West Sandy Creek Brings Home Four Medals in Lone Star International Wine Competition

West Sandy Creek Brings Home Four Medals in Lone Star International Wine Competition 

(Nov. 5, 2022) Richards, Texas– West Sandy Creek Winery has announced it won four medals in the 39th Annual Lone Star International Wine Competition, the oldest and one of the largest wine competitions in the state held in Grapevine last month.

The winery brought home silver medals for its 2014 Texas Lenoir and 2019 Texas Cabernet Sauvignon and bronze medals for its 2021 Texas Lenoir and 2021 Texas Lenoir Blush.

“Our team is proud to produce award-winning wines and appreciate the acknowledgment from the Lone Star International Wine Competition,” said Sandy McGinley, general manager of West Sandy Creek Winery. “Well-known wineries from all across the state participated and it means a great deal to us to be recognized alongside such a high caliber of other noteworthy wineries.”

West Sandy Creek Winery was among over 700 unique wine entries from 95 wineries that entered this year’s competition, which offers an opportunity to showcase the excellent quality and diversity of one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the United States. 

Located on the edge of Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville in Walker County, West Sandy Creek Winery grows its own grapes. It includes a winery, tasting room, animals, and several log cabins. The winery is part of the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail and hosts various live music events throughout the year.

For more information about West Sandy Creek Winery, including hours of operation for the tasting room, visit www.wscwinery.com.

West Sandy Creek Winery Unveils 2020 Harvest Wines

(Feb. X, 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/.

West Sandy Creek Rolls out New Wines in Time for Texas Wine Month

(Sept. 26, 2022) Richards, Texas– Just in time for Texas Wine Month in October, West Sandy Creek Winery, located on the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest in Huntsville, has announced the availability of several new wines, including the 2019 Texas Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Texas Lenoir Estate, and the 2021 Texas Lenoir Blush. 

Here is a short description of each: 

  • 2019 Texas Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine is full-bodied in flavor and texture, rich but not too heavy, and slightly acidic with notes of blackberry, blueberry, plum, and molasses. As it ages, it will develop more flavors of stone fruits. Cabernet Sauvignon is known to pair perfectly with steak or a juicy burger, but also complements portobello mushrooms, roasted or grilled lamb, and sharp cheeses. 
  • 2021 Texas Lenoir Estate – The winery describes it as light in body and texture with hints of cranberry, raspberry, and grapefruit in the finish. It’s dry, light, and refreshing with a good aroma and flavor profile that may appeal to white wine drinkers as well as red and pairs nicely with savory Gulf seafood and Mediterranean dishes. 
  • 2021 Texas Lenoir Blush – Deep crimson in color, this wine has notes of raspberry and mild citrus flavors. It’s sweet on the tongue and is the perfect complement to spicy food like barbeque, or pork cooked with a sweet rub. 

“We want to enhance the experience at West Sandy Creek Winery continuously, and we look forward to adding the Texas Cabernet Sauvignon to our current collection along with several imported wines,” Sandy McGinley, general manager of the winery. “Doing so allows us to appeal to various palates and individual preferences.”

West Sandy Creek Rolls out New Wines in Time for Texas Wine Month – Page 2 

The imported wines now available at West Sandy Creek include:

  • Los Dos Cave Brut Rose
  • Avissi Prosecco
  • Patient Cottat Sauvignon Blanc
  • Bodegas Volver La Mancha Single Vineyard Tempranillo
  • Torresella Pino Grigio
  • Maddalena Chardonnay Monterey
  • Caparzo Toscana Sangiovese
  • Reyneke VineHugger Red

All of these wines are available by the glass or bottle at the West Sandy Creek Winery tasting room, which is open Thursday from noon to 5 p.m.; Friday from noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. West Sandy Creek Winery is located at 1 Winery Rd, 1773 FM 1791 in Richards, Texas.

For more information about West Sandy Creek Winery, visit https://www.wscwinery.com/