Take a drive through the limestone hills of Leakey, where the Frio River winds through oak-studded valleys and sunlight glints off the water, and you’ll find a place that feels both timeless and unexpected. Frio Canyon Vineyard is the kind of place you stumble upon and can't believe isn't more widely known—an estate-only winery in a quiet, tucked-away corner of the Hill Country producing wines that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best.
For Managing Director Kim Leach, the story starts generations ago. Her husband's grandparents, along with a handful of friends, bought riverfront land decades ago. The small family cabins they built quickly became summer anchors. "We've been coming here for generations," Leach says. "One day, my father-in-law, who's very entrepreneurial, was sitting in the river with friends. They looked around and thought, 'This reminds us of the wine country we've visited. What if we tried it here?’"
That "what if" became an experiment in planting a few acres of Syrah with no guarantee of success. If it failed, they'd plow it under and never speak of it again. But the vines thrived, producing award-winning fruit within two years. Today, that lark has matured into a serious vineyard producing multiple varietals, including Tempranillo, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and their first-ever white—a Chenin Blanc—planted this year.
From the beginning, the focus has been on quality over quantity. Frio Canyon's location features soil composed of hard limestone with a steady flow of air and excellent drainage. These conditions can challenge new vines, but the outcome is exceptionally complex grapes. "It's a unique site," Leach says. "Not every part of Texas can do what we do here."
Enter winemaker Lood Kotzé, originally from South Africa's Stellenbosch region, where vineyards are part of the cultural fabric. With family ties to agriculture and winemaking, he's worked in both the Texas High Plains and Hill Country before joining Frio Canyon full-time. "I'm very vineyard-focused," he says. "The wine needs to speak of where it's grown. My approach is about making something varietally true, balanced, vibrant, and unique to this place."
Texas winemaking isn't without its hurdles. Summer heat is only part of the challenge here; hail, surprise rainstorms, and thick humidity can make life tough for the vines. "Every vintage here teaches you something new," Kotzé shares. "You have to stay open-minded and adapt. The goal is to make a wine that can stand alongside the best, not just the best in Texas."
One varietal in particular has captured the hearts of many: Tempranillo. "It's the one people try and then they're hooked," he says. "It's not about making a good Texas wine—it's about making a good wine, period."
Harvesting at Frio Canyon typically occurs at night, when cooler temperatures help regulate sugar levels. Grapes are hand-picked, triple-sorted, and processed within hours of harvest. "We used to have to haul our fruit eight hours away to a custom crush facility," Leach recalls. "Now, with our winery and cave on-site, we control the whole process."
That cave—a rare feature in Texas winemaking—is both practical and atmospheric, offering natural temperature control for barrel aging. "It's pitch black inside," Leach says with a laugh. "Almost eerily so. I don't like going in alone, but it's an incredible space to store and age wine."
While not certified organic, Frio Canyon follows a minimal-intervention philosophy. They use the gentlest sprays possible, irrigate only when needed, and prioritize decisions that protect both the wine and the people who drink it. "We make wine we want to drink with our families," Leach says. "That guides everything."
Frio Canyon is proudly scrappy. Without a distributor, they hand-deliver cases to select H-E-B locations, including in Boerne and Leon Springs. They've won "Best of Texas" honors at the San Antonio Rodeo Wine Competition, including “Best Texas Rosé” and “Best Texas Winery.” And they're not afraid to put their wines up against any competition, blind tastings included.
Still, this isn't Fredericksburg. They're the only winery in Real County and 75 minutes from their nearest peer. That isolation makes them fiercely independent but also deeply tied to their land. Every grape they crush is grown on their property, and every bottle tells that story.
Currently, tastings take place in their downtown Leakey space, a charming renovation that pays homage to an old soda fountain. The sessions are intimate, led by Leach, Kotzé, or vineyard manager Sara Shook. "You're talking to the people who grow the grapes or make the wine," Leach emphasizes. "It's not a script. It's personal stories and conversations."
Plans are underway to open the wine cave for limited tours, possibly once a month. Visitors would see the production space, sample from barrels, and experience the vineyard's "birth-to-bottle" process firsthand, a truly immersive experience of the Frio Canyon story.
The vineyard's wine club release is set for just before Thanksgiving, featuring their new, highly anticipated Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre blend, with a label designed by acclaimed Western artist Jon Flaming. "It's a beautiful wine with a beautiful story," says Leach. "I think it could be our next fan favorite."
For Kotzé, the goal is simple: "Every year, the aim is to make a better wine. That's the beauty of this work—there's always more to learn, and there's always another vintage."
In Leakey, where the river runs clear and the hills hold the heat of the day, Frio Canyon Vineyard is quietly proving that world-class wine can be made in Texas. All it takes is the right land, the right people, and a commitment to letting the grapes speak for themselves—a story best told with a glass in hand, good company nearby, and the canyon breeze on your face.
"I hope people leave with a deeper appreciation of the Frio Canyon,” Leach opines. “We want to showcase this land so people see its beauty and want to conserve it. If we've done that—whether they realize it consciously or just feel it—we've done our job."
friocanyonvineyard.com | 830-890-0840 | 2344 Ranch Rd. 337 E, Leakey
“I hope people leave with a deeper appreciation of the Frio Canyon. We want to showcase this land so people see its beauty and want to conserve it.” —Kim Leach
“It’s not about making a good Texas wine—it’s about making a good wine, period.” —Lood Kotzé