Tuesday, April 30, 2024
They’ve been growing grapes for nine years and bottling wine for six. Next month the Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard Winery in Chalk Mountain will expand to Granbury with a retail winery building formerly occupied by Stephen’s, 104 N. Houston.
“You’ll hear a lot of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin music in here,” said Bull Lion owner Chuck Tordiglione. It’s a tribute to his Italian heritage – and so is his wine.
“We have a wine we call Texianti. It’s like our family’s Old World chianti,” Tordiglione said.
The red wine is described as fruit forward with a kick of pepper on the back. It won the People’s Choice Award at Grapefest in Grapevine. Bull Lion wines have also garnered international awards.
In addition to wine by the bottle or the glass, Bull Lion will have an Italian meat counter with salami, cheeses and other items from Wentzel Meats in Hamilton.
Wine tastings, cheese trays, appetizers, deserts and Italian espresso coffee will be offered.
The Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard is located in the Chalk Mountain region, near Hico. The rocky soil is said to emulate the vineyards of Italy.
Grape varieties include: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo and Pinot Grigio.
These varieties are typically grown on the mountain sides of Italy, Spain and Argentina, which is similar to the environment in the Central Texas Hill Country.
WORKING RANCH
The Bull Lion Ranch was established about 25 years ago as a registered red Angus and performance paint horse operation.
The vineyard and wine business was added in 2010 with fine wines produced from 100 percent Texas grapes.
To keep things Italian, the wine maker, Patrick Johnson, is nicknamed “Giovanni.”
FAMILY BUSINESS
Tordiglione and his wife Cyndi are owner/operators. Daughter Alex Tordiglione Burns, 30, is a mainstay in the business, daughter Olivia Tordiglione, 26, helps with events, and son Tony Tordiglione, 23, is assistant wine maker and runs the vineyard.
Tordiglione participates in the Gran-bury Wine Walk, organized the Aledo Wine Festival and has similar plans for a wine walk in Glen Rose. He is president of the Cross Timber Grape & Wine Association.
For more information about Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard go to www.bulllionranch.com.
dschneider@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 255
