Written by Jessica Serna – December 2, 2019– Don’t worry, Spirit of Texas serves wine inside their tasting room as well! The environment at Spirit of Texas is a lot of fun with funny signs outside, the I love you & wine so much mural, and the kind owners who will share all the wine knowledge with you! It’s so nice to visit a place and have time to chat with the people who are part of making the wine you’re drinking in front of you. They have a good mixture of sweet and dry wines.
Brownwood, TX is a small town with a lot of charm. Driving around you will see plenty of historic buildings that the town has been renovating and turning into local businesses. With a top brewery, plenty of cute spots to getaway, and great food, Brownwood, TX makes for a fun small town Texas weekend getaway.
Written by Paige – November 27, 2019– Brownwood Texas has my heart let me tell you. The community and kindness that this town radiates is unmatchable. Brownwood was full of the kindest and warmhearted people and it showed in every business we entered. There was so much that Brownwood had to offer in unique places to visit and see…plus it was the first town we stayed that had a Hobby Lobby…Hallelujah! This list in no way shows everything that Brownwood has to offer, just my favorite places that I found.
Spirit Of Texas Winery | Best Atmosphere around: We walked into Spirit of Texas on a Friday night while many people were attending local Friday night football games. It was us, the owners, and some of their friends and it was a memory I will never forget. We first started with a tasting of many different wines, and honestly there wasn’t one I did not like. As we drank, the owner explained to us that the building and all that was inside was made from items found on the land they purchased. As I looked around, the building told more and more stories. The canoe behind the counter turned into shelves, the wood and tin on the walls transformed into a beautiful building, the van outside turned into a photo opportunity. As the night went on I heard stories that I will never forget as long as I live. I laughed so hard as they made us feel welcome, and brought such joy to our moments. They told stories that I retell to this day and cannot get through without cracking up about one aspect or another. As we rounded out the night, I honestly did not want to leave. This place is one of my favorites that I have been to, they had incredible wine… but more importantly they had a 5 star atmosphere of laughter, hospitality, and kindness.
Written by Brandy Reynolds – Nov 2, 2019 –
EARLY — Spirit of Texas Winery’s “Welcome Wine” was the Go Texan Sponsored Blue Ribbon Wine at the Texas State Fair, which recently concluded.
Out of 100 wine entries a panel of nine judges blindly judged 94 wines from across the Lone Star State and selected Spirit of Texas’ “Welcome Wine” as one of the 12 winners.
Named after Welcome Chandler, an original settler of Brown County, the wine is a very fresh, crisp dry white with an aroma of citrus and white flowers, 80% Trebbiano and 20% Vermentino from the Lost Draw Vineyards in the Texas High Plains.
“That would be a great choice with turkey this holiday season especially for Thanksgiving, and a Rose would be great also,” Moira McCue said.
Moira and Brian McCue, owners of Spirit of Texas Winery, are letting us in on how to make an enjoyable wine selection just in time for turkey, dressing and everything yummy on this seasons’ menu.
Written by Shelby Sorrel – October 2019 – Brownwood, Texas — a small town two and a half hours Northwest of Austin that is full of hidden gems, incredible people, and tons of delicious eats. I was so excited to finally explore this cute town that I have heard so much about. I got to bring my best friend along and also got to spend some time with friends of mine that are locals, which was a huge blessing. Brownwood was honestly so fun to adventure in and surprised me with its quirkiness, charm, and photographable spots.
Spirit of Texas Winery: I LOVED THIS PLACE SO MUCH—clearly putting this in all caps because I needed to be dramatic and really make a point here. The owners were two of the kindest people we met in Brownwood, and they took such pride in serving us their delicious wines.
Written by Brandy Reynolds – October 2019 – This week’s Best of Brown County feature is on the Spirit of Texas Winery, winner of best winery. The winery, located just on CR 291 outside Early, is “the perfect place to come and unwind and relax,” said owners Brian and Moira McCue.
Here’s a few interesting details the Bulletin discovered about Spirit of Texas Winery when the McCues sat down to discuss their venue.
- Upon entering the gates of the winery there’s a feeling of comfort and good home country fun. Above the door entrance reads “Enter Strangers, Leave Friends” and lined on the bar you’ll find the McCues’ Award-Winning wines.
Written by Karissa Condoianis – July 10, 2019 – In keeping with the State Fair of Texas mission of promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement, we are happy to introduce the Fair’s new Blue Ribbon Wine Selection program. Sponsored by GO TEXAN and in partnership with the Texas Wine Advocate, 12 of Texas’ best wines were selected from a pool of more than 100 entries. In addition to supporting local agriculture and educating visitors on the best Lone Star wine, this program brings communities of people together to enjoy a glass of great Texas flavors at the State Fair Wine Garden.
A panel of nine wine experts blindly judged 94 wines from across the Lone Star State and selected 12 of the best to receive the “GO TEXAN Blue Ribbon” distinction.
