2020 was a year like no other. It was complicated and demanding, and it forced us to be innovative throughout the year – sometimes from one hour to the next. It was exhausting and rewarding all at once, and we are stronger because of it.
We could not have done it without you. The support from our wine club members and extended Bending Branch family and fans sustained us through the last year. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Thank you for stocking up on Bending Branch and Ursa wines. Thank you for sending wine to your friends and families. Thank you for referring friends. Thank you for hosting corporate team-building virtual tastings. Thank you for attending our Friday happy hours on Zoom. Thank you for picking up curbside or at Pearl Farmers Market. Thank you for participating in drive-thru pickup parties. Thank you for visiting and supporting our new reservation experiences. Thank you for supporting local businesses. Thank you for making this journey with us.
It is a new year, and we are most proud that we survived the challenges of last year with our team intact. And what an amazing team we have.
We are optimistic, excited even, about 2021. There is light at the end of the tunnel as vaccines begin to roll out. We are eager to introduce new vintages and new wines, like our 2018 Estate Souzão, and we are hopeful to see many of you in person as the year progresses.
We look forward to raising a glass with you soon. Stay safe and healthy!
Jennifer McInnis Fadel, General Manager
Bob, Brenda, and Alison Young
And the entire team at Bending Branch Winery
One of the year’s most highly anticipated weekends is now a whole month long!
The 1840 Club Blending Party is now the Blending Experience, and it’s available to all 1840 and 1840 Custom Case Club members by reservation from January 2 through January 31, 2021. It’s easy and fun.
Don’t wait until the end of the month - reservations are limited! And remember, COVID-19 mitigation measures are in effect, so all seating is outdoors, by reservation only. Read our Service Advisory.
The Bending Branch winemaking team will recreate all submissions in February, when owner and winemaker Dr. Bob Young, and General Manager Jennifer McInnis will judge the entries. Winners will be announced at a virtual live celebration on Zoom at 4 p.m., Saturday, March 6. Winning teams will enjoy a creative Winner Dinner experience, to be determined at a later date depending on pandemic protocols.
May I enter the competition by myself, or must I have a team?
A team must be from 2 to 8 members.
May I have more than 8 people on my team?
Eight is the maximum team size.
Can a team include non-member guests?
All Blending Experience participants must be 1840 Club or 1840 Custom Case Club members. No exceptions. A non-member can join the club today for a minimum of one year membership and participate.
May I be a member of more than one team?
Each club member may only participate once, on a single team.
May we have the Blending Experience at the members lounge?
Yes, the Blending Experience is available by reservation at both the estate tasting room and the members lounge.
What if there are no reservations available when I can attend?
Plan ahead! Reservations are limited and end on January 31, 2021.
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 and 1840 Custom Case Club members. The Blending Experience is the member’s complimentary tasting/glass for this visit.
Do I have to be present at the virtual live celebration to win?
Entries will be judged in a blind tasting, and winners need not be present to win. But you won’t want to miss the celebration 4 P.M., Saturday, March 6, 2021, on Zoom.
Harvest update from Jennifer McInnis Fadel, Bending Branch Winery General Manager:
We are getting more fruit this year than in the past from the Texas Hill Country, with harvest getting underway July 27th with Tannat from our estate vineyard, Lost Pirogue Vineyard. All of our Picpoul Blanc this year will come from the estate vineyard.
We also had a great Malbec harvest from Cherokee Rose Vineyard in Comfort at the end of July. We are about to release the first Malbec Reserve from that vineyard.
I am very excited about the quality of our fruit this year – its intensity and concentration is really exceptional. We will get some fruit from the Texas High Plains; overall, the fruit will come from smaller lots from multiple vineyards.
Given harvest will be made up of smaller lots, we will not use the flash détente technology as much this year, and instead will focus on small-batch, whole-berry fermentation and Cryo-maceration. We will use this opportunity to make more reserve and special selection wines.
Regarding COVID-19, we will maintain our health and safety protocols as we shift more of our activities to the winery. We will continue practicing social distancing, mandating face coverings, and using UV-C wands on surfaces and UV-C lamps in the restrooms. Additionally, the ozone machine is run weekly in the production facility, and we have installed smaller units in the tasting rooms.
Tannat harvest at Lost Pirogue Vineyard, 7/27/20. Thank you to Stella Haus Films for the beautiful images!
We are missing you. Typically, we see so many of you regularly to exchange hugs and stay up to date on what you’re up to. We are cooking up some ways to stay in touch virtually until we can all squeeze each other tight again. Please continue to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and read our blog, as we are frequently updating.
