If you have traveled through Vanderpool on your way to Lost Maples State Natural Area, you might recognize the location of 187 North Winery & Brewery. The property was formerly home to Lost Maples Winery, owned by Glenda and Tom Slaughter.
The vineyard has an even longer history. It lies within the historic Polvado Vineyards, originally known as Polvadeau, on land that had been in Glenda’s family since 1812. Black Spanish, also known as Lenoir, continues to grow in the vineyard.
In 2024, Carlos Benavides and Cristy Alexander of Laredo, Texas, purchased the winery. The family is cattle ranchers from Laredo, but wine has also become a passion project for the property.
When we visited, we met Karina, the general manager and Cristy’s daughter. Karina told us her uncle Carlos is obsessed with wine, which helps explain how a Laredo cattle-ranching family ended up owning a winery in Vanderpool.
187 North Winery & Brewery officially opened in May 2026.
One of the things that caught my attention is the winery’s commitment to using only 100% Texas grapes. The wines are currently being made by John Rivenburgh at RVB Beverage, which operates a wine incubator that provides production services for wineries and wine brands.
The wine menu is divided into Signature Wines and Port-Style Dessert Wines. An interesting part of the program is that each of the dry wines has a corresponding port-style version.
The current Signature Wines include:
- 2023 Trebbiano, Texas High Plains
- 2023 Muscat/Canelli, Texas High Plains
- 2023 Pinot Grigio Rosé, Texas High Plains
- 2024 Mourvèdre, Texas Hill Country
- 2022 Teroldego, Texas High Plains
The Port-Style Dessert Wines are fortified with 100% Texas grape brandy and include:
- 2023 Trebbiano, Texas High Plains
- 2023 Muscat, Texas High Plains
- 2023 Pinot Grigio Rosé, Texas High Plains
- 2024 Mourvèdre, Texas Hill Country
- 2022 Teroldego, Texas High Plains
- 2024 Estate Lenoir, estate-grown
The one estate-grown wine currently being made is the 2024 Estate Lenoir, produced as a port-style wine from the Black Spanish grapes grown on the property. I was a little disappointed because I told Tom Slaughter he made one of the best dry Lenoirs I have had, and the new owners have not continued to make it.
Guests can order either a Signature Wine flight or a Port-Style flight, or enjoy the wines by the glass or bottle.
And despite “Brewery” being part of the name, you won’t find beer on tap just yet. Draft beer is coming, with the beers being made in Laredo, where the family is from. They are currently waiting on the necessary permit before they can begin serving it.
They also have plans for a sparkling rosé on tap, giving visitors another option beyond the traditional wine lineup.
It is nice to see this Vanderpool property continue its wine history after the closing of Lost Maples Winery. There is already plenty of history tied to the vineyard and the Lenoir vines growing there, while the new owners are putting their own stamp on the property with Texas-grown wines, port-style wines, and eventually beer.
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