At McDade’s Rising Sun Vineyard, Grapes Are Growing and Vino Is Flowing

Courtesy of Rising Sun Vineyard

A new-to-Texas pal recently lamented a lack of homegrown Lone Star State wine. “Au contraire,” I quickly replied, having just visited Rising Sun Vineyard in Bastrop County.

Texas is the fourth-largest wine producing U.S. state, with nearly 500 wineries and counting. Our enormous land mass boasts a wide range of microclimates and, just like other plants, grapevines vary in climate zone, elevation, and soil preferences. Of the five key Texas wine regions, encompassing eight recognized American Viticultural Areas, our local area is the Hill Country sector – which (for now) includes the area east of Austin.

And that’s precisely where owners Steve and Sandy Frintz set up shop. Rising Sun Vineyard is a sprawling 70-acre landscape in McDade, about 45-ish minutes east of Austin, where they’re growing five acres of grapes and producing uniquely Texas wines.

“Our journey began when we attended a wedding at a vineyard. Christmas that year, our son gifted us vines [and] encouraged us to start a vineyard. Then it became more vines and a tasting room, then more vines and a winery,” shared Steve Frintz, a retired construction superintendent (“and jack of all trades”). The operation kept expanding. “We realized we needed beer for our beer drinkers [...and] food to help our customers enjoy the facilities longer.”

Prior to moving to Texas in 2000, the couple owned a cattle ranch in New Mexico. Showcasing both those Southwestern roots and “deep Basque family heritage,” Rising Sun is a “true family-owned and operated business,” said Frintz. “All of our children and spouses help out when they can.”

Rising Sun produces their wines onsite. “We are constantly working on new and creative wines,” said Frintz. The tasting room and gift shop, which boasts a Texan-approved porch, offers three tasting pours for $12. Rising Sun’s wine options, crafted “from old world traditions,” include sunrise whites, rosés, sparkling rosés, and sunset reds.

When we visited in mid-September, it was incredibly hot, so we enjoyed the Vermentino (dry white with crisp flavors of green apple, pear, white peach, and citrus) and Budburst (medium-bodied rosé with notes of pomegranate, cranberry, tart cherry, and lime). Another popular option is DayBreak, a dry estate rosé with notes of lemon, hibiscus, and mandarin. The red selection includes their signature, La Familia Barberia, an ode to their Basque family name. There’s a Wine Club, complete with dinner pairings and pickup parties, and on special occasions, even some pick-your-own grapes for jelly.

Upon our arrival, two darling chauffeur-hostesses – 10-year-old Harley and 4-year-old Rose – offered us a golf cart ride to the best sunset view on the property. En route to our picnic table on the hill, we met their horses, Hunter and Patty. “[Our grandkids] love to meet and greet all of our customers. They will sit and talk for hours and of course entertain the kids in the sand pile. Harley will also get on stage and sing the night away.”

That deeply entrenched family hospitality colors every bit of this winery. Community events are a large part of the vibe, with weekend pizza nights, jewelry classes, live music, bingo, and more. To celebrate Oktoberfest, Yegua Creek, their onsite sister brewery, is hosting a family-friendly festival with craft beer and camping. Rising Sun offers special mocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages for the whole family.

The venue held their first green chili festival this year, roasting and selling 2,800 pounds of hatch green chilis. On our trip, we shared their kitchen’s scratch-made monthly special: smoked chicken and hatch chile stacked enchiladas, New Mexico-style.

With one last glass, we petted their working dog and moved outside to a different sitting area where we enjoyed an early night sky full of stars and started planning our next visit.