Perissos Vineyard and Winery is off a winding, hill country road a few miles north of the HWY 29 Burnet Wine Trail. As you pull into the winery, you drive through their eighteen acres of vineyard that produces the majority of their estate wines.
The vineyard has stunning views of Texas hills around the Colorado River and Lake Buchanan.
The tasting room and grounds have sprawling oak trees with picnic tables and seating underneath. Perissos has a classy casual vibe and is a great place for a relaxing weekend in the Texas hill country.
The Winery’s History
Perissos Vineyard has a neat story. Seth Martin’s passion for wine started with a chance encounter with a wine collector when he was designing a home for him, and from there he began experimenting with growing grapes along his driveway in Austin.
Fast forward a decade, Seth and Laura Martin founded Perissos Vineyard with just three acres of vines that eventually grew to 18 acres.
The name for the vineyard comes from the Greek word Perissos in the Bible. It comes from Ephesians 3:20 and means “exceeding abundantly, beyond what is expected, imagined, or hoped for.”
And the vineyard truly has been blessed exceedingly and abundantly, as Perissos has won countless awards for their wines.
Perissos Vineyard Wines
Perissos is one of the few Texas winemakers that actually makes their wines 100% from Texas grapes. 70% of the grapes are grown on the estate, and the other 30% are sourced from the Texas High Planes.
They offer a wine tasting of 6 of their current wines for $24. When Buddy and I visited, we tasted:
- 2021 Picpoul Blanc – similar to sauvignon blanc and has tasting notes of crisp apples–pairs well with oysters and shellfish.
- 2021 Italian Stallion Rosé – wonderful with notes of strawberry and lemon–pairs well with BBQ chicken
- 2018 Italian Stallion – notes of plum and cherry–pairs well with Bolognese
- 2018 Tempranillo – Spanish grape with medium body and notes of red cherry and raspberry– pairs well with grilled meats
- 2018 Petite Sirah – notes of plum and blueberry–pairs well with grilled or braised meats
- 2018 Syrah – big and bold, rounded tannins with notes of blackberry and blueberry–this wine has enough acidity to pair well with marbled steaks and prime rib
After the tasting we ordered a bottle of their Montepulciano, which is a favorite of mine. I will be giving a review and tasting notes later this week.
Visiting Perissos Vineyard on the Burnet Wine Trail
Parking is on a wide gravel lot with plenty of space. If you come in the summer, make sure to score a spot beneath one of the two large oak trees.
They offer a small charcuterie board but no food. They also have a winemakers tour on top of their basic wine tasting. As always, be sure to call ahead to make reservations to ensure you get in.
They do have events, but they don’t list them on their website.
Insider’s Tip: Sign up for the wine club to get emails about events hosted at the winery.
If you’re visiting when the weather is good and want to sit outside, you can bring your dog (outside only, of course). Picnic tables are available for outdoor seating or you can bring your own chair, which sometimes is a good idea because it can get really crowded on a beautiful day. It is also fun to take a little picnic with you to enjoy outside with a wonderful bottle of Perissos wine.
