Slate Theory Winery cellar
Press Release
One vineyard. One vintage. Thirteen interpretations of Texas Tempranillo. On Friday, October 23, 2026, the Texas Wine Auction Foundation will bring together 13 Texas wineries inside the underground wine cave at Slate Theory Winery for Tempra Tantrum, a rare side-by-side barrel tasting featuring acclaimed wine writer and critic Jonathan Cristaldi. Guests will taste the wines alongside their makers and may pre-purchase their favorites, beginning a yearlong journey that follows the wines from barrel to bottle while supporting the foundation’s Hospitality Assistance Fund.
The collaboration began with a donation of more than 20 tons of Tempranillo from Letkeman Family Vineyard near Seminole in Gaines County. The 2025 growing season brought good spring and summer rains, moderate temperatures, and a dry harvest period, contributing to a long season and steady ripening. The fruit went to 13 wineries across Texas, each bringing its own winemaking philosophy and approach to the same vineyard and vintage.
At Tempra Tantrum, guests can compare those approaches in their glasses. With the grape variety, vineyard, and vintage in common, the tasting offers an unusual opportunity to explore how winemaking decisions shape aromas, flavors, and textures – and to hear directly from the people behind the wines.
“When 13 winemakers begin with fruit from the same vineyard and vintage, the differences in the glass become a fascinating study of interpretation. Guests will be able to explore how decisions in the cellar—fermentation, extraction, oak, and élevage—can shape Tempranillo’s aromas, structure, and texture. It is a rare opportunity to taste winemaking philosophy in real time, while the wines are still becoming themselves,” said Jonathan Cristaldi, Chief Wine Critic for The Tasting Panel and The SOMM Journal and Napa Valley correspondent for Decanter.
The setting is inseparable from the experience. Inside Slate Theory Winery’s subterranean wine cave, guests will be surrounded by the barrels, architecture, and cellar environment where wines are actively aged. They will taste barrel samples alongside participating winery owners and winemakers, enjoy pairings from The Local Bull in Johnson City, and hear Cristaldi’s perspective on what the developing wines reveal in the glass. Pedro Letkeman will also attend, connecting guests directly with the grower whose donation set the collaboration in motion.
Cristaldi will bring a national wine perspective to the tasting while speaking directly with consumers about the wines as they develop. His participation places the Texas-grown vintage within a broader conversation about emerging regions, distinctive varieties, and the people defining American wine today.
For guests who pre-purchase wines, October 23 is only the beginning. Over the following year, they will be invited to continue following the wines as they mature from barrel to bottle. The experience gives consumers rare access to a wine’s evolution, not just the finished bottle placed before them.
The yearlong journey also supports the people behind Texas wine and hospitality. For every Tempra Tantrum bottle purchased, $12.50 will benefit the Texas Wine Auction Foundation’s Hospitality Assistance Fund. The project connects the promotion of Texas-grown wine with direct investment in the vineyard, winery, and hospitality workers who sustain the industry.
“TempraTantrum is a celebration of both place and people. We’re bringing together 13 of the finest winemakers in Texas and giving each of them the same Tempranillo from Letkeman Vineyards to put their own signature on. Where else can you experience 13 different winemaking styles, side by side, in a single afternoon? I’m excited for people to taste the incredibly unique terroir of Seminole, Texas, while showcasing the creativity and talent of some of our state’s best winemakers—all while raising money for a cause that means so much to the Texas wine community,” said Chris Brundrett, Co-Founder and CEO of William Chris Vineyards.
Tempra Tantrum launches amidst growing recognition for Texas wine, with Texas Hill Country ranked No. 3 in USA TODAY’s 2026 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. By connecting growers, winemakers, industry professionals, and consumers through a shared Texas-grown vintage, the event highlights the people, places, and decisions defining the state’s evolving wine identity.
Participating Wineries
Ab Astris Winery; Arché; Elisa Christopher Wines; Llano Estacado Winery; Lost Draw Wines; Michael Ros Winery; Pedernales Cellars; Rivenburgh Wines; Ron Yates; Slate Theory Winery; Texas Heritage Vineyard; Whatley Wines; and William Chris Vineyards.
Event Details
Tempra Tantrum
Friday, October 23, 2026 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Slate Theory Winery
10915 US-290, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Tickets: $95 per person
Admission includes barrel tastings featuring 13 participating Texas wineries, opportunities to meet winery owners and winemakers, and food pairings from The Local Bull. Wines will be available for separate advance purchases.
Tickets and information: https://bit.ly/tempra-tantrum
Will notes be available after the tasting for purchase?
Did you really mean notes? Or did you mean the wines? If the wines, it said they are available for pre-purchase. I believe most, if not all, will be barrel tastings.