We are #1! We’re incredibly honored to be voted Best Winery again in the San Antonio Express-News YourSA Readers' Choice Awards.

Bending Branch Winery has been voted Best Winery by San Antonio Express-News readers for six years in a row: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. (There was no competition in 2020.)

We want to thank our club members and loyal customers for making this possible. Your support is valuable to our success now more than ever.

Read: The best wineries just a drive from San Antonio

#YourSA21 #SanAntonio #SupportLocal #OpenLocalWine

2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce our results from the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition that took place in early March. There were over forty-eight judges, representing various North American wine regions, evaluating nearly 5,700 wines from over 1,000 wineries. The awards that Bending Branch Winery and Ursa Vineyards received are an amazing recognition of the hard work of our incredible winemaking teams and wonderful growers.

• DOUBLE GOLD 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Newsom Vineyards
• DOUBLE GOLD 2017 Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards
• GOLD 2017 Tannat, Newsom Vineyards
• GOLD 2017 Petite Sirah, Newsom Vineyards
• GOLD 2018 Texas Tannat
• GOLD 2017 Old Vine Petite Sirah, Shell Creek Vineyards
• GOLD 2016 Charbono, Zentner Vineyard
• SILVER 2017 Malbec, Newsom Vineyards
• SILVER 2017 Tannat CM, Tallent Vineyards
• SILVER 2019 Estate Picpoul Blanc, Lost Pirogue Vineyard

Pictured: Greg Stokes, Deborah Elissagaray, Dr. Bob Young, Brenda Young, Alison Young

Two great wineries. One amazing team.

Our California brand, Ursa Vineyards, also had impressive results. Nestled in the pastoral foothills of Placerville, California, Ursa was founded in 2001 by husband-and-wife winemaking team, Greg Stokes and Deborah Elissagaray. A mutual interest in Tannat is what brought together Ursa and Bending Branch Winery, when Dr. Bob Young hired Greg as a consultant in 2007. Their professional relationship flourished, and when Bending Branch was founded in 2009, its first wines were made by Bob and Greg at Ursa. The Young family purchased Ursa in 2014, making Greg and Deborah a permanent part of the team. Ursa wines are featured at our tasting room in downtown Comfort, Ursa at Branch on High.

• DOUBLE GOLD 2017 Merlot, Sierra Foothills
• DOUBLE GOLD 2017 Petite Sirah, Sierra Foothills
• GOLD 2019 Tannat Rosé, Silvaspoons Vineyard
• SILVER 2016 Zinfandel, Sierra Foothills
• SILVER 2018 Mencía, Silvaspoons Vineyard*
• SILVER 2017 Syrah-Sirah, Sierra Foothills*
• SILVER 2017 Tannat, Ferrel Ranch*

* Not yet released.

Virtual Happy Hour

Join the Bending Branch and Ursa teams for a special Drinking Double Gold happy hour on Zoom this Friday, March 19th. Winemaker Greg Stokes will join us to talk about all of these stellar wines. Find the event details and Zoom link on our event page.

1840 Blending Experience Winner Announcement

Join the Bending Branch team on Facebook Live as we announce the winners of the 1840 Blending Experience! Grab your favorite bottle of Bending Branch and join us at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 6th.

There are a total of 51 entries that will go through a first round of judging over two days the first week of March.
Owner Dr. Bob Young and General Manager Jennifer McInnis will evaluate the top 8 blends live and announce the winners.

Winning teams will be treated to a special wine dinner at Bending Branch Winery on Saturday, May 22nd, catered by our friends at The Bread Box.

Was your blend the winner? We can’t wait to find out!

Follow the event on Facebook.
 

2021 YourSA Readers’ Choice Awards

We've made it to the voting round of the 2021 YourSA San Antonio Express-News Readers’ Choice Awards.

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

Let's make it six years in a row!

Please take a moment to vote Bending Branch for Best Winery.

Vote here: http://bit.ly/VoteForBBW

You can vote once per day through March 5th. Thank you for your continued support!

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Important Service Updates

“Weather permitting.” It’s the headline of the week!

Our hearts go out to all who have been contending with consequences of the storm, and to all the hardy souls who have been working diligently to keep us safe through the arctic blast. Some of our Bending Branch team have had challenges, too, but we’re keeping tabs on everyone.

Here is our plan, weather permitting. The tasting rooms at Bending Branch Estate and Ursa at Branch on High are scheduled to open again at noon on Saturday. In the meantime, contact us at club@bendingbranchwinery.com if you need to get in touch. There is no one on site to answer the phone since many of us are working from home with sketchy power and internet. We’ll answer your email as soon as we are able.

Until then, here is news you can use about this weekend’s wine club Drive-Thru Pick-Up Party. All club members with Saturday reservations have been rescheduled to Sunday, at any time between noon and 5 p.m. You do not need to change your reservation, just show up on Sunday between noon and 5 p.m.

We will miss you if you cannot attend on Sunday. You may cancel your reservation through Tock. See more drive-thru party details and the Tock link HERE.

Although we won’t be hosting the Drive-Thru Pick-Up Party on Saturday, the tasting room at Bending Branch Estate will be open from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday the 20th, for wine club pick-up and curbside service only. You do not need a reservation to pick up your wine and chocolate.

We will not be at the Pearl Farmers Market on Saturday the 20th, but we plan to be at our usual location on Sunday, February 21st, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We hope to see you as the weather becomes more cooperative, and we apologize for the change in plans. Once again, please contact us at club@bendingbranchwinery.com if you need assistance.