Bending Branch Winery Club Release Guide: September 2020

Release Guide 1

SEPT EMBER 2020

Inside Har vest update ... page 3 Caber net Sauvignon awar ds ... page 4 2017 Caber net Sauvignon vintage r elease ... page 5 Caber net Sauvignon pair ing r ecipe ... page 6 Behind the scenes: cr eating tasting notes ... page 7 Club r elease contents ... pages 8- 9 Wine descr iptions ... pages 10- 12 Vir tual club r elease par ty ... page 13 Wine Club Lounge exper ience ... pages 14- 15 Vir tual tasting offer ings ... pages 16- 17 Weekly happy hour and r efer r al pr ogr am ... page 18

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Har vest

by Jennifer McInnis Fadel, Gener al Manager

Har vest season has come to a close as quickly as it began.

We har vested more gr apes this year than in the past from the Texas Hill Countr y r ather than the Texas High Plains. Har vest star ted July 27 with Tannat from the estate vineyard, Lost Pirogue Vineyard in Center Point. All of our Picpoul Blanc this year will come from the estate vineyard, as there was none available in the High Plains.

We also had a great Malbec har vest from Cherokee Rose Vineyard in Comfor t at the end of July. The fir st Malbec Reser ve ? one bar rel?s wor th ? from that vineyard is a new release reser ved exclusively for the 1840 Custom Case Club.

We are ver y excited about the quality of our fr uit this year ? its intensity and concentr ation is really exceptional. Over all, the fr uit was har vested from smaller lots and multiple vineyards. We are excited to work with Tempr anillo from Wildseed Far ms in the Texas Hill Countr y and Caber net Sauvignon from Rowland Taylor Vineyards.

With the smaller lots, we did not use the flash dĂŠtente technology as much this year, and instead focused on small- batch, whole- ber r y fer mentation and Cr yo- Macer ation. We will use this oppor tunity to make more reser ve and special selection wines for the 2020 vintage.

The last gr apes ? Malbec from the Texas Hill Countr y ? were received on September 4, the earliest we have ever finished. We processed more than 220 tons of fr uit this year. Here?s to a great 2020 har vest wr ap! p ag e 3

Cab er net Sauvig non, New som Vineyard s 2010

2012

2015

2016

Double Gold 2013 San Fr ancisco Inter national

Br onze 2016 Houston Rodeo Uncorked!

Best of Class/Gold 2019 Texas Inter national

Gold 2019 Great Amer ican Inter national

Gold 2019 San Fr ancisco Chronicle

Silver 2019 Lone Star Inter national (Texas division)

Silver 2013 Dallas Mor ning News/TEXSOM Inter national Silver 2013 Lone Star Inter national Silver 2013 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

Silver 2019 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Silver 2018 Lone Star Inter national

Br onze 2019 Lone Star Inter national (Inter national division)

Top 50 Wines for Fall October 2018 Texas Monthly Magazine

Br onze 2016 Houston Rodeo Uncorked!

89 points 2018 James Suckling Amer ican Wine Revolution

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20 17 vintag e release

Dr. Bob Young with Janice and Neal Newsom, sor ting the 2017 Caber net Sauvignon.

The Newsoms have been growing Caber net Sauvignon since the early 1980s, and for Bending Br anch Winer y since 2010. The fir st vintage of this wine was a landmark, ear ning a Double Gold at the 2013 San Fr ancisco Inter national Wine Competition ? the fir st Texas Caber net Sauvignon to ever receive a Double Gold at the Competition.

With 2017 as the best har vest year on record in Texas, this vintage of Caber net Sauvignon has been highly anticipated. There is no doubt that it will receive many accolades, like each vintage before it. Because our Caber net Sauvignon has been a favor ite of member s, it is in ever y single club package for this September release. p ag e 5

Cab er net Sauvig non Pair ing BLUE STEAK TACOS W ITH PICKLED SHALLOTS INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 6 lar ge shallots, sliced into fine r ings 4 ounces soft blue cheese (such as Saga, Cambozola, or Saint Agur) 8 ounces Crema Mexicana (Mexican Style Cream) 1 or 2 well- marbled r ib eye steaks (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total) Sea salt Cr acked black pepper Dr ied Mexican oregano 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 bunch scallions, cleaned and tr immed 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 8 tor tillas (cor n or flour)

DIRECTIONS For the pickled shallots, br ing the vinegar, water, and sugar to a boil. Add salt and shallots and remove from heat. Let stand until cool. Seal and refr iger ate.

