West Sandy Creek Winery Unveils 2020 Harvest Wines
(February 2020 -Richards, Texas) – West Sandy Creek Winery, located in Richards, Texas, just outside of Huntsville, recently announced a collection of wines now available from the 2020 harvest.
“Overall, our 2020 harvest yield was better than expected,” said Stan McGinley, owner of West Sandy Creek Winery. “The amount of rain and intervals between rain made the year challenging, but we worked with the resulting differences to improve our wines.”
The following 2020 wines are available now through the winery, one of the largest vineyards in the Texas Gulf Coast Region:
- Blanc du Bois: Cleaner in taste and finish, the Blanc du Bois has tropical and pineapple notes, and hints of pear, apple, and lemon.
- Lenoir: Made from black Spanish grapes grown onsite, the Lenoir is 100% estate for the first time. In the past, the winery combined its black Spanish grapes with others purchased elsewhere, so this year, the Lenoir wines are 100% Texan.
- Old World Reserve: This wine is made from Blanc du Bois grapes and was aged in oak barrels. Because it was left in the oak barrels for five days longer than last year’s harvest, the Old World Reserve has a much smoother finish. The five additional days of aging made a difference, flattening out the sweetness.
- 2014 Bounty Land Crossings: This blended wine was a new release in 2020. It combines 60% Lenoir and 40% Merlot with more of a sugar cane/molasses aroma that is sweet but not floral. According to McGinley, the new Bounty land Crossings diversifies the winery’s red table wines portfolio because the flavors are more prominent, and the wine is a bit heavier and drier with a higher alcohol content (15%) as compared to the 2012 blend.
- Portejas Blanc: The 2020 Portejas Blanc (white port) is seven years old now. This year, the winery worked to refine the Portejas Blanc recipe, and the result is a smooth port with less alcohol content. It has roasted almond and coconut as well as sugar cane and molasses flavors.
“We look forward to introducing our 2020 releases to our customers and invite them to join us Thursdays through Sundays at the vineyard,” said McGinley.
Just a short drive from Houston metro area, guests coming for an afternoon can also enjoy a variety of pizzas, salads, and tacos, along with their wine from Sweet Dough, a local food truck. There is also live entertainment featuring local musicians most weekends.
Situated on 360 sprawling acres outside the bountiful Sam Houston National Forest, West Sandy Creek Winery is home to various animals, including horses, cows, goats, chickens, and zebras, donkeys, and zebronkeys, making an afternoon trip to the winery a true encounter with nature. Cabins with full kitchens, fire pits, and more are available to rent on the weekend.
To protect its staff and customers from COVID-19, the winery has implemented the following precautions:
- Tables are available by reservation only. Customers who arrive without a reservation will be accommodated if possible. Call 936-436-9050 to reserve.
- Masks are required unless you are seated at your table.
- Staff at West Sandy Creek Winery practice social distancing and require guests to do the same.
- No rearranging tables or chairs from their location.
- All table reservations are for two hours. Time limits will be enforced to clean and disinfect for the next reservation.
- Wine will be served is disposable plastic glasses. We sell West Sandy Creek Winery stemless wineglasses, or you may bring your own glassware if you prefer.
- Most food service items will be disposable.
- The restrooms in the tasting room are cleaned regularly and available for guest use. Please observe social distancing guidelines.
- We’re following the established guidance for safety, but the situation is fluid, and we will continue to adjust our operations as required.
The tasting room is open Thursday 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call 936-436-9050. For more information about West Sandy Creek Winery, including details on cabin rentals, visit https://www.wscwinery.com/.
