Untamed Wine Estates (Hill Country)

[00:00:00] Howdy Vine Trippers, I wanted to take just a moment before the show begins to tell you a little bit about the Texas Wine Lover website and app. It is a definite must have for anyone wanting to explore the Texas wine industry. Now they have a website, it's txwinelover.com, but they also have an app that you can actually download to your phone.

[00:00:25] You can find it on the Apple App Store or on the Google Play Store for Android devices. And it's going to be kind of your one-stop shop for when you go out to visit these great places. So you get to listen to them here on the podcast or watch them on YouTube to learn about these wineries. But when you go to visit, make sure you're checking out that app because I'm sure you're probably going to want to visit other places in the area as well. And you can do incredible searches.

[00:00:53] It's the most comprehensive listing of winery information in Texas. And you can look for wineries in your area to go visit multiple places. You can sort those listings by finding out ones that are kid-friendly, maybe some that are pet-friendly. If you want to look for events or things that are going on, if you want to find those that can host RVs, just about any category you can think of.

[00:01:16] You can actually sort those listings and find wineries around you to go visit. The app is free to use for you and I. So it's a perfect, again, hand-in-hand tool when you're going out to visit wineries. Listen to them on this podcast. Watch them on YouTube. And then start making your plans to go visit and use the Texas Wine Lover app when you go.

[00:01:37] Now, it can also be a great tool. Maybe you're not even looking for a winery. You just happen to be traveling to some place in Texas and you just might think, you know, I've got a little extra time. I wonder if there are any wineries in the area. You can actually look them up in the Texas Wine Lover app. You can search either by the name of a winery or it's got a map view. So you can actually pull up a map of the area around you and see locations of wineries near you and go visit them and support the Texas wine industry.

[00:02:07] So you've got to use the Texas Wine Lover app. It goes perfectly with this podcast. So make sure you check it out before you go on your next trip among the vines. Again, it's www.txwinelover.com or look up the Texas Wine Lover app on your favorite phone app store and make sure you get that downloaded and use it frequently.

[00:02:29] You will benefit from it and ask for Texas wines. Let's see the Texas wine industry prosper and go visit some of these fun places that I'm bringing to you on the show. I like to phrase it as bridging the gap between old world elegance and new world energy. And so, but yeah, it's pretty unique.

[00:02:59] Howdy, Vine Trippers. I wanted to take just a moment before the show begins to tell you a little bit about the Texas Wine Lover website and app. It is a definite must have for anyone wanting to explore the Texas wine industry. Now they have a website. It's txwinelover.com, but they also have an app that you can actually download to your phone.

[00:03:24] You can find it on the Apple app store or on the Google play store for Android devices. And it's going to be kind of your one-stop shop for when you go out to visit these great places. So you get to listen to them here on the podcast or watch them on YouTube to learn about these wineries. But when you go to visit, make sure you're checking out that app. Because I'm sure you're probably going to want to visit other places in the area as well. And you can do incredible searches.

[00:03:51] It's the most comprehensive listing of winery information in Texas. And you can look for wineries in your area to go visit multiple places. You can sort those listings by finding out ones that are kid-friendly, maybe some that are pet-friendly. If you want to look for events or things that are going on. If you want to find those that can host RVs. Just about any category you can think of. You can actually sort those listings and find wineries around you to go visit.

[00:04:20] The app is free to use for you and I. So it's a perfect, again, hand-in-hand tool when you're going out to visit wineries. Listen to them on this podcast. Watch them on YouTube. And then start making your plans to go visit. And use the Texas Wine Lover app when you go. Now, it can also be a great tool. Maybe you're not even looking for a winery. You just happen to be traveling to some place in Texas. And you just might think, you know, I've got a little extra time. I wonder if there are any wineries in the area.

[00:04:48] You can actually look them up in the Texas Wine Lover app. You can search either by the name of a winery or it's got a map view. So you can actually pull up a map of the area around you and see locations of wineries near you. And go visit them and support the Texas wine industry. So you've got to use the Texas Wine Lover app. It goes perfectly with this podcast. So make sure you check it out before you go on your next trip among the vines.

[00:05:15] Again, it's www.txwinelover.com or look up the Texas Wine Lover app on your favorite phone app store. And make sure you get that downloaded and use it frequently. You will benefit from it and ask for Texas wines. Let's see the Texas wine industry prosper and go visit some of these fun places that I'm bringing to you on the show.

[00:05:55] Welcome to Texas Under Vine, an exploratory podcast to scout out the best Texas wine country has to offer. I'm your wine guide, Scott, and I'm here to lead you on an auditory expedition to the vineyards and wineries across the great Lone Star State. Each episode will cover a different vineyard, winery, or wine-related business operating in Texas. You'll hear interviews, descriptions, and details about each location that will excite you to visit and experience them for yourself. Ready to plan a wine tour?

[00:06:24] Use these episodes to choose the most interesting spots for you and your friends to check out. Most of all, enjoy hearing about the rapidly growing wine industry in the state and what makes our wines and wineries the best. Howdy, fellow vine tripper.

[00:06:51] Welcome, viewers, to episode 79 of the Texas Under Vine podcast. Now, before we dive into today's journey, I do want to mention that the Texas Wine Auction is coming up soon this coming weekend. And it's not too late. You can get your tickets at TexasWineAuction.com. There's a really cool, fun event, a concert that's going to happen on Friday night that's new this year. And then, of course, the Grand Gala event on Saturday night. It'll be held at Carter Creek Winery Resort and Spa.

[00:07:19] And I'm going to be there for the festivities. So, I hope to see you there celebrating our incredible wine community. Also, make sure you stay until the very end of the show because I'm going to reveal my very special wine wanderer bottle that represents a cross-section of South Africa and the Texas Hill Country.

[00:07:40] Because today, we are visiting untamed wine estates in Johnson City to sit down with Dane Senvito, the owner and winemaker. And there's a lot of really fascinating and interesting things you're going to learn about this winery through the interview. But before we get into that, let me give you a few little overview points.

