William Chris Vineyards is a collaboration between two passionate winemakers, William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett, who share a vision for the Texas wine industry. They believe that great wines are grown in the vineyard, not made, and that wine should be enjoyed with friends and family. Since 2008, they have been working together to produce high-quality wines that represent the very best of Texas. The winery is also a member of 23 of the leading wine regions of the world, which supports the global effort to uphold the integrity of each winegrowing region and their place names.
The winemaking process at William Chris Vineyards begins with the harvest, which requires an understanding of chemistry, a well-developed palate, and farmer’s intuition. Mother nature also plays a significant role, as weather patterns can impact the balance of acidity, sugar content, and flavor profiles in a finished wine. The winemakers carefully monitor each grape, picking them at the optimal time to ensure the best possible outcome.
In the cellar, the winemakers use as little intervention as possible, allowing each wine to come into its own. Open-air fermentation is used whenever possible, with multiple hand punchdowns each day to facilitate a delicate maceration process. After barreling or transferring to a concrete tank to age, minimal handling is practiced to allow the wine to develop complexity and depth over time.
William Chris Vineyards uses a barrel program consisting of high-quality French, American, and Eastern European oak. They also innovate by aging wines in concrete tanks, allowing for a controlled introduction of oxygen throughout the fermentation and aging processes. In fact, they are the first vineyard in the U.S. to have a Galileo Tank imported from Bordeaux, France exclusively for William Chris Vineyards.
The tasting room at William Chris Vineyards offers visitors the opportunity to learn about what makes each vintage unique. With a focus on location and thoughtful winemaking, William Chris Vineyards produces exceptional wines that represent the very best of Texas.
