Texas Wine Country Visits 2026, Part 2 – K Estate, Untamed, Adega Vinho, Grape Creek

I wasn’t planning to return to the wine rooms of Texas’s Hill Country, but a visit from my daughter prompted another day trip to the region, during which we visited four properties in this increasingly bustling area. As always, thoughts follow, along with some top picks to look out for.

K Estate

Part of the sprawling Heath Family Wine operation (spanning five brands), K Estate operates a newly renovated but relatively small tasting room, with a focus on a broad swath of wines and styles. Most of these wines are not sold at retail. Wine club membership, as a result, is heavily promoted, but tasting here (a stand-at-the-bar affair) is perfectly pleasant, thanks to knowledgeable servers. Tastings include a small bowl of Heath’s herbed almonds, which are excellent palate cleansers.

Top Picks

2024 K Estate White – A blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Albarino sourced from estate grapes. A lovely balance between floral and lemon-driven notes greets the drinker, with soothing coconut lingering on the back end. $40

2023 K Estate Petit Verdot – Quite a surprise, as single-varietal Petit Verdot is rare in any region, and particularly Texas. This is a superstar offering, bursting with cherry and chocolate notes, barely hinting at florals. I also quite enjoyed the Malbec from K. $58

18421 E US-290, Stonewall, TX 78671

Untamed Wine Estates

This was an impromptu visit spurred by a desire to grab lunch, and give.

Given that Untamed’s restaurant has won numerous awards for its artisanal pizzas, this made for a natural place to stop. The owner’s history is South African, and its top-selling pie is inspired by the South African style, which includes bananas as a topping. I couldn’t convince the rest of my group to go for it, alas. Our more traditional pie, however, was a standout (and enough to feed three of us). The wines are mostly imported from California and South Africa, with just a tiny amount of Texas wine being served. Our server, Michael, was a real trip, sharing his love of wine and even bringing out blind samples to see whether we could guess the region and the grape (which, for once, I was successful at).

202 Ranch to Market Rd 1320, Johnson City, TX 78636

Adega Vinho

A Portuguese-inspired operation (“adega vinho” means “wine cellar” in the language), the tasting room here is a very different experience, with a boho thrift shop vibe that sees customers seated on couches dotting the quirky tasting room. Servers bring the operation’s universally light-bodied wines to the table and are likely to sit and chat for a spell before disappearing for the next bottle. During our visit, five wines were poured, many drawn from Hill Country grapes instead of the more common Texas High Plains fruit.

Top Pick

2023 Adega Vinho Chardonnay – Chardonnay is not typically thought of as a grape that thrives in Texas, but Adega Vinho does some wonders with it, turning out a shockingly on-point wine that could easily compete with anything from California. This is the only wine we actually purchased a bottle of during the trip (and drank it the next day). $45

1000 RM 1623, Stonewall, TX 78671

Grape Creek Vineyards

The pinnacle of the Heath Family operation is this unfortunately named but insanely popular operation that was packed to the gills when we arrived. The tasting rooms are somehow both luxurious and industrial and feature a series of stand-up bars that seems to never end — and again the wine club push is unrelenting. Service is efficient but, in my experience, a bit impersonal.

Top Pick

2023 Grape Creek Vineyards Bellissimo – A super Tuscan style wine blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, the two grapes temper one another well in this hearty but exuberant offering. $60

10587 US-290, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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