Here’s a May event you don’t want to miss…the Texas Bluebonnet & Winery Trail happening May 1-31, 2022. The month of May kicks off one of three annual wine trail events happening in Texas. Participants can get their Wine Trail Passport by clicking here.

The Trail Passport allows someone/groups to enjoy three 1.5 oz. pours of select or featured wines at participating wineries. Ticket prices are $30/individual or $54/couple (plus tax and fees). This is a substantial SAVINGS compared to separate wine flight costs at each winery! You can start at the winery of your choice. The Wine Trail hours are based on each participating wineries’ normal business hours. Check individual winery websites for hours to plan your visit.

Planning Your Visit

Each member winery has their own unique personality, terroir, and style of winemaking. Let’s meet each then decide who will be your first stop.

BERNHARDT WINERY
9043 County Road 204, Plantersville, Texas 77363
(936) 894-9829 | www.bernhardtwinery.com

The winery, vineyard and event grounds are at the heart of a 20-acre estate and vineyard overlooking rolling hills and valleys. This is an amazing place to watch sunsets and enjoy live music.

MESSINA HOF WINERY
4545 Old Reliance Road, Bryan Texas 77808
(979) 778-9463, ext. 234 | www.messinahof.com

As one of the oldest wineries in the state, they have been creating flavors since 1977. The Messina Hof is recognized for exceptional Old World hospitality, food, and customer service. You can learn more about Messina Hof’s history in “Family, Tradition & Romance: The Messina Hof Story,” the newly released book written by Paul Vincent and Merrill Bonarrigo.

PERRINE WINERY
11405 N. Dowling Road, College Station, TX 77845
(979) 703-1843 | www.perrinewinery.com

Perrine Winery specializes in all kinds of wine from smooth dry reds to light crisp dry whites, as well as semi-sweet fruit infused wines, wine freezes, and dessert wines. They offer an intimate and friendly atmosphere—perfect for a small party or get together.

PLEASANT HILL WINERY
1441 Salem Road, Brenham, Texas
979-830-VINE (8463) | www.pleasanthillwinery.com

2022 marks Pleasant Hill Winery’s 25th anniversary as one of the oldest wineries in Washington County. They serve wines to please every palate from dry reds and whites to sweet wines and ports. The grapes come from the Brenham vineyard, the Lubbock area, and from vineyards all over the great state of Texas.

TEXAS STAR WINERY
10587 Old Chappell Hill Road, Chappell Hill, TX 77835
(979) 251-7282 | www.texasstarwinery.com

The winery in Chappell Hill is situated in the heart of bluebonnet country. Texas Star is a beautiful setting for large or small events and has accommodations for indoor and outdoor seating.

THRESHOLD VINEYARDS
14615 County Road 318, Navasota, Texas, 77868
(936) 225-3355 | www.thresholdvineyards.com

Indulge in a glass of wine on the patio overlooking the vineyard, relax in one of the many picnic spots, or participate in a wine tasting hosted by their knowledgeable staff. Live music happens on Saturdays and it’s Live Trivia on Sundays.  

WEST SANDY CREEK WINERY
1 Winery Rd, 1773 FM 1791, Richards, Texas 77873
(936) 436-9050 | www.wscwinery.com

West Sandy Creek Winery is home to one of the largest vineyards in the Texas Gulf Coast Region—spanning a 360-acre ranch beside the Sam Houston National Forest. The winery features a tasting room, several log cabins, and plenty of room for the animals that call the ranch home.  

Bluebonnet Legends & Lore

As you drive to the various wineries, you’ll pass some gorgeous bluebonnet patches along the way. It seems like a fitting time to brush up on your bluebonnet lore and legends.

• In 1901, the Texas legislature was in the midst of hashing out official state mascots when three different speakers submitted a nomination for different flowers—each arguing passionately for their bloom of choice. Cotton bolls received a nomination because of their huge impact on the Texas economy, while “Cactus Jack” nominated the prickly pear cactus because of its hardiness and the beauty of its flowers. Eventually, both lost to the bluebonnet, which had been nominated by the National Society of Colonial Dames of America.
• There are five species of bluebonnet native to Texas—and today, all of them hold the state flower title. These include: Lupinus concinnus, Lupinus havardii, Lupinus perennis, Lupinus plattensis, and Lupinus subcarnosus.
• Bluebonnets get their name from the flower’s individual bloom’s resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun.
• The pink bluebonnet is another flower steeped in legend. According to one story, children were playing in a field of bluebonnets near San Antonio. Among all the blue, they spotted a white bluebonnet and a pink one. The children asked their grandmother why those two flowers had different colors. She replied that the white flower among all the blue represented the Lone Star of the Texas state flag. The pink one, she said, hearkened back to another legend, one that says pink bluebonnets grow to honor the soldiers lost at the Alamo.
• The Jumano Native Americans have their own story about bluebonnets. According to them, when early missionaries came through New Mexico and Texas to spread the word of Christianity among the tribes there, many Jumanos had dreams of a nun who was dressed in a beautiful shade of cobalt blue. It was after her final visit to slumbering tribe members that the people woke to find the field they’d slept in covered in beautiful bluebonnets to match the nun’s habit.

Source: Farmer’s Almanac

Since 2004 Sara Lyn Nguyen continues to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate around the Houston area to those she serves. Sara is a multi-year award winning REALTOR® and relocation specialist where her clients trust her to have up-to-date information on the real estate market. She has been one of Gary Greene’s Multi-Million Dollar Top Producers and was the #2 Top Producing agent in 2020 citywide. When it’s time to buy, sell, invest, or relocate speak with a trusted professional knowledgeable in the homes and neighborhoods of Fort Bend/Sugar Land and the surrounding region.