[00:07:59] So, South African wine history has a long legacy, probably the longest or one of the longest of any of the considered New World wine regions in that it was actually started all the way back around 1652. And so, Dane comes from South Africa. He's of South African heritage. So, he brings that heritage here to the Hill Country. And to get started as a winemaker, he needed some more experience with doing harvests.

[00:08:26] And because those only typically come around once per year, he began jumping back and forth between the southern and northern hemispheres to get 10 quick harvests in a row, two per year. And as he got ready to settle down and start a winery, they chose Texas as the location they wanted to do that, specifically the Hill Country. And they were needing to come up with a name.

[00:08:49] So, they came up with Untamed, which represents this idea of breaking free from the madness of the wine industry world, from especially all the mass production winemaking that's out there and forging their own path. And Dane says there's a lot of similarities between Texans and South Africans in their love for hospitality, for warmth, and especially barbecue.

[00:09:11] But according to Dane, he feels like their winemaking philosophy is this idea of bridging some old world elegance with new world energy. And he really prizes in his winemaking low intervention. He really desires for the fruit to really come out and be the star of the show and all of the wines that he's making. Another very interesting part of this particular wine destination is that Dane has a lot of connections with his family and his brother back home in South Africa.

[00:09:40] But he also spent some time in California, made a lot of great connections there. So, he's able to source fruit from many locations internationally through South Africa, some from California region, but also here in the Texas Hill Country and the Texas High Plains. And a couple of other fun, unique things about this tasting room. So, when Dane and McKenzie, his wife, designed this winery, they actually built, they wanted it to be big and airy, lots of natural light coming in.

[00:10:09] But they built these two big windows right behind the bar where you're looking directly into the barrel room and the production facilities so you can see the magic being made as you're enjoying this great wine. And did somebody say pizza? Yes, they're very famous for their pizza oven that they have on site. Dane's wife McKenzie apparently is a mad pizza chef. She's really good at the things she does and they make these incredible pizzas there and they have some very unique ones.

[00:10:36] I love, in the interview, Dane says, they try to steer everyone away from pepperoni because that's what everyone gets everywhere. But here they got very unique pizzas. Like they have a South African summer pizza that has bananas and papadu peppers on it. So, very unique styles, very unique pizzas, and they're very well known for them. They're very tasty. All right. I am thrilled to introduce you to Dane Senvito, the owner and winemaker there at Untamed Wine Estate.

[00:11:04] And let's hear a little bit more about his story and go directly to him in the interview. Howdy, Vine Trippers. Welcome to Untamed Wine Estate. I'm really excited to be with Dane here today to learn a little bit about his story and the story of this winery and bring this to you today. So, without further ado, let's go to Dane. Well, Dane, tell me a little bit about yourself.

[00:11:33] How did you get into the wine industry? So, I got into the wine industry in South Africa, where I'm from, born and raised. I was actually looking at following my father's footsteps and going to the sumo-engineering world. Okay. And while proceeding to continue in that world or learn about that and study it, I took up a holiday job during university times. And I worked on a wine estate with a friend of mine.

[00:12:00] And he really got me and pushed me to go into this world. And I started falling in love with it. It was during harvest time. And I really started enjoying it. And, you know, my father encouraged me to do what I love and didn't say, like, no pressure, you know, go and do what you want to do. And it's like, well, this is what I want to do. And so, I went and I transitioned over and started studying winemaking. And it's been a hell of a journey so far.

[00:12:28] And so, that's in a nutshell, basically, how I got into the wine industry. South Africa, that's a pretty big start. They have a little burgeoning wine culture there, huh? Oh, yes, they do. They have a pretty big wine culture out there. Dating way back to when the Dutch came around and started and planted some vines back in, what, the 1600s? The 1600s? Yeah. Yeah. 1652, the first vines were planted. Tell me a little bit about South African wine culture. Well, South Africa is kind of a unique place. You know, it's a... How do you describe this?

[00:12:57] It's, you know, it's a lot older than most New World wine producing areas. But a lot younger than Old World producing areas. So, there's quite a bit of transition, which is what we bring to our winemaking style here. Okay. And so, I like to phrase it as bridging the gap between Old World elegance and New World Energy. Okay. And so... But yeah, it's pretty unique. You know, it's top 10 producing countries in the world for wine. So, it produces a lot of wine out of South Africa, mostly all in the Western Cape.

[00:13:26] So, the Cape Town sort of area. You know, over 26 different appellations in that small area. So, there's a lot of unique AVAs. But it's a pretty special place. We pride ourselves in making high quality wine, low intervention, allowing the grape to be the star of the show. And that's sort of what translates to our winemaking style of mine today. I think, when I think of South Africa, I think of two specific grapes immediately come to mind. Chin and Blanc and Pinotage. Correct. Yeah.

[00:13:56] And I presume you have those here at Untamed. Oh, yeah. So, Chin and Blanc is near and dear to my heart. So, we do over three different types of Chin and Blanc or takes on it. Okay. To really express its versatility. And then I actually do a Pinotage as well. So, it's something that I collaborate with my brother on. He decided to follow in the same footsteps. And he became a winemaker. He's a head winemaker now at a very successful winery in South Africa. And so, we kind of partner on that together.

[00:14:24] And so, we do a little bit of collaboration together, making some wine together. So, it's kind of a unique thing, which makes my parents very happy. I was just about to ask, and I didn't want to get too far into the vines just yet, but I was going to ask, where do you get Pinotage grapes here in Texas? But that makes sense if your brother has the winery there in South Africa. Correct. So, we make wine from various different areas. And part of it, that is in South Africa as well. So, it allows me to get back to my roots.

[00:14:52] You know, get your hands dirty again. Get to work with my brother. Get to stay familiar with the culture. Yeah. And so, yeah. So, that's where we get our Pinotage from. Okay. That makes sense. Well, let's get back to your story for just a moment. Here we are settled in the hills of, just outside of Johnson City in the hill country, quite a distance from Cape Town, South Africa. So, what was your journey that brought you from there here to the heart of Texas?

