Tucked just outside Cypress in Hockley, Restivo Family Cellars is proof that a hobby, a little wanderlust, and a lot of heart can turn into something the whole community gets to enjoy.
The winery's story starts with homebrewing. Owner Andy Restivo spent nearly a decade brewing beer as a serious hobbyist, winning competitions along the way before his curiosity carried him into winemaking. Everything shifted into focus in 2021, when Andy and his wife and co-owner, Jessica, took a trip to Napa Valley.
The couple fell in love with the multi-generational family feel of some of the smaller wineries there, and the trip sparked a desire to do something similar back home in Texas. With deep roots already planted in the Cypress community, the Restivos set their sights closer to home.
Rather than making the three-hour drive to Fredericksburg for a Hill Country wine experience, they wanted to bring that same charm and handcrafted quality to their own backyard. They found a property in Hockley, planted a two acre vineyard across 2023 and 2024, and opened the outdoor space to the public in late 2024.
"We want to highlight just how good Texas wines are," Andy said. "We are not trying to copy what California or France are doing but focusing on an approach to winemaking that highlights the unique aspects of Texas grapes."
That approach shows up in the glass. The winery ferments its red wines at cooler temperatures than a typical California Cabernet, preserving delicate fruit flavors and giving the wines a lighter, fruit-forward balance suited to Texas weather. While the Restivos are slowly incorporating grapes from their own vineyard, they also partner with growers in the Texas High Plains, a panhandle region that supplies roughly 80 percent of the grapes grown in the state and shares a climate similar to Italy's. Varietals like Sangiovese and Dolcetto thrive there, and the Restivos say sourcing from the region is a way to spotlight the work of Texas farmers.
Being family owned shapes more than just the wine. "Being completely family owned gives us the ability to really focus on one thing, and that is serving our community," Jessica said. "We are not beholden to outside influences or short term targets."
Visitors can feel that community focus from the moment they arrive. The outdoor only venue sits beneath sprawling, century old oak trees overlooking the vineyard, with plenty of room for kids to play. Most Saturdays bring a rotating lineup of food trucks serving everything from pizza to barbecue to Puerto Rican fare, alongside live music about once a month and periodic vendor markets. A tasting flight of four wines is the best way to sample the lineup, with bold reds like Primitivo and Sangiovese popular in winter and crisp whites and sangria favored in the warmer months.
The road here hasn't been without its detours. "We did not anticipate just how difficult developing rural property would be," Jessica said. "We still want to get to the same destination; we are just taking a much different path to it."
That patience paid off this year with the winery's first full scale harvest, a bountiful 1.5 tons of white grapes and 1.7 tons of red, now fermenting into next year's releases. Looking ahead, the Restivos have five new wines on the horizon, including bold reds, an oak aged white, and their first sparkling wine made from estate grown grapes. They're also developing an indoor space inside a World War II era barn on the property, with plans to show up more often at local farmers markets and community events in the meantime.
For Andy and Jessica, it all comes back to the same idea that started this journey in Napa: good wine is best enjoyed with good company, close to home.
Award-Winning Sips
Restivo Family Cellars wines have earned impressive recognition at both the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) and Lone Star International Wine Competition. Malvasia Bianca earned Bronze at HLSR 2025 and Gold and Best in Show at Lone Star in 2024, while Cuvée Blanc received Gold at both competitions. Dolcetto took Silver at Lone Star, and Sangiovese earned Bronze at HLSR. Primitivo was a standout at HLSR 2025, earning Gold, Class Champion and Texas Class Champion honors.