Elisa Christopher Wines

09/02/2026

Want to know more about Texas Wine? Now is your chance!! October 11th! https://hcwineacademy.com/classes-events/

08/29/2026

Thank you Tom Capo and Wine Enthusiast! This was a welcome harvest surprise!

08/26/2026

More thoughts on harvest and winemaking.

The Next Phase of Harvest

08/18/2026

Save the dates! We’re rounding up all the can’t-miss winery events happening October through December—including wine club parties, Texas Wine Jam, celebrations, tastings, holiday events, and more. Yes, we are open Black Friday too!

08/01/2026

We had the distinct honor of being hosted by the CEO of Amorim Cork, António Rios de Amorim, at his home in Porto.

When a company has been crafting cork stoppers and other cork products since 1870 for wineries around the world, it’s remarkable that its CEO would take time out of his busy schedule to welcome a couple of Texas winemakers (and one from California!) into his home for a traditional Portuguese aperitivo.

As we made our way up the drive, we were surrounded by hydrangeas as big as your head before being greeted by Mr. Amorim and his adorable dogs. We gathered around a long table on the patio to enjoy wine, sardines, cheeses, presunto Ibérico, Portuguese hospitality and wonderful conversation.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was listening to Mr. Amorim share stories about wineries he’s worked with over the years, the fascinating innovations in cork—including its use as insulation around batteries to help prevent fires—and, to top it all off, a tour of his incredible wine cellar.

The bottles from every corner of the world sparked even more stories and conversations. I could have listened to Mr. Amorim for hours.

It was an unforgettable evening and incredibly special that someone with so many demands on his time chose to spend a part of his evening with us. My heartfelt thanks to Mr. Amorim and to the entire Amorim team in both Portugal and the United States for making this truly the trip of a lifetime.

08/01/2026

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07/30/2026

Letkeman Family Vineyard Sangiovese Is here!!! 🙌🙌 If you want to taste how awesome this was in 2022, stop by the tasting room this weekend!

07/28/2026

This is such a great class lead by the talented Kelsey Kramer. You won’t want to miss this! Sunday October 11th!

07/26/2026

Watching a champagne cork being made is fascinating. The continued checks, quality control and process…honestly they should charge more…but we are thankful they do not!

The making of a champagne cork

07/20/2026

I recently had the incredible opportunity to travel to Portugal with Amorim Cork, the largest cork manufacturer in the world, to witness one of nature’s most fascinating—and sustainable—harvests. We spent several days exploring Amorim’s cork forests with our guide, Carlos, who walked us through every step of the process as it unfolded right before our eyes. It was amazing to see firsthand how a product as simple as a wine cork begins its journey in the forest.

The cork harvest takes place from May through August in southern Portugal, where cork oak trees (Quercus suber) thrive in the warm Mediterranean climate. Unlike most harvested trees, cork oaks are never cut down. Instead, only their outer bark is carefully removed, allowing the tree to continue growing and producing new cork for generations.

One of the most surprising things I learned is just how much patience goes into making a natural wine cork. A cork oak must be about 43 years old before its bark is suitable for producing natural wine stoppers. The tree is first harvested when it’s around 25 years old, but the bark from the first two harvests isn’t of high enough quality for wine closures. By the third harvest—nearly two decades later—the cork has developed the structure needed for premium wine stoppers. After that, each tree is harvested only once every 10 years, making cork one of the world’s most renewable natural resources

I recently had the incredible opportunity to travel to Portugal with Amorim Cork, the largest cork manufacturer in the world, to witness one of nature's most fascinating—and sustainable—harvests.