[00:15:18] So, when I finished studying in South Africa, there's sort of an unwritten rule that nobody's really going to consider you as a serious winemaker unless you have the equivalent of 10 winemaking years of experience or 10 vintages. Okay. And so, as we know, in grape production, you get one vintage per year. So, you know, I looked at how do I accelerate my career? And so, I started jumping from North and Southern Hemisphere to do multiple vintages a year to try and accelerate that.

[00:15:48] And in doing that, I came to love America. I got a really good job with some really big companies based out in California, working mostly in Sonoma. Okay. And they really got me rooted in here. And that's kind of how I made it to the United States. Yeah. And just keep on getting experience. I've been working in multiple countries. And along the way, when I started work with a real big company called Constellation Brands,

[00:16:17] I met my wife. She was a chemist. Okay. And we started getting a little frustrated with the mass production. And, you know, with any industry, every promotion you get, you kind of take a step back from the original job you're tasked to do. And it just got to a point where I wanted to get back to my roots, have full control. People joke about me here about being a little bit more of a control freak. I like to be in control. So, we decided to break free from that.

[00:16:46] And it's a term that my wife pushed me on. And her side of the family helped with this well to get us going. And that's where we decided to break free and become untamed. And so, we started looking at areas outside of California in the sense that, you know, there's many more places that make wine. How can we use our skill sets and our life experiences and what we perceive as positives to help an industry and to create our own story?

[00:17:12] And so, we took the narrative that, you know, only the West Coast makes wine out of the equation. We went and looked at various different parts of the United States. Fell in love with Texas, especially the people. The people are a big, big deal for me. They remind me a lot of South Africans, really warm, friendly, welcoming. You know, we share a lot of common traits, you know, love sport, love barbecue. Bree? You know, yeah. Yeah, bry. A bry. Yeah, you got it.

[00:17:42] It's been a few years since I've been in South Africa. You know, work hard. Don't complain a lot. There's a lot of similarities here. You know, it's one of the little things that most people in Texas probably take for granted. But, you know, simple things like driving down the road, especially a county road, and you give your two-finger wave as you pass other vehicles. It means a lot because that's what we do in South Africa. So we're very warm, welcoming, hospitable people. And we just felt like this could be home.

[00:18:10] It felt like a place where we could raise a family. Very business friendly. And so that's one of the main reasons why we decided to end up here. So out of all places. Yeah. And with the whole country being kind of the heartbeat of the Texas wine industry, this kind of became that central focus. I think I heard you in your story a little bit give a little clue to the name of the winery, Untamed Wine Estate. You want to expound on that a little bit? Yeah.

[00:18:38] So Untamed came to be where, you know, for whatever reason, when we'd have these frustrating days at the wineries we were working at doing things the way other people wanted versus the way we wanted, you know, we'd come home and complain about it a lot. And, you know, just got to a point where this name Breaking Free kept on coming up. It's like, well, let's break free from this. Let's unburden ourselves, all these constraints, and do something for ourselves. That way we got nobody else to blame but ourselves.

[00:19:09] And so I don't know why, but this word Breaking Free kept on coming up. And so we tried to think of a name that represented that. That was one word easier to pronounce and sort of unconforming. And so one morning my wife Mackenzie woke up and she's like, well, what do you think about Untamed? And I was like, well, that's brilliant. And it stuck. And here we are today. And, you know, we'll be celebrating our fifth year being open later this year. So kind of a big milestone for us.

[00:19:39] So kind of exciting. That is exciting. Yeah, I can picture that with South Africa. I mean, I'm looking at photos of rhinos and zebras and, you know, things like that. And I think about when I was in South Africa and we went to some of the game preserves and things like that. And seeing these animals just roaming free in their native habitats. They were truly untamed. They were uncaged. They were a magnificent kind of thing. So I can see with that South African heritage how it really fits. No, it's amazing. It does really well out here.

[00:20:07] You know, and you've got to play to your strengths to be different. And I feel like being unique is some of our strengths. And so we just try and incorporate as much of that as possible while celebrating the Texas culture as well. And so we kind of have a nice mesh of the two right now. So nice little blending as they come together, that heritage. Yeah. So we love it. Well, tell us about this particular location here. How did you find this spot right here on 290 and Sandy Road and get things started and built here? Five years ago, you said?

[00:20:37] We officially got incorporated in 2017. Okay. We were looking for property out here once we made that decision. We spent about a year and a half looking for a property. Um, we wanted a property on 290 without the hassle of 290. Uh, you know, people drive 70 miles an hour here and, uh, you know, it kind of makes you a little nervous. Turning lane. Yes, sir. And so we wanted something where we could enter off of another road and we were looking, you

[00:21:06] know, up and down and eventually discovered this property. Uh, Pure Wim was a foreclosure. Uh, they were planning to build something else here. They'd done a little bit of dirt work. Yeah. We just jumped on it after, you know, nitpicking other properties to death. This was kind of a spur of the moment type of thing. It felt right. And so we, we jumped on it. We got it. Um, we bought the property behind us as well so we can control the views and put down a vineyard one day, hopefully too. And, uh, so yeah, we wanted to be outside of the chaos of Fredericksburg as well.

[00:21:35] So we wanted people to have an environment, uh, when they came here, felt warm, welcoming, uh, didn't feel like a number, you know, there were, it wasn't chaos. Um, and so for those reasons, we wanted to be sort of just outside, um, of the, of that, you know, being in Blanco County as well, we have a much friendlier county to work with too. So that's, that really helped us out a lot too. So, so very appreciative of being able to find this spot after looking for so long. So yeah, so we ended up acquiring this property end of 2018.