Combine the blue cheese and crema in a bowl, and mix with a fork until the consistency of a lumpy batter. Refr iger ate.

Pat steak dr y with paper towels, and then r ub with salt, pepper, and oregano. Allow to come to room temper ature, about an hour.

Rub all over with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Lightly coat the scallions with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and spr inkle with sea salt.

Heat the gr ill to medium high.

Dr ain excess oil from the steak, reduce heat to medium, and cook r are to medium r are. Gr ill the scallions gently until softened and lightly char red. Let the steak rest 10 minutes while you slice the scallions crosswise, about 1/4- inch thick. Slice the steak across the gr ain into thin slices.

Heat tor tillas individually on the gr ill. Assemble tacos with slices of steak, scallions, pickled shallots, and a dollop of blue cheese crema.

Eat war m, with generous glasses of Bending Br anch Winer y 2017 Caber net Sauvignon, Newsom Vineyards.

- Bill Fore, Wine and Food Educator p ag e 6

Behind t he scenes:

Creat ing tast ing notes

What kind of tree fr uit are you sensing? Is it peach or apr icot? Do you taste the elder flower ? Or if you're Dr. Bob, perhaps you're sensing "dew on Kentucky bluegr ass on Derby mor ning," like he suggested when tasting the 2019 Single Bar rel Picpoul Blanc in the picture above.

While the most impor tant tasting notes are your own, the Bending Br anch Winer y team works to provide descr iptions to aid in your selection and tasting process. When creating notes for our website and club release pages, we tr y to gather member s of our winemaking, sales, and marketing teams to gain a r ange of insights. Tasting sessions often occur in multiple waves. Early in this year 's har vest season, we were able to gather sever al team member s to taste through and discuss sever al of the wines in the September club releases.

Bill Fore, our hospitality and wine education exper t, typically culminates the notes and cr afts them for their final for m. He is also responsible for the major ity of food pair ing suggestions, and he frequently develops and tests recipes to pair with wines we are featur ing. Most recently, he created the recipe for Blue Steak Tacos with Pickled Shallots to pair with the newly released 2017 Caber net Sauvignon.

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BRANCH MIXED

BRANCH RED

New! 2017 Caber net Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains

New! 2017 Caber net Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains

New! 2019 Single Bar r el Picpoul Blanc Texas High Plains

New! 2017 Tannat CM Tallent Vineyards, Texas Hill Countr y

New! 2018 Texas Tannat Texas

New! 2018 Texas Tannat Texas

184 0 MIXED

184 0 RED

New! 2017 Caber net Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains

New! 2017 Caber net Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains

New! 2017 Old Vine Petite Sir ah Shell Creek Vineyards, Paso Robles

New! 2017 Old Vine Petite Sir ah Shell Creek Vineyards, Paso Robles

2019 Estate Picpoul Blanc Lost Pirogue Vineyard, Texas Hill Countr y

New! 2017 Old Vine Petite Sir ah Shell Creek Vineyards, Paso Robles

New! 2019 Single Bar r el Picpoul Blanc Texas High Plains

Chloe Cuvée Califor nia

New! 2017 Tannat CM Tallent Vineyards, Texas Hill Countr y

New! 2017 Tannat CM Tallent Vineyards, Texas Hill Countr y

2013 Tannat RF Bella Collina Vineyards, Paso Robles

2013 Tannat RF Bella Collina Vineyards, Paso Robles p ag e 8

184 0 CUSTOM CASE

New! 2017 Caber net Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards, Texas High Plains

New! 2019 Single Bar r el Picpoul Blanc Texas High Plains

Chloe Cuvée Califor nia

New! 2017 Tannat CM Tallent Vineyards, Texas Hill Countr y

New! 2017 Malbec Reser ve Cherokee Rose Vineyard, Texas Hill Countr y

2013 Tannat RF Bella Collina Vineyards, Paso Robles

New! 2017 Old Vine Petite Sir ah Shell Creek Vineyards, Paso Robles

Tannat RF|EM Bella Collina Vineyards, Paso Robles

2019 Estate Picpoul Blanc Lost Pirogue Vineyard, Texas Hill Countr y

New! 2018 Texas Tannat Texas

Exclusive - 20 17 Malb ec Reser ve, Cherokee Rose Vineyard Only one bar rel of 2017 Malbec Reser ve, Cherokee Rose Vineyard, was produced, and it was immediately allocated for the 1840 Custom Case Club.

