Texas Wine Month 2026: A Month Worth Raising a Glass To

12 Wines Earned “Best in Texas” Honors

One of the biggest stories heading into Texas Wine Month was the announcement of the 2026 Texas Vintners Cup winners.

More than 275 wines were entered this year, and after blind judging by Master Sommeliers Jack Mason and Craig Collins and wine journalist Jessica Dupuy, just 12 made the final “Best in Texas” list.

The winning wineries included Carter Creek Winery, Elisa Christopher Wines, Jaclynn Renée Wines, McPherson Cellars, Missick Cellars, Pedernales Cellars, Reddy Vineyards, Rivenburgh Wine, Tatum Cellars, and William Chris Vineyards.

Jaclynn Renée Wines had an especially impressive year, landing three wines in the final 12, while several other producers appeared on the winners list for the first time.

Judges also noted continued improvement across the board, including better balance, acidity, and overall winemaking, with Rhône and Italian grape varieties making a particularly strong showing.

That’s a pretty encouraging sign for where Texas wine is headed.

Texas Made History at Decanter

Texas also had a huge moment on the international stage this year.

At the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, Texas earned its first-ever Gold medals in the competition’s history. And it didn’t just squeak by with one — it brought home four.

The winners were:

• Ab Astris — 2022 Souzão, 96 points

• Turtle Creek — 2023 Tannat, 96 points

• Adega Vinho — 2021 Estate Tempranillo, 95 points

• Spicewood Vineyards — 2022 Las Montañas, 95 points

  
  

Nearly 17,000 wines from around the world were judged in the competition, so four Texas Golds is no small thing.

Even better, the winning wines highlighted grapes like Souzão, Tannat, and Tempranillo — varieties that continue to make a lot of sense for Texas growing conditions.

That may be one of the most exciting parts of the story. Texas wine seems to be getting more comfortable being Texas wine, rather than trying to look like somebody else.

Two More Double Golds in San Francisco

October brought another round of good news when the 2026 San Francisco International Wine Competition results came out.

Texas earned two Double Gold medals:

• Hilmy Cellars — 2025 Muscat Canelli

• Kiepersol — 2025 Dulce Blanc du Bois

  
  

Plenty of other Texas producers also earned Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals across a range of styles.

It’s another reminder that Texas wine is showing up in a lot of different ways — reds, whites, sparkling wines, sweet wines, and everything in between.

And Consumers Had Their Say, Too

Professional judges weren’t the only ones handing out praise.

At the 40th Annual GrapeFest People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic, more than 150 wines from 40 Texas wineries were tasted by consumers.

Bowen Family Wines and Silver Dollar Winery had a standout weekend, winning eight of the competition’s 10 Gold medals across multiple categories.

That’s a fun counterpoint to all the formal competition results. Texas wines aren’t just impressing experts — they’re connecting with the people actually pouring, tasting, buying, and enjoying them.

A Lot to Feel Good About

The awards are impressive, but they’re really just part of the story.

Texas wine continues to grow because of the people behind it — growers, winemakers, tasting room teams, entrepreneurs, and small business owners doing the work year-round.

And this year’s recognition suggests the industry isn’t just getting bigger. It’s getting more confident in what works here, which grapes make sense, and what Texas wine can be on a national and international stage.

For us at ANJUDI3, it’s exciting to watch that momentum continue and to work alongside businesses that are part of the broader Texas wine community.

So as Texas Wine Month comes to a close, we’ll raise one final glass to the people, wines, and businesses helping Texas keep making its mark.

Cheers to Texas wine — and whatever gets poured next. 🍷

Sources: (txwinelover.com), (decanter.com)