Red Caboose Winery Vineyards January 2011 Dockline Issue

        Hey y'all! We're back this month continuing our theme to feature Texas wine and Texas winemakers. In last month's issue we featured Dave and Stacy and Circle S Vineyards in Sugarland, Texas. This month, the tip of the ol' Resistol goes to Gary McKibben and Red Caboose Winery and Vineyards in Meridian, Texas.
        Red Caboose Winery and Vineyards, produces Big Reds and tasty white wines from their estate grown and Texas grapes. Started in 2002, by Gary McKibben and his son Evan, this family owned and operated winery and vineyard has grown to its prominence today through quality grape growing and wine production. Starting with just 100 grape vines its first year, the vineyard now has over 16.3 acres

and approximately 15,000 individual vines. Of the 17 varietals grown in Texas, Red Caboose Winery grows 10 of these, including the five varieties used in making a true Portuguese Port.
        As a "green" winery, Gary a Dallas-based architect, designed the winery to sustain itself through geo-thermal heating and cooling, rain water collection and reuse of the limestone rock so prominent on the fields of the hill country. The grapevine rows are cut into solid rock and backfilled for vines. Leftover rock has been used throughout the facility in the outdoor fireplace and patios. Later this year, photo voltaics will be added to complete the energy requirements.
        Most importantly, the wine at Red Caboose has received local and national attention in wine competitions in Dallas, Houston, and this year placing in San Francisco. Last year Red Caboose Winery received two of the top honors at Grapefest being selected as the Best Red Wine and Best Red Blend. This year in Houston, the Cab Franc Tempranillo blend, competed in the final round for top honors at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Competition. Not only have the red wines received attention, but this year the RCW whites have been given the nod, with RCW Viognier taking home a silver from the Lone Star Wine competition and the Zin Rose placing in the Dallas Morning News wine competition. RCW's port, Some

of That Red, was recognized this year with a Silver award from the Dallas Morning News wine competition.
        You can find Red Caboose Wine at The Rancher's Daughter, where we represent over 50 Texas wineries and over 100 varietals. Come in and taste Gary's outstanding wines, his Cab Franc Tempranillo and Zin Rose are among our best sellers, or one of the many others that we have on daily tastings. We hope that you enjoy this column and as always, if you have any suggestions, we welcome them. Y'all come see us at Rancher's Daughter, Texas' Only Texas-Only Wine Shop. Harry and Rendy Kerr, native Texans and Montgomery residents, can be reached at 202B McCown Street, Montgomery, Texas 77356 (936) 449-4100.