Rootstock has long been one of the most popular Texas wine festivals, showcasing some of Central and North Texas’ best wineries. My wife and I have had the pleasure of attending the festival for a number of years, and each year it just gets better and better. The 2024 Rootstock Wine Festival was no exception.
This year’s festival was held on Saturday, April 20th, 2024, at the Earle Harrison House and Pepe Gardens in beautiful downtown Waco, Texas. We drove down early that morning to take advantage of a few of the other amenities Waco had to offer. Visitors to the city can enjoy browsing the Farmer’s Market, shopping at the Silos at Magnolia Market, mingling with the critters at Cameron Park Zoo, or just wandering the many hiking trails along the Brazos River at Cameron Park.
As forecasted in the days leading up to the festival, Mother Nature decided to grace the event with rain most of the day, but that did not dampen the spirits of those who attended. Being well prepared in advance, festival coordinators were able to shift the venue to the Earle Harrison Event Hall which kept attendees warm and dry. Winery tables were set up around the perimeter of the room with plenty of space provided in the center for guests to mingle and enjoy the day.
This year’s festival theme was unique in that it centered around sparkling wines! Each of the following wineries was pouring one or more of their best bubbles:
- Elisa Christopher Wines
- Farmhouse Vineyards
- Hidden Hangar Winery
- Hye Meadow Winery
- McPherson Cellars
- Pedernales Cellars
- Portree Cellars
- Saint Tryphon Vineyards
- Sandy Road Vineyards
- The Austin Winery
- Valley Mills Vineyards
The range of sparkling wines represented by these wineries was fascinating and clearly demonstrated the creativity of Texas winemakers. Guests had an opportunity to taste sparkling wines made from such varietals as Trebbiano, Vermentino, Viognier, Tannat, Black Spanish, and many others. Sparkling wines can be made from many varieties of styles, from sweet to semi-sweet to dry, and each participating winery brought its own interpretation to the festival. Guests were treated to a full range of styles from a traditional “Methode Champenoise” (i.e., Champagne style) to sparkling Rosé done in true Texas style. No two wines were the same.
Guests also had a wide variety of food options to choose from. The following vendors were busy all day serving up delicious meals and snacks:
- Bahler Street Pizza
- Le’s Kitchen
- Tru Jamaica
As is traditional, the festival was finished in grand style with VIP ticket holders treated to an evening dinner featuring a delicious four-course menu from the Olive Branch, with each course paired with a special wine from four of the participating wineries.
Congratulations to the festival coordination team, volunteers, and sponsors for making the 2024 Rootstock Wine Festival a tremendous success! And cheers to this year’s sponsors: This is Texas Wine and Texas Wine Lover!
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