Juniper Cove Winery

One hour south of DFW lies the beautiful town of Whitney, a popular destination just three miles east of Lake Whitney. The town of Whitney bills itself as the “Getaway Capital of Texas.” Established in 1876 along the route of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, the first railroad through the Hill Country, Whitney was named after Charles A. Whitney, brother-in-law of railroad and shipping tycoon, Charles Morgan.

With a population of just under two thousand, one gets a strong sense of community pride here. Most of the business leaders know each other well and work together for the benefit of the community. One of those leaders is Anne Chastain, owner and operator of Juniper Cove Winery.

When I first met Anne, I was immediately struck by the exuberant energy and enthusiasm she has for her craft. After retiring from a successful career in engineering she decided to follow her passion for wine and enroll in Grayson College’s Viticulture and Enology programs. During her term at Grayson, she also took a trip to Bordeaux which further spurred her passion for wine.

After graduating from Grayson in 2018 she set to work planting a vineyard on a property she owns near Lake Whitney. It was fun to listen this petite-framed woman tell stories of digging up tree roots and operating heavy equipment on her own! One can’t help but be impressed by her commitment, not to mention her stamina. Today the vineyard is in its fourth leaf and has Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon (Château Margaux clones) planted.

Not content to stop there, Anne converted a second home on her property into a production facility and began making wines – literally in the kitchen. Her focus for the first year or so was on festivals and wine competitions from which she won several medals. This encouraged her to take the next step and open a tasting room named Juniper Cove Winery.

Opened in October of 2020 and situated on the corner of W. Washington Avenue and N. Brazos Street in downtown Whitney, Juniper Cove Winery occupies the building that once belonged to ol’ Doc Scarborough (“Dr. Dee”), owner of the pharmacy now known for the infamous (and hilarious) “Battle of the Bench.” You can still see the bench on the side of the building. I won’t tell the story here but it’s worth a quick google search.

With its cozy corners and comfy seating, Juniper Cove Winery provides an intimate and charming setting for visitors to gather, enjoy a glass of wine, and discuss the latest goings-on about town. Board games are available for guests to enjoy as well as a jukebox for entertainment.

Juniper Cove Winery is a member of the Cross Timbers Wine Trail and proud supporter of Texas wine. All wines sold at Juniper Cove are made by Anne (with input from industry friends and mentors) and sourced from 100% Texas grapes. The bottle label artwork is original photography shot on Anne’s vineyard property and other local venues by Anne and friends. I love the roadrunner image on her Tempranillo.

All Juniper Cove wines are offered by the glass or bottle. A tasting flight includes any four wines of your choice. The following wines are currently offered:

• Whites:
  • Petals (Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne blend)
  • Riesling
  • Orange Blanc (Orange Muscat and Blanc du Bois blend)
  • Moscato
• Reds:
  • River’s Edge Red (Aglianico)
  • Zinfandel
  • Black Spanish
  • Tempranillo
  • Mourvèdre
  • Black Zin (Black Spanish and Zinfandel blend)
  • Country Road Red (Semi-sweet “secret” blend)
• Specialty:
  • Midnight Moon – Port-style dessert wine

Incidentally, “Petals” just won a gold medal at the 2023 San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition. I can well understand why – it was one of my favorites at our recent tasting. And it won’t be Anne’s last. I’m sure we can look forward to great things from her in the future.

Wine club members enjoy priority notice of events and new releases, free tastings at each new release, and invitations to quarterly pick up parties. Two wine club options are offered:

• The Shore Club offers three bottles four times a year, 10% discount on all bottles, one complementary tasting per quarter, 10% discount on merchandise and food, and one complementary tasting for two guests at quarterly pick up parties.
• The Marina Club offers six bottles four times a year, 15% discount on bottles, two complementary tastings per quarter, 15% discount on merchandise and food, and complementary tastings for four guests at quarterly pick up parties.

Juniper Cove Winery is a strong supporter of the community with the winery frequently being made available to various local groups. For example, a cancer support group meets at the winery every third Wednesday. The Whitney Book Club meets every second Tuesday. The winery frequently pairs up with local businesses to support various functions and events. Special events are also held such as chocolate and wine pairings, a Mardi Gras party, and live music on select evenings.

Juniper Cove Winery is well worth a visit the next time you are near Whitney. You’ll find great wines, a fun and interesting owner, and an entire community of friends waiting to meet you. And don’t forget to sit on the infamous bench!