Bending Branch Winery Wins “Top Texas Wine” at Houston Rodeo

Bending Branch Winery in Comfort, Texas, has won the coveted “Top Texas Wine” from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, earning the signature saddle award for the winery’s first Hill Country estate-grown Tannat 2011.  Its Texas Tannat, Texas High Plains 2011 also received a double gold medal, earning a Reserve Class Champion award, and its Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards 2010 earned gold.

“We are so proud to win Top Texas Wine at the Houston competition, particularly for our first-ever estate Tannat,” says Robert Young, Bending Branch founder and co-winemaker.  “Our signature grape, Tannat, has found a sweet spot on the planet here and makes a remarkable and distinctive wine.  We couldn’t be more proud to bring home a saddle for our Tannat.”

These prestigious awards come on the heels of earning two gold and four “Top of Class” medals at the 2014 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Wine Competition.  Bending Branch Winery won two gold medals for its 2009 Petite Sirah Reserve, Paso Robles and 2009 Petite Sirah Port style, Paso Robles.

Earlier this year, Bending Branch won a prestigious double gold, at the 2013 San Francisco International Wine Competition.  The 2010 Bending Branch Cabernet Sauvignon, Newsom Vineyards, which received unanimous gold medals from every judge on its panel, is the first 100 percent Texas Cabernet Sauvignon to win double gold in at least 16 years.

2014 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition Awards

Bending Branch will be presented with its saddle at the Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup and Best Bites Competition on Sunday, Feb. 23.  The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2014 Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition boasted 2,505 entries, including wines from 40 Texas wineries and 16 different countries.

Bending Branch wines awarded medals at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition include:

Top Texas Wine:  Bending Branch Tannat, Estate Grown, Texas Hill Country 2011

Class Champion and Double Gold:  Bending Branch Tannat, Estate Grown, Texas Hill Country 2011

Reserve Class Champion and Double Gold: Bending Branch Texas Tannat, Texas High Plains, 2011

Gold:

• Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains, 2010
• Petite Sirah Port style, Paso Robles, 2009

Silver:

• Mourvedre, Reddy Vineyards, Texas High Plains, 2011
• Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, 2011
• Petite Sirah Reserve, Paso Robles, 2009
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Duarte Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, 2011
• Tannat, Port style, Paso Robles, 2011
• Tempranillo, Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains, 2011

2014 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Champion Awards

Gold:

• Petite Sirah Reserve, Paso Robles, 2009
• Petite Sirah Port style, Paso Robles, 2009

Top of Class:

• Tannat, Bella Collina Vineyards, 2009
• Vermentino, Carneros, 2012
• Petite Sirah Reserve, Paso Robles, 2009
• Petite Sirah Port style, Paso Robles, 2009

Silver:

• Tannat, Port style, Paso Robles, 2011

Bending Branch Winery, a boutique winery near Comfort, Texas in the Texas Hill Country AVA, is a sustainable practices and organically focused operation with 20 acres of vines comprising 16 grape varieties, including its signature Tannat.  It produces wines from both Texas and California appellations.