Read all about it in our blog: https://www.bendingbr anchwiner y.com/blog/Ver y- exclusive

SENSE

EAT

intense RED CURRANT, black pepper, dr ied mushroom, SWEET TOBACCO, forest floor, sage

lollypop LAMB chops, par snip puree, coq au vin, ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES with thyme, CARAMELIZED ONION & wild mushroom pizza p ag e 9

20 19 ESTATE PICPOUL BLANC

20 19 SINGLE BARREL PICPOUL BLANC

20 18 TEXAS TANNAT

LOST PIROGUE VINEYARD TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AVA

TEXAS HIGH PLAINS AVA

SENSE

SENSE

SENSE

delicate hibiscus flower, HONEYDEW melon, LIMESTONE, green PEAR, subtle pineapple, COMPLEX, gentle OAK

subtle elder flower, green PEACH, zesty lime, MINT muddled with mango, NECTARINE mar malade

cr ushed blackber r y, MOCHA, wet gr avel, TART POMEGRANATE, tomato leaf, SOUR CHERRY, dusty rose, CIGAR BOX, ash, roasted beets

EAT

EAT

EAT

BEET AND CHÈVRE salad, spinach gnudi with SAGE BROWN BUTTER, gr illed pear s with Mascar pone cheese, ZUCCHINI GRATIN, turkey breast tonnato, SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SHRIMP

COUNTRY HAM BISCUITS, Kentucky Hot Browns, SHRIMP AND GRITS, pimento cheese toast, SMOKED TURKEY and br ie sandwich, OREGANO- ROASTED CHICKEN

pork chili verde, ROAST DUCK with pr une stuffing, CARNE ASADA, smoked sweet potatoes with chimichur r i sauce, BLUE CHEESE BACON BURGER, sausage pizza, TEXAS BARBECUE BRISKET

Retail $32 Branch Clubs $27.20 1840 Clubs $25.60

Retail $45 Branch Clubs $38.25 1840 Clubs $36

Retail $30 Branch Clubs $25.50 1840 Clubs $24

TEXAS

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20 13 TANNAT RF

TANNAT RF|EM

20 17 TANNAT CM

BELLA COLLINA VINEYARDS PASO ROBLES AVA

BELLA COLLINA VINEYARDS PASO ROBLES AVA

TALLENT VINEYARDS TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AVA

SENSE

SENSE

SENSE

youthful RED PLUM , black olive, TOBACCO LEAF, cinnamon, EARL GREY TEA, br ight blackber r y

robust SOUR CHERRY, smoky blackber r y, dark COCOA, tobacco leaf, EUCALYPTUS, cinnamon, CEDAR

delicate VANILLA, dark- chocolate or ange, BLACK CHERRY COLA, nutmeg, roasted COFFEE beans

EAT

EAT

EAT

Duck confit, CARNITAS, ROQUEFORT, Reuben sandwich, TAPENADE, three cheese macaroni, SMOKED SAUSAGES

classic STEAK fr ites, roast duck with hazelnuts, chicken LIVER PÂTÉ, cave- aged GOUDA, bacon- wr apped Texas quail, PORTOBELLO and Asiago pizza

Comfor t Pizza?s ?Ivan the Great,?

SWORDFISH CAPONATA, Ger man- spiced BEEF- AND- PORK SAUSAGES, aged Gouda with mustard pretzels, TANNAT- BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Retail $40 Branch Clubs $34 1840 Clubs $32

Retail $55 Branch Clubs $46.75 1840 Clubs $44

Retail $55 Branch Clubs $46.75 1840 Clubs $44

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CHLOE CUVÉE

20 17 PETITE SIRAH,

CALIFORNIA

SHELL CREEK VINEYARDS PASO ROBLES AVA

20 17 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NEW SOM VINEYARDS TEXAS HIGH PLAINS AVA

SENSE

SENSE

SENSE

BLACK CURRANT jam, r ipe black cher r y, cassis, COLA, EARL GREY tea, leather, BLUEBERRY, cocoa, anise

CONCENTRATED BLACK CHERRY, violet, smoke, miner als, TOFFEE, green tea, white pepper

war m herbs, VANILLA, red cur r ant, POWERFUL BLACK PLUM, leather, copper, FIG preser ves, CINNAMON, cr acked black pepper

EAT

EAT

EAT

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON, minty lamb bur ger s, duck PÂTÉ, Stilton cheese, SMOKED double pork chop with coar se MUSTARD

barbecue PORK r ibs, STILTON CHEESE & BUTTER- TOASTED PECANS, mesquite- gr illed TOMAHAWK STEAK, roasted beets, DARK chocolate

cr ispy- seared DUCK BREAST, gr illed Por tobello mushroom with ROSEMARY vinaigrette, Gr uyère toast, NEW YORK STRIP STEAK with Roquefor t butter, barbecued quail, r atatouille

Retail $75 Branch Clubs $63.75 1840 Clubs $60

Retail $40 Branch Clubs $34 1840 Clubs $32

Retail $50 Branch Clubs $42.50 1840 Clubs $40

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Join t he vir t ual club release p ar t y Open a bottle from your release and chat with Dr. Bob Young and the team about the new wines, the tasting room exper ience, and more. There will be a chance to win pr izes!