[00:22:04] We didn't start construction until April of, uh, 2020. So just going into COVID time. So it was kind of a unique, uh, situation. Fortunately, we didn't have too many delays other than our electrician, plumber, architect, everybody getting COVID at the same time. But in terms of construction, uh, delays and shutting down factories, we were very fortunate that, uh, no steel factories are shut down and things like that. So that was very, very lucky for us.

[00:22:30] And at the same time, I was working at another winery out here in the Hill Country, which allowed me to learn a lot about the Texas industry, uh, which I thought was really great. When we moved here, I was not anticipating working for another winery, uh, but it's something that we decided would be really good for us to really understand, uh, how things operate, how things work out here. So that was really beneficial to me. And I'll be forever grateful for, to them for allowing me to work with them.

[00:22:56] Um, and then my wife started a lab for the wine industry out here as well. And so she analyzes a lot of people's wines right now. So it's pretty, pretty interesting. Um, and we did that as well. And then she also worked and bounced around at a bunch of different tasting rooms, understanding the type of clientele that are coming in and what they're looking for. And, um, uh, while we're under construction and then obviously, uh, changed over to this, uh, down the line.

[00:23:23] So once this became more of a full-time job, which now is a seven day a week job pretty much. And, uh, uh, it's never a dull moment. So. And so you opened this tasting room around 2021 then I would assume? Yes. So Labor Day, May of 2021, we officially opened. And so, yes, it'll be a pretty big milestone for us, uh, coming up this year. That's a big celebration. Oh yeah. We're going to have some really good times. And you mentioned you had bought the extra property to possibly plant a vineyard. Have you planted a vineyard? Do you still have plans for that?

[00:23:53] We have not yet. You know, right now we're, uh, it's on the, on the works, um, uh, or in the cards as you would say. Uh, but right now my hands are pretty full and my biggest fear is being able to plant a vineyard but not being able to manage it properly. Sure. Uh, and. There's that control coming back in. Yeah. And so until I feel that I have the time to oversee that properly and take that on, I refuse to put it in because I want that vineyard to be a fantastic vineyard. I want to be proud of the fruit that's coming off of that vineyard.

[00:24:22] I want to showcase taxes, um, from that vineyard and I want people to be excited about it. So to do that, you really have to be able to put the time in. Um, as you know, vineyards take a lot of your time. A lot of time to work. So, but one day, hopefully soon. Okay. Uh, but yeah, it's, it's coming. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Well, without the fruit, and we know about the fruit that you get from South Africa, but where do you typically source your fruit from? So we source fruit from about 55 different growers.

[00:24:50] Uh, so we get a lot of small blocks, um, coming back to that old little style respecting terroir from various different places. So we get some, some down here in the Texas Hill country. We get up in the Texas High Plains. We get up all the way up into Delhart. Um, so we get fruit from a variety of places in Texas, but then we also source fruit, uh, from California as well as where I started out in the United States. We have some really good relationships with a lot of growers that because of that company, I have really good access to.

[00:25:18] Um, and so we wanted to bring something that was special here where we can do a lot of cross, uh, pollination and compare Texas with California. And so we're working towards doing more of that. And so we actually have an interesting, uh, theme today where, uh, for our members and, uh, we're doing special flights comparing, uh, Cabernet from the different areas. And so, so we something neat to just showcase the differences in terroir, difference in Appalachian, climate growing conditions. So, so we're, we're looking forward to doing things like that.

[00:25:48] So, and I love that because that's part of your heritage as well. So you're showcasing the time that you had in South Africa, the time you had in California, and now your time in Texas through all of those wines. Yes, sir. So we are, we're excited about it. So, and so I hope everybody else is too. So the fruit that you're bringing in, do you, I think I saw the building next door or your production facility. So you produce all that here on site? Correct. So everything's done here on site. Uh, we bring in all the grapes, produce everything here on site.

[00:26:15] Once we go to the vineyards, you know, we'll coordinate the picks and get it here as fast as possible. Everything comes in refrigerated trucks. Um, and then once it gets here, it's all hands on deck until we finish producing. We produce roughly around 300 tons a year right now, uh, which is a pretty good size for us. Uh, we do help other wineries as our sort of contribution to paying it forward. And a lot of people helped us get started. So we do help some other wineries as well with their wines and along with the analysis as well. But yeah, everything's done here on the building next door.

[00:26:44] It's attached to our tasting room. We wanted it to be attached to our tasting room so people can really see in and see what's going on and kind of feel like a little bit of part of, uh, uh, the winemaking process. And so, um, it's, it's pretty special. We do a lot of production tours with a winemaker and, uh, where we can actually showcase and teach you a little bit about the, uh, the process as well. You know, a lot of people think it's an I love Lucy type deal. So it's nice to showcase. It's a little bit more than that. Right. Um, but yes, so we have, uh, uh, a couple of barrel rooms, our main production facility,

[00:27:14] which we just added on, uh, some more space to that, um, for more production space. So one thing, and I'm sure you're aware of it in the wine industry is you're always short of space. Right. And so that's always a challenge. It's like a big game of Tetris. Do I have enough barrels for this? Do I, what about tank space? Oh, I got more fruit coming in. Now look. You got it. You got it. So, so it's, it's fun, but it's a, it's a challenge. So, but it's a challenge that we gladly accept and we appreciate every day.

[00:27:41] Well, Vine Trippers, you got to love when you come here, they've got these great picture windows right behind the bar, looking right into the barrel room and you see the production, the tanks over there. It's a really cool scenario to be able to see while you're tasting your wine. Really, really great design. I love that. Well, thank you. Yeah. We try to keep it clean, you know, clean lines, keep it fairly simple. You know, a lot of natural light. I love natural light. And so we try to have as much natural light as possible. So you see all the glass everywhere. We wanted you to be able to see the outside, see the inside.

