Venue
As part of my Texas Road Trip, I stopped in Rockport, Texas, a small oceanside town that draws a varied population due to its location, climate, and arts scene. In the historic downtown area is a gem of a place called Winery on the Bay. The venue is an indoor / outdoor tasting room that servers their own wines. But in addition to wine, they are a working brewery, and while I visited, the aroma of fresh beer wort boiling filled the tasting room and made the experience even better. The inside of the facility is nice and inviting and has its own character, while the outside area is spacious with lots of covered patio space, a stage for live music, and an open area with tables and outdoor games.
Wines
With the help of my partner, we were able to work through red wine tasting, white wine tasting, and beer tasting. Let me start with the red wines. I tried various ones, including Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Tuscan blend called Tattoos and Muscles. First, my overall impression. The reds all seem to blend, with none of them really standing out. They were good, but I would put them in the middle of the road Texas wine. On the white side, they had a nice Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer which I purchased. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio didn’t do it for me as they tasted a bit watery in my opinion. Let’s talk about prices. The whites are $16.95 per bottle and the reds $19.95 per bottle. This makes any of the wines you might like a great value.
Beers
After the wine tasting, I went on to the beer tastings. I went for a Blonde Ale, American IPA, Blood Orange IPA, and the wizard Stream (much like an Anchor Steam). I really like the Steam and the Blonde as they tasted as I expected. The blood orange IPA was a bit like an orange shandy with orange definitely being the defining flavor. The American IPA was light, but at only 55 IBUs, I wasn’t expected a strong one. All in all, I prefer their beers over their wines, but the white wines were a close 2nd.
Summary
Overall, Winery on the Bay is a great place to visit and try out some wines and beers. The atmosphere is so nice inside and out, and when added to the seaside, the environment is relaxing and comfortable. Don’t go out of your way for the red wines, but if you want some good white wines and beer, this is a great place to unwind and have them.