Members of our tasting room team are available to deliver orders of $100 or more to Comfort, Center Point, Boerne, Fair Oaks, and Kerrville.
Call the tasting room to place an order — 830-995-2948. We will schedule a delivery time, process the order, and add a 20% gratuity that will go to the team members fulfilling and delivering the orders.
You will recieve a call when one person from our team arrives to let you know we are delivering to your porch. The team member will return to their vehicle and wait to visibly confirm receipt — laws are laws and wine is alcohol. We’ll mark the order as picked up.
No touch is necessary — only a wave to say howdy and virtual hugs for now.
Thank you for supporting Bending Branch Winery during this stressful time.
Sincerely,
Jennifer McInnis Fadel
General Manager
Dear Bending Branch Winery Club Members,
For efficiency and safety for all concerned, we will cover the cost of shipping for the entire April wine release to all members. Even if you typically pick up your club, we will ship it. Even if you live in Comfort – we will ship it.
It is absolutely imperative that you log in to your account to make sure we have your correct shipping address. All wine selections, address changes, and credit card updates must be completed by March 26th. If you normally ship to a business address, please make sure we should still ship to that address. We want you to get your wine!
***The deadline to make changes is March 26th.***
Many people are asking the same question: is it safe to receive and handle a shipment?
The WHO and CDC have stated that the likelihood of catching the COVID-19 virus by touching cardboard or other another shipping container is low. CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS FROM UPS
When will my credit card be charged?
Credit cards will still be processed on Saturday, March 28th.
When will I get my wine?
Your April wines will be shipped from our fulfillment center on March 31st. As always, an adult must be present to sign for the package.
What else do I need to know?
The April 5th release party has been cancelled, and we have updated our tasting room hours and service. Until further notice, Bending Branch Winery estate tasting room will be closed for tastings. However, we will be open for curbside service from noon to 5 p.m. March 19-22 for call-ahead and online orders.
Email club@bendingbranchwinery.com you have additional questions that are not addressed here or in the email you received.
Please check your email for more details and continue to monitor our Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as the Bending Branch blog on our website for our most current information.
Enjoy the wines in your April release in good health, knowing that we will be together again as soon as we can.
Jennifer McInnis Fadel
General Manager
The health and wellbeing of our family, employees, and customers are paramount. As of this week, these are the updated measures we are taking:
We are so thankful to our incredible team, who has been working every day – even on their days off – to ensure we are doing everything we can to help #flattenthecurve and #slowthespread to buy our local medical facilities the time that they need to prepare as best as possible for what’s to come.
Owner and Winemaker Dr. Bob Young’s history of experience in public health medicine and epidemiology during his time a physician is an incredible resource in guiding us. Our management team also consists of our General Manager, Jennifer McInnis Fadel, who has a more than a decade of experience in multimedia and breaking news; and our Direct to Consumer Manager, Jennifer Cernosek, who oversaw the wellbeing of children and staff at a summer sleepaway camp for about seven years. There is a depth of knowledge within the rest of our versatile team. With them and our partnership with Dayna De Hoyos, Stellahaus Film, we plan to continue updating you through our blog, videos, and social media to continue to maintain the incredible sense of community that makes Bending Branch Winery special. Stay tuned for some innovative experiences we are planning.
Curbside pickup is available at Bending Branch Winery and Ursa at Branch on High.
UPDATED PROTOCAL: Out of concern for staff and customers, wine will be delivered curbside from a safe distance rather than placing in vehicles.
Customers can order online and select "Pickup" as shown below.
Call-ahead orders can be placed as well at 830-995-2948.
We are offering a call-ahead order option. Please call 830-995-3394 to place your order.
Once you've placed an order, simply call us when you're nearby. Someone from our team will bring the wine out to your vehicle.
Dear friends of Bending Branch Winery,
Many of you have supported us for years. So, you understand the priorities that Owner and Winemaker Dr. Bob Young places on medicine, health, and community.
As we face the COVID-19 coronavirus national emergency, we have taken precautions to safeguard our team, our customers, and our Comfort-area community. We want to share some of the proactive measures we have put in place this week.
If you are planning to visit, you will see heightened sanitation measures, social distancing, and service on our open-air patios and deck. Additionally, we are offering call-ahead orders that will be available for curbside pick up. The tasting room number is 830-995-2948.
Bending Branch Winery estate will be open regular business hours this weekend. The Members Lounge will be closed so that our team can concentrate on these measures.
The Pearl Farmers Market has been canceled through March 22. Bending Branch has also canceled all tours and events in March and April.