[00:28:10] So if you're sitting inside or outside, you still get that nice feeling of feeling that you can relax and enjoy the scenery. And we, you know, Texas has some really great views, especially out here in the Hill Country. And so we wanted to showcase it as much as we could. Well, tell me about some of those wines. What are some of your most popular wines? What do you think really shines for it? So things that shine forth, I think, are ones that have the best story. But ones that have done really well for us right now is obviously Arche and Blanc. So we do, I have my South African Chenin Blanc. I have a Chenin Blanc that we do here.

[00:28:39] And then I do a sparkling Chenin Blanc as well. So really getting to showcase all of it, which our sparkling is pretty unique. You don't see that a lot around here, but it's fairly common in South Africa. South Africa produces over 50% of the world Chenin Blanc. So it's something that we take very seriously. Steen, right? Steen, yes, sir. Steen, is that the name? Steen, yes, sir. Okay, I'm going to pronounce it correctly. Oh, yeah. Yeah, so that does really well. Cabernet Franc does really well. I mean, all our varietals do very well that we have.

[00:29:07] We try to focus on what we do well. You know, ones that don't tend to stay on the menu as long. Our pick pool does phenomenally. We're actually sold out of it at the moment, which the fruit just comes from just up the road, about 20 minutes away. And something we're very excited about. I think that's what Texas should plant a lot more of. Yeah. Yeah. And it's probably what we all plant on our property as well, coming down the line. Yeah. But yeah, our Chenin Blancs, our Cab Francs do very, very well.

[00:29:37] We have a lot of fun other varietals as well that we showcase and play around with. But yeah, I would say those two really stand out for me personally, since they're so versatile. Okay. What types, you mentioned a moment ago, your member events and things that you have for the tastings that you're doing right there. Do you do a lot of kind of events and host events and things like that here at the tasting? Oh, yeah. So we always want to be perceived as a winery that is very active, has a lot going on. So here we have, you know, we do chef's tables, which we had one last night.

[00:30:05] So everybody's a little tired today. We have the Cab tasting comparisons that we spoke to you earlier about, which will be going on today. We do appreciation days. We do a lot of wine club events. Okay. So, yeah, we have a lot going on. We do trips around the world as well. So we have a pretty good sized group that's coming with us. We're going to take to France for the first time and, you know, go take a, go look at

[00:30:34] Burgundy and Provence. Okay. So that's going to be pretty interesting for us. And then I've been taking groups with me to South Africa, where I'm from, in showing them, you know, we talk about it here. So now you get to see it and experience it there. So we go do safaris, go experience the wine region, seeing all the beauty that South Africa has to offer. Okay. So, and so, yeah, so I just wanted to be doing things that were going the extra mile is what I encourage our staff to do all the time is, you know, take that initiative. And yeah, so that's kind of what we're, we're about.

[00:31:05] Well, I love when I get to interview a winemaker because I have a few questions that I want to ask of you. One, and, and I know you like all wines the same, all grapes the same, but do you have a particular varietal that you really love to work with as kind of your favorite one? Well, it's an interesting question. So working with and drinking are two very different questions. So working with, you know, I, I'd like to work with challenging grapes, things that are fairly temperamental. And so Pinot Noir is one that is very special to me because, you know, I feel like you either

[00:31:34] do it great or you do it poorly. There's no sort of middle ground. And especially in the style of wine that we do, or I try to, to do is, you know, we, we're very honest to the grape. We're honest to the terroir. It's a very traditional old world, you know, lower alcohols, higher acids. And so with that, we're not over-oking wines. We're not just subtly adding a little bit of oak here and there.

[00:32:00] And so it really opens yourself up to a lot of criticism, especially if there's any type of floors in the wine. But it's a risk we're willing to take because we want to do the best job we can. Cabernet Franc is another varietal I love to work with because it's so versatile. So we have that as a rosé and a red wine. So it's something that's kind of special to me, you know, the original Cabernet. So pretty unique. You don't see a lot of that standalone these days on its own.

[00:32:29] And so we like to do some unusual things like that. So, but those are, I would say, a couple of my favorites to work with other than Achenne Blanc, just because that brings me home and keeps me connected to home. And making sure that I respect the roots where I came from. We've got a wide array of experience, I'm sure, with many varietals through South Africa, California, and here in Texas. Is there any varietal that you've never had a chance to work with that you kind of always

[00:32:59] in the back of your mind thought, I kind of once would like to make something out of that? Well, it's an interesting question. So there was one once. And I fortunately, you know, after working in many different countries at, you know, dozens of different wineries, really got to work with it here in Texas. And so that would be another varietal. Suzau is a varietal. Suzau, yeah. Is that I really wanted to work with and never knew a whole lot about it, but it was something that was always like kind of pickled my brain a little bit.

[00:33:27] And I was very fortunate enough to work with it. They only had about six rows. Okay. But it was amazing seeing the numbers coming in, seeing the color that it was generating. Oh, that's a color. And yeah, so I was very fortunate. So that was a varietal that was always sort of looming out there that I was always curious about. But I've been very fortunate. I've worked with American Hybrids, Vintan Sfinifer, a lot of different types of varietals. And so, but that was one that was kind of just out there. Always tweaking at you a little. Yes, sir. So it was fun. Portuguese varietal there. Correct. Yeah.

[00:33:57] So, no, we enjoy it. So I've been very lucky. What would you say, how would you describe your winemaking style? What makes your winemaking style unique? So kind of what we touched on earlier, I would say my winemaking style is sort of bridging the gap between old world elegance and new world energy. And what I mean by that old world elegance, respecting terroir, respecting the appellations of growing conditions, you know, having lower alcohols, better acids, but then combining

[00:34:24] that with new old energies, having like bold flavors, you know, and really having some fun with that. So very fruit forward wines. And so combining the two to achieve the goal. So that's the way I would phrase it. Well, let's say at this point, all of my viewers are getting really excited about Untamed and they want to come check this out. So let's talk about what does it look like when they come here for the first time, specifically for like a tasting. So when a listener or viewer comes in to do a tasting, do you typically provide like a

[00:34:53] set flight of wines that they drink? Or do they have a menu of wines and they choose the ones they want? I've seen both styles, but what do y'all do? So the most important thing that we do is I encourage a seated tasting. You know, I don't like the idea of using one glass and just reusing that same glass for each wine as you go along. So we'll actually do a seated tasting. We'll bring all the whole entire flight out to you. We have about five to six different flight options. And so we have kind of fun with it right now.

