Andy and Michael Bilger had long discussed planting vines and putting roots down in the Texas Hill Country with initial aspirations of cultivating high quality grapes to sell to local wineries. In 2016, the brothers fulfilled their plans with Adega Vinho in Stonewall.
However, conversations quickly turned to the thought of growing grapes and instead of selling the fruit, endeavoring to produce their own boutique wines. The business plan had morphed into something more, and Adega Vinho Winery was born!
A simple synopsis of the Adega Vinho family project could be, “Texas family and 100% Texas grown grapes with a tip of the hat to Portugal.” The story goes much deeper though.
Andy and Elena Bilger were inspired before the winery opened following a trip to Portugal. Their experiences were the spark behind the brand.
The focus of Adega Vinho is its passion for the family business – one that grows thoughtfully farmed estate grapes with a light hand in the wine making process. The goal is to let every vintage and each vineyard tell its own story. This hands-off method has proven to be a great path forward for head winemaker Michael Bilger.
Many of their wines over the last several years have been fermented on their native yeasts, creating wines that truly showcase their sense of place. The wine program is focused on Portuguese varieties, as well as Texas staples such as Tempranillo, Mourvèdre and Viognier.
However, the unexpected star of the show over the last several years has been their award-winning Chardonnay program, a grape traditionally thought to be difficult to grow in Texas.
James Suckling, Jonathan Cristaldi, Wine Enthusiast, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and San Antonio Rodeo have all issued high accolades to this stellar white wine line-up.
The 2022 Viognier Reserve, grown by Jason and Amanda Veesart in the Texas High Plains, was the first Texas wine to ever win the overall contest, Grand Champion, at the San Antonio Rodeo Wine Competition.
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition has awarded both their 2020 and 2022 Hill Country grown Chardonnay Double Gold medals. Additionally, the 2022 Chardonnay was rated second highest in its category and price point of the domestic wines in North America.
In the newest chapter of their journey, Adega Vinho (at the time of this story) is opening its downtown Fredericksburg location, Adega Vinho on Adams, or AVoA. This casual and modern wine-on-tap wine bar and tasting room is located right across from Marktplatz. The cool location is an extension of the Adega Vinho brand that looks to provide delightful 100% Texas grown wines to the downtown crowd of Fredericksburg.
"AVoA adds an important downtown asset which we believe will capture and cater to the folks who don’t visit the winery locations outside of the downtown area,” said Andy Bilger. “We also love the ability we will have to introduce our Texas Hill Country brand of Adega Vinho to the downtown visitors and encourage them to make the drive to Stonewall for the full Adega Vinho Family experience."
To say the least, the Bilger family has put together a brilliant line-up of award-winning wines over the last five and a half years. Their commitment to 100% Texas grown fruit, and their passion for low intervention and quality wine making, make them an utter standout in the Texas Hill Country. To quote Adega Vinho, “Drink more Texas wine, ya’ll!”
Jeremy Wilson is a sommelier and wine writer in the Texas wine industry. His love story for wine began in his mid 20's with his first love in wine, Bordeaux.
Many of their wines over the last several years have been fermented on their native yeasts, creating wines that truly showcase their sense of place.