Pillar Bluff Vineyards is located in Lampasas and is owned by Peggy and Gill Bledsoe. Gill Bledsoe’s twin brother Bill owns nearby Texas Legato. The winery was bonded in 1999 and the tasting room was opened in 2002.
When we re-visited Pillar Bluff Vineyards, the winery had not changed much, but on this visit we took time to admire the surroundings. There is a large pavilion next to the winery which is used for weddings and other private events. Behind the pavilion is the vineyard which we learned later is six acres comprising different red varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec, and Petite Sirah. The white varieties include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Sémillon.
We were visiting on a Friday morning when the winery opened. Gill Bledsoe was behind the tasting bar and he welcomed us as we entered the tasting room. He started us on a tasting as we sat at the tasting bar. Tastings can also be done while sitting at a table. Gill uses both corks and screw caps in his wines and he poured the tastings from the bottle.
There is a tasting fee for all wines currently available which was a total of nine wines during our visit. The tasting fee is refunded on a bottle purchase. Crackers with a bleu cheese dip were served to cleanse our palate.
All of Pillar Bluff’s wines are made with 100% Texas grapes except the Viognier which comes from California. We were enjoying our tasting as another couple came and we made room for them at the tasting bar. At that time we were tasting a Merlot and Gill said he had a 2010 Estate Reserve Merlot for us to try which was not on the list of wines to taste. It was harvested at 28 brix, made all natural, and sold for $40. He went to the back room to get it and the other couple got to enjoy the estate wine too.
When Gill got to his Ruby Port, he served chocolate with it. All in all, it was a great tasting to start the day.
Pillar Bluff Vineyards has a small gift shop with wine glasses and other wine accessories. If they are not busy, tours are available. There is a wine club and live music is held at the winery. Pillar Bluff Vineyards makes approximately 1,200 cases of Texas wine a year.
Pillar Bluff Vineyards is on the Texas Hill Country wine trail and the Way Out Wineries wine trail.
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