[00:35:20] We've just recently revamped it where we have a Cabernet tasting, where it's all different types of Cabernets from different areas. We have a, we call it our Pinots tasting. So a whole bunch of different Pinots from, and styles, you know, whether it's Rosé, Red, Sparkling from different areas. So we really get to play with that. You know, we have our chilled flights, which is, you know, more whites and Rosés or our typical Grand flights, which are flagship reds. So we have a variety. So it is a set menu and it's between four and five wines, depending on which ones you're looking at.

[00:35:50] But in general, you're trying to incorporate, you know, our Sparklings, our Still Wines, you know, white, Rosé, Red in the flight. So you really get to have a good variety of what you're looking for. And I wanted them to be a seated tasting with all the wines next to each other. So you can go back and compare and not, it's like, what did that one before taste like? And so you can really go at your own pace. And so it's one of the things where my wife and I would go out tasting. And if we did only have one glass, you can always see the server looks like, you know,

[00:36:18] it's a struggle, like, because I'm fast drinker, she's a little slower. Like, do I come back and pull the next one or wait until she finished? And so now we can kind of go at our own pace and compare. And so for those reasons, I really wanted to have all of it out there. You know, our staff likes it, but also doesn't like it because it's four or five times the amount of stemware. So it's a lot of buffing, a lot of washing, but it keeps us busy. But it helps with that elegant experience that you are trying to reach. Correct. You know, I always promote doing things the right way and not the easy way.

[00:36:47] And so if those align, that's great. But if those don't align, we don't take the easy way. So if that means four or five times the amount of stemware, that's fine. Because I want to make sure that we convey the message properly and that people get the best experience possible. What about those tastings? Do they cost the same or are there different prices for the different flights? Yes, they're different prices because some include tours, some include barrel tastings. Some include, you know, five wines, some are four wines. So there are a bit of variance.

[00:37:16] And they generally start in the $30 range and then go all the way up to, you know, $45 for that. Including those extras that you might get with it. So yeah, we try to make every experience intimate and unique. So it's pretty important for us. Should people make reservations for those tastings or do you accept walk-ins? We do accept walk-ins. We encourage reservations. You know, that way we like to promote that. We guarantee that we have seating for you. Exactly. And so we can't guarantee that if you don't have a reservation. But it's not required. Yeah. We try to be very flexible.

[00:37:46] You know, we're a small company. And so we don't want to be a big corporate entity that is black or white. And so we like to have quite a bit of flexibility. But it's always best to be prepared and organized. And I've come in here on a busy Saturday. And this place can get packed out for sure. So always good to let them know ahead of time. Yes, absolutely. Can they do that on your website? Yes, sir. You can do it on the website. You can email us. You can call us. You can text us now. Say anything for us. So you can do it anyway. Well, what are your operating hours?

[00:38:15] When is the winery open? So Monday through Thursday, we're open from 11 till 530. Okay. The weekends, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 11 to 6 o'clock. Okay. So. What about are you pet-friendly or family-friendly? If somebody has a dog or they have their kids with them this weekend or something like that? Yes, we are family and pet-friendly to well-behaved kids and well-behaved dogs on a leash. You know, we're not a daycare. But yes, we do welcome well-behaved kids and well-behaved dogs. Okay. Food options.

[00:38:45] What kind of food options do you have here? I know you're well-known for your pizza. We have some great food options. Yes, pizza is something that we're most well-known for along with our wines. But yes, we have some great food options. We have burrattas, charcuteries, some really great pizza options, which are very unusual and kind of play to the theme of Untamed, being more adventurous. So we always encourage people to get anything but the pepperoni. And, you know, that's a pretty safe option. But there are some people out there that are diehard. Right.

[00:39:13] So something unique is, for example, our South African summer pizza, which has bacon and banana on it. Ooh. So very unusual when people say, banana, is that a real banana? And so, yeah. Not the tea try. Oh, yes, exactly. So, you know, so I always joke. It's like, yep, just regular HB bananas. And so we have a lot of fun with it. My wife did really well at the international pizza competition with it. She came third in the world a couple years ago. She laughed by like half a point from first to third. So, you know, it was just literally like adding a little extra microgreens on it.

[00:39:43] And that would have elevated it a little bit more. So, yeah. So she done really well. We're very proud of her. And she runs a really good kitchen as well as taking care of our lab. I was about to say, in addition to a lab? Wow. We'll have many talents. Oh, she sure is. She has a really good right hand. Our assistant winemaker really helps her out a lot. Yeah. And he does a really good job. And he's starting to make that his own now. So he's running that whole department. So he's done an exceptional job. Cool.

[00:40:09] And viewers, again, when you come here, you're going to see that cool wood-fired pizza oven. And they've got a window right into it. So you can actually see those. It's really, really cool. So do you have any maximum group sizes or things like that when people come in? We don't have any maximum group sizes. But any groups larger than eight, they definitely have to call in. And, you know, so we can really prepare for it. So we are able to have a private setting for larger groups. But it's not something that the way our system is set up, any groups larger than eight have to make a phone call, email.

[00:40:39] So we can organize that a little bit more. Accommonate them. Exactly. What are your busier and slower times? What's the best time for someone to come visit? Best time, I'd always say weekdays because that's, you know, it's always slower. You get the best experience. It doesn't align with most people's work day. You know, most people work Monday to Friday. But I would say, you know, Saturdays are very busy. But Friday, Sundays are really nice times to come. But I'd say weekdays would be a fantastic time to come.

