Another year has come and gone at the vineyard. We are taking this time to reflect on 2016, and we can’t help but think back to all the incredible events we were able to enjoy with you all. A few of our favorites were the Black-Eyed Pea Cookoff, our Spring Concert, the very first Texas Wine Revolution, and heading north to Chicago to be with fans who traveled afar. These events were not only a good time, but they led us to meeting some of the most fantastic individuals we have come across in our career. Because of our loyal following, we were able to continue to push the envelope on Texas wine standards, grow our William Chris family and best of all, make incredible wine. Grab a glass (or bottle) of your favorite William Chris wine from this year, and read about our staff’s favorite memories from 2016!
Chris, could not pick just one accomplishment of 2016. What can we say - it’s been a great year for us.
“First and foremost, my favorite accomplishment this year has been looking at how many families Texas-Grown Wine supports. The 45 families at William Chris, plus all of our growers and their families. There is such a web of people in the wine community that we touch, not just in Texas, but the 28 different states we ship to and China. It is truly remarkable to think about. We’ve had an incredible time putting our eyes on other cities and being on the road more this year to share the William Chris story. Seeing our fans in Chicago and how far they traveled just to dine with us, talking to people in the Sierra Foothills in California and having them tell me how much they love our wine – it’s surreal.
I have also never felt better about our team. We have been climbing this mountain for six or seven years, and even though we are still climbing it daily, I get to pause to spend a little more time with family and reflect on what brought us here. It’s all because of our dependable team, and I am looking forward to see where they will bring us in 2017.”
Chris’ favorite WC wine of 2016: 2013 La Pradera Petit Verdot
Rachael, our wine club manager who we can’t live without, loved being able to see fans from all over the country join them in Chicago. “I think Chicago was the best event of the year. I thought it was so cool that people drove from so many faraway places. Some people that we met live in states that we don't even ship to. They came to Texas to visit us a couple of times, and then drove seven hours for one night to enjoy a dinner with us and chat Texas wine. I think that is so amazing and truly shows how powerful our story is, and how much people believe in real Texas Grown Wines.”
Rachael’s favorite WC wine of 2016: 2014 Hye Estate Petit Verdot
Kate, who handles our outside sales and events, joined our team this year and we wouldn’t have it any other way. “I joined the William Chris family in April of this year. After hitting the ground running, we were able to solidify new accounts in Dallas and Houston like Stampede 66and Underbelly, who we immensely enjoy working with. My favorite accomplishment of 2016 was to sponsor and participate in the Texas Wine Revolution on July 10.”
Kate’s favorite WC wine of 2016: That’s like picking a favorite child for Kate, but she settled on the 2015 Pétillant Naturel Rosé.
Anthony, our director of sales & operation, pretty much kept us in line this year (someone has to do it). “I would say the best part of 2016 for William Chris was the rollout and successful growth of the Barrel Tasting program. We are always looking for ways to enhance the guest experience and this was a huge step in that process. We have progressed from one tasting a week on Saturday, to offering them Thursday through Sunday and by special appointment. It is truly exceptional to see and interact with people, and share what we get to do every day. To show people the winemaking process and give them a sneak peak of what is to come has truly built many long term fans. We can't wait to continue to find these new experiences and share them with our guests in the new year.”
Anthony couldn’t pick just one favorite WC wine of 2016 but loved: 2015 Pétillant Naturel Rosé & 2014 Lost Draw Mourvèdre
Check out the video for more team member highlights of 2016 from Bill, Henry and more!
We can’t thank our fans enough for another wonderful year. We truly would not be able to do it without you all, and we are looking forward to what 2017 brings us! Want to celebrate the new year with us? Join us on New Year's Day for our annual Black-Eyed Pea Cookoff! It's one of our favorite events of the season, and of course, the wine will be flowing.