Satur day, October 3r d 2- 3 p.m. CDT Zoom Follow the link below or go to Zoom and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode. http://bit.ly/SeptVRP

Meeting ID: 867 4419 1735 Passcode: 367182

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Welcom e b ack Beginning in October, our Wine Club Lounge will reopen by reser vation on Saturdays and Sundays to Wine Club member s and their guests.

Please note: We are taking extr aordinar y precautions to sanitize and maintain physical distance.

If you have any questions about how we have adapted our exper ience to exceed CDC health regulations, please read the Bending Br anch Winer y COVID- 19 Guest Advisor y her e.

Reser vations are for 1 hour and 15 minutes. We're implementing hard- stops between reser vations to conduct r igorous sanitation protocols.

Club Lounge exper iences are for guests 21+ only. No pets, please.

Reser vat ion instr uct ions 1. Go to https://www.explor etock.com/signup.

2. If you haven't done so already, create a Tock account using the pr imar y email address associated with your club member ship.

3. At the top of Tock, search for Bending Br anch Winer y.

4. Select your desired exper ience. If reser vations are full, you may join the waitlist.

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Enjo y a tast ing at hom e Exper ience a vir tual guided wine tasting with one of our wine educator s.

Packages contain six wines; three to taste dur ing your appointment, and three to savor at a later date.

Vir tual Tasting Package Estate Picpoul Blanc, Lost Pirogue Vineyards (2 bottles) Petite Sir ah, Newsom Vineyards (2 bottles) Texas Tannat (2 bottles) Select an appointment online at https://www.bendingbr anchwiner y.com/Shop/Vir tual- Tastings.

Interested in a customized offer ing for a lar ger event?

Contact us at info@bendingbr anchwiner y.com.

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... or at t he office Looking for a fun team- building event for your or ganization?

Want to spike engagement in your next vir tual meeting?

We have cor por ate vir tual tasting packages ready for your next event, or we can customize an offer ing to meet your needs.

Contact info@bendingbr anchwiner y.com for more infor mation.

"Our vir t ual wine tast ing w as a success!

W hen I ar r ived at t he office t od ay, I had m any em ails stat ing w hat a success last nig ht 's event w as."

-Cor p orate Tast ing Cust om er

Signatur e Tasting Package Taste Bending Br anch's signature gr ape var ieties in our Picpoul Blanc and Texas Tannat. Exper ience the value of compar ative wine tasting, appreciate body and balance, and get comfor table with wine vocabular y. The tasting culminates in a tr ivia challenge with pr izes.

"We had a w onder ful t im e and t he wine w as excellent . I also shared t he rem aining wine wit h a few fr iend s over d inner last nig ht . It w as t he hig hlig ht of m y week!"

-Sig nat ure Tast ing Par t icip ant

1840 Pr emier e Exper ience Enjoy three premium Bending Br anch wines, per sonally guided by Owner and Wineamker Dr. Rober t Young, along with member s of our team. Under stand the winemaker 's style and objectives, appreciate the commitment to quality, and discover the vibr ant world of food and wine.

"We not only loved t he Tannat , Pet ite Sirah, and Picp oul Blanc, in t hat order, we also ap p reciate Dr. Bob for his com m it m ent t o w hatever he d oes."

-184 0 Prem iere Exper ience Par t icip ant p ag e 17

Let 's connect over hap py hour

Join the Bending Br anch Winer y team at 4 p.m. each Fr iday.

Find the most up- to- date infor mation on our events calendar : https://www.bendingbr anchwiner y.com/Visit/Events

Mem b er ship refer ral p rog ram STEP 1 Invite a fr iend to go online and join one of the Bending Br anch Clubs. https://www.bendingbr anchwiner y.com/Wine- Club STEP 2 Ask your fr iend to list your name in the ?refer r al? por tion of the application.

STEP 3 After your fr iend takes the fir st club release, you and your fr iend will each receive a $25 credit to use online or at any of our tasting rooms for logo merchandise.

It?s a win- win for you and your fr iend! p ag e 18