OPENING ALERT
Award-winning Hill Country winery uncorks expansive new tasting room
Ron Yates surveys his new wine tasting room.
An acclaimed Hill Country winemaker has popped the cork on new digs at 6676 Hwy 290 W. in Hye. Ron Yates says its new tasting room will allow the 10-year-old label to expand its hospitality programs and introduce more oenophiles to Texas wine.
“This new tasting room represents the next chapter for Ron Yates,” says the winery’s titular founder, via a release. “This space allows us to welcome more guests while keeping the fun, relaxed, friendly atmosphere people love.”
Yates fell in love with winemaking while spending a semester in Spain as a University of Texas at Austin undergrad. After law school at St. Mary’s University, he started working at Spicewood Vineyards, later purchasing the label and launching his own brand in 2016.
Yates’ roomy 8,800-square-foot facility sits on an even bigger tract of land. The tasting room gives sweeping views of the 17-acre property, where Yates and his crew grow signature grapes like Tempranillo.
In addition to the view, the complex includes space for wine tastings, 7,000 square feet of covered patio seating, and a stage for live music. A wood-fired pizza oven powers the full-service kitchen.
Guests of the winery can enjoy flagship wines at the central tasting bar by the glass or bottle. Or, if they want a more intimate experience with library selections and food pairings, they can book a private tasting room.
Ron Yates is celebrating the tasting room debut with a grand opening event on May 2 featuring the release of two new varieties of its boxed wine series. Tickets are $60 per person and include a special performance from cult-favorite Austin rockers Ghostland Observatory.
