Crown Hill Winery: Wine with a View

One of the newest Texas wineries in the Hill Country is Crown Hill Winery. During a day of multiple winery stops, we turned south off Highway 290 onto 1623 in Stonewall. We passed Adega Vinho and Pedernales Cellars, two wineries I know well. I try hard to stay “in the know” when it comes to what’s happening in Texas wine, but I hadn’t heard of this little gem when it was under construction. We turned onto the crushed granite road and followed the signs to the Crown Hill tasting room. Having just opened in April, the building is brand new and spotless. The wooden barn-style building has a modern industrial vibe with mixed materials, including gleaming concrete floors, a warm wood-paneled ceiling, huge windows, a brick accent wall, and a granite bar top.

 

The space offers several seating options, from dining tables to comfortable armchairs inside and Adirondack chairs to iron tables outside. And the view. Wow! It seemed like we could see the entire Hill Country from atop this little hill.

We started our wine tastings as we heard the story of this young couple who met while attending the University of Texas in Austin. Becky and Robert Belanger purchased the property in 2020 and hoped someday they could be a part of the booming Texas wine industry. They dreamed of a slower pace of life living in the country and couldn’t resist the draw of having fun pouring wine every day. They live in the beautiful ranch house situated behind the tasting room and enjoy a spectacular view.

The wines are 100% Texas grown and made. There are currently two flights to choose from, each with five wines. The current wines include a dry Muscat, a Tannat Rosé, Malbec, Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, Merlot, and the bold Bonitās blend of Petite Sirah and Tannat. My personal favorite was the Merlot, which is a French style with a bit of earthiness.

As we wrapped up our tasting, we watched a storm blowing in and rushed to the car to beat the downpour of rain. The secret of this quiet spot with its sprawling view won’t last long, so make your plans now to stop in on the weekend to check things out.