[00:41:08] You really get a lot of one-on-one experience, a lot of time. And you really get to relax. And so, yeah, I would definitely encourage. We are open seven days a week. So it really doesn't matter what day you come. You're going to get it. Yes, sir. Well, and I know that you have a wine club. We've talked about that already. Mentioned the events and things like that. So tell me a little bit about your wine club. How does someone join? What are some of the benefits of it? Yeah, so we have various different benefits and levels of clubs. So you have your entry levels.

[00:41:36] You know, and obviously the discounts get higher the bigger the club is that you take on. But then we added our Explorers Club, which has some of our South African wines and our Texas wines. So people that are very eager to try new things, we have that as an option as well. And you can't get access to those wines unless you're a wine club member. And so it's our way of sort of elevating, making our wines a little more exclusive. But yes, so we have different tiers of membership, you know, different tiers of discounts.

[00:42:05] The other benefits they get is exclusive access to wines that wouldn't otherwise have access to. Exclusive access to a lot of our chef's tables are pretty much members only, which we do. You know, it's normally booked out months ahead. So we've been very fortunate on that. So, you know, being able to get the wine you love and you enjoy drinking is probably the number one reason why you should join. And be a part of our family as it grows.

[00:42:32] And, you know, dysfunctional one, but it's a family nonetheless. So, you know, you'll never be treated as a number here. You know, we value every single person that comes through the store. So we try to make a concerted effort to do our best. Do you do any kind of distribution? Do you sell on your website? In other words, if someone can't get here, do they have a way that they can taste your wines? Yeah. So other than the tasting room, the only other way to get our wine is online. Okay.

[00:42:56] And that's a restricted amount of wine that's online because we really want you to come into the tasting room and experience the wine. But, yes, we do have a small online presence, you know, to sell wine. But other than that, just the tasting room. Okay. So we talked a moment ago about the possible vineyard in your future. But do you have other plans for growth and future growth? I know space, you mentioned, is always an issue as a winemaker. Yeah. But do you have plans to grow? Oh, yes, sir.

[00:43:25] We have quite a few ideas in mind. There's some that we're acting on that we're kind of keeping under wraps right now. Sure. Until it's set in stone. But then we have a few other add-ons here that we're looking to do as well to enhance the experience and to keep on. You know, somebody once told me, keep your foot on the gas. Well, don't let your foot off the gas. And so that's our goal is to, you know, keep pushing forward. We try to be better than yesterday.

[00:43:49] And so no matter how small that jump or step forward is, it's my goal every day is to be better than the day before. Excellent. And to do that, we will have a lot of add-ons that we are doing in the near future. We're trying to do one at a time. So we're finishing up our new production building right now, which is taking a lot longer than we anticipated. And, you know, and then we have some other little things that we need to do internally. And then we'll start focusing more on our patio. We have some construction drawings that are done for that right now.

[00:44:19] And we'll completely revamp our patio and make that more accessible for more people. And, but yeah, that's kind of what we're looking at right now in the immediate future anyway. Well, there are a lot of great places in Texas that people can go to drink some amazing wine. Untamed Wine Estates is one of those. So what would you say for my viewers is one of the most unique things or what really sets Untamed Wine Estates apart that would make my viewers say, I got to move that up my list and get there as quick as I can?

[00:44:49] So the things that I make Untamed very unique, you know, is the way we treat people is really important. We want everybody to feel very welcome. We have a very relaxed atmosphere. We have a very nice building, which is really warm and inviting. We get a lot of compliments with it. We have great landscaping, great views. We have exceptional wine, great food. Not all places have food. And so one of the things we did when we were looking to start something for ourselves is,

[00:45:19] try and take those perceived frustrations that we had with other places or the area even, like the lack of food and things like that, and turn that around and turn that into a positive. And so that's how, like, the kitchen was born. That's how, you know, different spaces like that were born. You know, being able to spend more time outside. You know, Texans love to be outside. So being able to accommodate all of that type of thing while having a good enough conditioned space when it's really hot or really cold inside too.

[00:45:47] But we have a very warm, inviting environment. People feel very welcome. We have a great staff. They do an exceptional job. So those are the reasons I would encourage you to come.

[00:46:06] I love how Dane has focused on taking these industry frustrations and turning them into positives by creating this warm, inviting environment with a full kitchen experience that everyone can enjoy. And before you go, you can also go visit their website at www.untamedwines.com. And there you can learn more about some of those really cool international trips that Dane talked about where they go to South Africa and France.

[00:46:34] You can also learn about their wine club, which they call the Explorers Club, to get more information about getting those wines and all those members exclusives. You can check out those chef table events that Dane mentioned in the interview as a member. And check out their specialized on-site wine lab that McKinsey is doing for other wineries as well. Lots of great info on their website. You should go check that out. And don't forget, when you go see them, make sure you tell them you heard about them on this podcast, Texas Under Vine. All right.

[00:47:04] Drum roll, please. Now for the reveal. The wine wanderer pick that I chose for my episode wine library for this episode was the 2023 Pinotage that he talked about in the interview. So this is the fruit that he sources from his brother in South Africa. This is a native South African varietal. If you've never had it before, I highly recommend you give it a try. It's actually a grape that was parented by Pinot Noir and Cinco.

[00:47:32] And it's native only there in South Africa. You can plant it in other places, but this is what they're known for. This is their distinctive grape there in South Africa. And it's got some really great flavors to it. And I love how this particular bottle ties Dane back to his roots there in South Africa, to his family and his brother. And it brings a very unique international flair right here to the heart of the Texas Hill Country. So make sure you try that Pinotage when you go to see them. All right.

[00:48:01] Well, I'm keeping my foot on the gas as I'm going from location to location. And I'm going to be moving on to some other great wine destinations there in the heart of the Hill Country and other places throughout Texas. And if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon or following our journey on YouTube. Make sure that you like, follow and subscribe so that you never miss a journey to these great wine destinations. And for our YouTube community, make sure to let me know. Go down to the comments.