We will reevaluate additional precautions in the coming days and weeks. Please follow our social media and check our blog for updates.
MORE DETAILS
Visitation
Service
Cleaning schedule
Social distancing
Pearl Farmers Market
Pearl Farmers Market has been canceled through March 22 based on San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s recommendation to limit large gatherings to no more than 500 people, effective Friday. The city also is asking that all events with more than 250 people be canceled.
Events
April 5: BBW Wine Club Release will not be a traditional pick up party. We are working on more details and will provide updates.
April 11: Easter Egg Hunt has been canceled and refunds have been issued.
April 16: The Bordeaux River Cruise has been canceled by Ama Waterways.
April 25: King William Fair has been postponed. As of now, Fiesta has been moved to November 5-15.
Thanks you for your support and understanding.
Sincerely,
Jennifer McInnis Fadel
General Manager
Bending Branch Winery
We are excited to announce that the 2011 Bending Branch Winery Estate Tannat will be auctioned for the second time to benefit youth scholarships.
In 2014, the 2011 Estate Tannat from Bending Branch Winery received the Top Texas Wine award at the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. The award was presented by the George H. W. Bush Library Foundation. A magnum bottle of that wine was auctioned at the Champion Wine Auction, for $100,000 – which, at that time was the second highest bid for a Texas wine.
The Youngs were honorary co-chairs at the 2014 Vintner Dinner and Wine Auction at the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation. A few weeks later, they received a bottle of that wine signed by George H. W. and Barbara Bush. The Youngs have coveted and cellared that wine with care for five years. As a way to honor President Bush and his wife, Barbara, and their legacy of philanthropy, the Youngs have offered the autographed bottle to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction to raise money for scholarships. Part of the agreement is that 50 percent of the money raised will benefit local youths through scholarships administered by the Comfort Area Foundation. Comfort, Texas, is the home of the Youngs and Bending Branch Winery.
You can view this item via the auction link. The auction will be held on Sunday, February 24, in Houston.
Bending Branch Winery will celebrate Open That Bottle Day on Saturday, February 23, by uncorking the celebrated 2011 Estate Tannat in the Bending Branch Winery Estate tasting room and Wine Club Lounge. For a $5 donation, you can taste the wine, and those proceeds will benefit Comfort Area Foundation scholarships.
Our hearts are with the Bob, Brenda, and Alison Young, as they mourn the death of Owner Brenda Mobley Young's mother.
Wilma Blanche Mobley, 93, of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, passed away at 6 a.m., Tuesday, February 12, 2019, while staying at the Willows at Citation in Lexington, Kentucky.
She was born February 6, 1926 in Washington County to the late Worley Cassius Lay and Isa Mae (Adkinson) Lay and attended the Mackville School. Her marriage of 69 years was to Ernest Mobley on December 8, 1945; he preceded her in death on September 17, 2015.
After raising her four young children, Mrs. Mobley took a job at Cricketeer Clothing Manufacturers in Harrodsburg where she worked as a seamstress for over twenty-five years.
Mrs. Mobley was a long-time member of the Harrodsburg Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school classes for pre-school children for many years. She enjoyed spending time with her family and her gardening skills planting and nurturing a variety of flowers in her yard earned her recognition through a feature article in the Harrodsburg Herald newspaper.
Survivors are her sister, Virginia Isham of Lawrenceburg; a brother, Leo (Doris) Lay of Willisburg; children Brenda (Bob) Young of Comfort, TX, Judy (Bob) Boggs of Lexington, Danny (Cathy) Mobley of Harrodsburg, and David (Pam) Mobley of Danville; her grandchildren, Missy (Bobby) Walden of Harrodsburg, Matthew Riddell of Louisville, Michael Mobley of Frankfort, Amy (Aaron) Detjen of Lexington, and Alison Young of Comfort, TX; her great-grandchildren, Nick Walden, Lauren Riddell, Quentin Mobley, Ella Detjen, Liam Detjen, Jackson Rivenburgh, Ava Riddell, Norah Detjen, Libby Walden, Chloe Rivenburgh, Lia Riddell, and Charlie Myers.
Preceding her in death with her parents and husband are sisters, Isa Bell Coulter, Mary Lee Coker, Amie Ross, and Mayola Meadows; brothers, Frank Lay, Paul Lay, Hobert Lay, Dudley Lay, Alvie Lay, Hollis Lay, and an Infant; and a grandson, Phillip Young.
Friends may call 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with funeral services to follow at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at Ransdell Funeral Chapel, 345 E. Lexington Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330, (859) 734-4317.