Barking Rocks to Green Goats, 9 Texas Wineries With Strange Names

Nearly 20 years ago, I went on a tour of several wineries in the Texas Hill Country. It was a very educational experience to go behind the scenes and see the process of turning grapes into wine.

It was during this trip that I found a new favorite white wine...Viognier Reserve from Becker Vineyards. The taste, of course, is the number one reason why I like this wine. My second reason is because I feel somewhat distinguished when saying the name...Vee oh NYAY

My Wine Tasting Qualifications

If I'm picking a wine simply on the merit of its pronunciation, it's rather obvious that I am not a wine connoisseur. I have judged chili and BBQ before, but I couldn't tell you the first thing about judging a wine's 'legs' or identifying parts of the wine by sniffing it.

I may not know much about wine, but I do appreciate creativity and a good sense of humor. So, here are my top strange names for actual Texas wineries and vineyards.

Y Knot Vineyard

• Located on five acres near Seagraves, Texas, this winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano,  and Petit Verdot.
• The family that owns the winery was told about a decade ago that it couldn't be done. Why not was their response, and also became the name of the business.

Barking Rocks Vineyard and Winery

• This vineyard is located in Granbury. It produces a wide variety of wines including Merlot, Lenoir, and Tempranillo.
• I don't know how 'Barking Rocks' got its name. There's a dog named Ripple who is the winery's mascot. Maybe he barks at rocks.

Boxing Rabbit Vineyard

• Located in the Texas High Plains, Boxing Rabbit is the oldest commercial vineyard in Texas (1975).
• I guess I never realized that rabbits 'box' as a defensive mechanism. Think of them as tiny kangaroos. Maybe some of the wines here really pack a punch.

Breaking Bud Vineyard

• Located near Whitesboro and features Albariño, Mourvèdre, Picpoul Blanc, and Syrah.
• I love the 'Breaking Bad' play on words. If Saul Goodman tried to sell me some of their wine, I'd buy it.

Blue Ostrich Winery and Vineyards

• Located in St. Jo (a little east of Wichita Falls)
• It's a winery now, but in the 80s and 90s, this ranch was a breeding ground for ostriches.

Therapy in the Vines Vineyard

• One of the few wineries in East Texas, located near Henderson.
• I've seen many people get a better handle on things after a glass or several of wine...in a way, that makes it therapeutic.

Green Goat Winery and Vineyard

• Another East Texas winery, this one is located near Chandler, outside of Tyler.
• I've seen pygmy goats used for yoga classes...I think a bottle of Green Goat would put me more at ease.

Burning Daylight Vineyards

• This vineyard is located in Rendon, Texas, which is between Midlothian and Fort Worth.
• I like the name of the place because it reminds me of my high school football coach. His two favorite phrases were "You're burning daylight" and "Run the Play Again".

Oh, Sweet Child of Wine Vineyard

• Actually, this doesn't exist.  I just made up the name, but wouldn't it be a cool name for a winery?