[00:48:29] Would you be brave enough to try that South African summer pizza that has bacon and bananas and those papadu peppers? I did. It was really great. But give me your thoughts down below in a comment. And with that, my time is up. So don't forget, subscribe to the podcast and follow my socials to be notified anytime a new episode is released. And until then, happy trails and bottoms up, y'all.

[00:48:58] Thanks for listening to Texas Under Vine. We strive to provide you with the best information about wine businesses all over Texas. Be sure to check out our website at texasundervine.com and follow us on our socials at Texas Undervine to stay up on all the upcoming episodes. Please email us with any suggestions or feedback. Also, contact us if you're interested in donating, sponsoring, or advertising on the podcast just to help us cover our expenses and bring even more great info to you in future episodes.

[00:49:27] Above all, travel safely and most especially, drink responsibly. Howdy, Vine Trippers. Before we go, I wanted to direct you to my website, www.texasundervine.com. Because there, you're going to find a whole host of things.

[00:49:49] Besides access to the audio versions and the video versions of the podcast, you can also get those on any podcast provider and then the video on YouTube. But there, you're going to find a couple of things. Did you know that I actually sold some Texas Undervine merchandise? I only have a handful of items available, about five different things. But they are up on my store. So, if you go to the website, www.texasundervine.com, and go to the top, you're going to see a link for the merchandise store.

[00:50:15] And there, you can get your own Texas Undervine swag to proudly show all of your friends that you support the Texas wine industry. And you can get them started and hooked on the podcast as well. So, they can go visit even more of these great wine destinations. But in addition to the store, I also have a Patreon for my subscribers, people that support this show. I do this all out of a work of love from my heart. I do not make any money on this podcast.

[00:50:42] I'm actually in the red because I support it all out of my own pocket as a teacher. And it's mainly because I love wine, and I love the Texas wine industry. So, if you're willing to help me do that, and you'd like to see more of these great episodes, hear more from these amazing winemakers, learn more about some fun destinations for you to go and visit on your own, I would appreciate if you would be willing to subscribe to my Patreon. So, at the top of my website page, again, you'll find a Become a Patron link.

[00:51:11] And there, you can get all the information about becoming a subscriber to the podcast here as a Patreon subscriber. It only costs a few dollars a month if you're willing to commit that. And there are various levels that you can commit to that each give you behind-the-scenes benefits that you don't get. And I do have some new things in the pipeline coming down soon. So, you want to get on that sooner than later. But right now, you can get things like behind-the-scenes photos at different wineries.

[00:51:38] You can get things like at one level, you'll get a video walkthrough of the winery. So, for every episode, I will post a video walkthrough of me taking you through the winery itself. So, you can see what it's like before you go. And then at one level, you can even find out before everyone else where I'm headed the next week on the show as it comes out. So, you'll know before everyone else. You get a sneak peek. So, there's just different levels of benefits. And they all cost a different amount. And as you subscribe, you become the heart of this podcast. You really are what helps me succeed.

[00:52:08] You are my community and my people. And thank you so much for those that do subscribe. So, if you're interested in joining Patreon, check the Become a Patron link at the top of the website. So, again, the website is www.texasundervine.com. You can also go to all of my socials. I'm at TexasUnderVine on almost all the social accounts. And check it out and consider sponsoring the podcast and maybe even buying some of that really cool swag on the merchandise store. Happy trails and bottoms up, Vine Trippers.

[00:52:48] Howdy, Vine Trippers. Before we go, I wanted to direct you to my website, www.texasundervine.com. Because there, you're going to find a whole host of things. Besides access to the audio versions and the video versions of the podcast, you can also get those on any podcast provider and then the video on YouTube. But there, you're going to find a couple of things. Did you know that I actually sold some TexasUnderVine merchandise? I only have a handful of items available, about five different things.

[00:53:16] But they are up on my store. So, if you go to the website, www.texasundervine.com, and go to the top, you're going to see a link for the merchandise store. And there, you can get your own TexasUnderVine swag to proudly show all of your friends that you support the Texas wine industry. And you can get them started and hooked on the podcast as well. So, they can go visit even more of these great wine destinations. But in addition to the store, I also have a Patreon for my subscribers, people that support this show.

[00:53:46] I do this all out of a work of love from my heart. I do not make any money on this podcast. I'm actually in the red because I support it all out of my own pocket as a teacher. And it's mainly because I love wine. And I love the Texas wine industry.

[00:54:00] So, if you're willing to help me do that, and you'd like to see more of these great episodes, hear more from these amazing winemakers, learn more about some fun destinations for you to go and visit on your own, I would appreciate if you would be willing to subscribe to my Patreon. So, at the top of my website page, again, you'll find a Become a Patron link. And there, you can get all the information about becoming a subscriber to the podcast here as a Patreon subscriber.

[00:54:27] It only costs a few dollars a month if you're willing to commit that. And there are various levels that you can commit to that each give you behind-the-scenes benefits that you don't get. And I do have some new things in the pipeline coming down soon. So, you want to get on that sooner than later. But right now, you can get things like behind-the-scenes photos at different wineries. You can get things like at one level, you'll get a video walkthrough of the winery.

[00:54:52] So, for every episode, I will post a video walkthrough of me taking you through the winery itself so you can see what it's like before you go. And then at one level, you can even find out before everyone else where I'm headed the next week on the show as it comes out. So, you'll know before everyone else. You get a sneak peek. So, there's just different levels of benefits, and they all cost a different amount. And as you subscribe, you become the heart of this podcast. You really are what helps me succeed. You are my community and my people. And thank you so much for those that do subscribe.

[00:55:22] So, if you're interested in joining Patreon, check the Become a Patron link at the top of the website. So, again, the website is www.texasundervine.com. You can also go to all of my socials. I'm at TexasUnderVine on almost all the social accounts. And check it out. And consider sponsoring the podcast. And maybe even buying some of that really cool swag on the merchandise store. Happy trails and bottoms up, fine trippers.