If you visited us over the past couple of months, you know that we’ve had a ton of summer fun out here on the edges of the Hill Country. Sad as we are to say goodbye to summer’s ample adventures, fall brings the promise of cooler temps and breezy Texas fall getaways. Labor Day marked the count down to one of Brownwood’s favorite annual events – Corks & Caps!
Written by Chastity Beene – July 2019 – After spending a few days exploring the charming city of Brownwood, Texas I’ve put together a list of what to see, do and eat around the city. It’s the perfect destination for a weekend getaway.
Texas seems to have endless small towns with plenty of charm and I recently visited one of these towns. My son and I recently took a 2 hour road trip to explore Brownwood, Texas.
Situated in the Texas hill country, with plenty of beautiful scenery and wide open spaces. It may be a small town, but it has a plethora of dining options and entertainment for all.
Written by Carrie Elle – June 10, 2019– My Texas small town tour continues (so many small Texas towns to explore!) in a town called Brownwood. I’m sharing some of the best things to do in Brownwood, Texas, with y’all today. From restaurants to outdoor activities to where to stay, I’ve got lots of info that will help you plan your trip to Brownwood!
Written by Jeff Cope – June 10, 2019– The Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association hosted the 36th Annual Lone Star International Wine Competition (LSIWC) on June 3-4 at the Grapevine Convention Center. The competition is the oldest wine competition in the State of Texas.
The competition welcomed back former Lone Star International Wine Competition Chairman, Michael Zerbach, and former executive director, Dacota Haselwood, as the competition management team. As in previous competitions, the Grapevine Wine Pouring Society provided their expertise in maintaining the organization of the competition.
To qualify for the Texas Competition, 75% of the wine by volume must be from Texas fruit and more than 50 cases must be produced. The International Competition requires more than 200 cases be produced, while the Limited Production Competition requires less than 200 cases be produced.
Written May 24, 2019–Texas has one of the longest histories of wine production in America, dating all the way back to the 17th century. Today, there are more than 200 delightful wineries located throughout the state, making it one of the nation’s leading producers of ultra-premium and boutique small-batch wines.
Eight gorgeous American Viticultural Areas are home to a number of wine trails, which offer opportunities for day trips from the state’s major cities or extended travel itineraries to multiple wineries. These lovely wineries offer guided tastings, behind-the-scenes tours, delicious bistro restaurants, and beautiful overnight accommodations at bed and breakfast inns, sure to make any Texas wine country vacation a memorable experience.
Written by Jeff Cope – February 16, 2019– It is always fun to take a road trip to visit Texas wineries, especially when you know you are going to visit new ones and also revisit some other favorites in the area. I recently had a weekend free to take a long road trip and wanted to visit some wineries that were not easily accessible to me from Houston and were not in the popular U.S. 290 area. A couple of the wineries are in the Texas Hill Country AVA, but the other ones are north of the Texas Hill Country.
I started my drive early in the morning on a Saturday to begin my four-hour drive to Mason. I was heading first to a new winery for me, Murphy Creek Cellars. If you have not been to Mason before, it is starting to become a little destination with its small-town homey feel and currently two wineries in town and more coming.
Written by Kyle Whitecotton – January 31, 2019– Originally opened in 1914, the Lyric Theater is the centerpiece of a great Brownwood retreat. The 2019 performance series includes the stage version of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” the jukebox musical “Ring of Fire” and the musical “Gilligan’s Island.” After the show, head over to the Brown County Museum of History, showcasing over 150 years of history, and tour the interior of the town’s old fortress-like jail. Brownwood’s Lehnis Railroad Museum exhibits Central Texas railroad history, while the Gordon Wood Hall of Champions sports museum celebrates the state’s most-winning high school football coach. Close out this historic weekend with a short drive to Early and the Spirit of Texas Winery where you’ll find a beautiful tasting room built from a repurposed barn, animal pen and wood shed.
Written by Jimmy Potts – August 4, 2018– After more than a year in business, the Spirit of Texas Winery in Early seems less like a business and more like an area convention center.
Since opening last April the Spirit of Texas Winery has done much more than be the area’s top voted winery/wine bar, according to the recent Best of Brown County results, and has daily events ranging from yoga classes to welcoming new teachers as part of its upcoming Back to School Brunch.
“Our biggest thing is getting the community involved,” said Miora McCue, who founded Brown County’s first winery alongside her husband Brian in April of 2017. “We find things people enjoy doing. We want people to come out here and enjoy the people that they’re with and have fun doing it.”
Written by Ben Cox – May 30, 2018– Local entrepreneurs Moira and Brian McCue are celebrating a year in business with Spirit of Texas Winery, and are celebrating with a new wine.
Located just a mile from the railroad bridge on the road to Zephyr, Spirit of Texas Winery is more than just a place for wine buffs to sit and talk about wine. Moira says “Sometimes people are afraid to come into a winery because they don’t know what to expect. I think that this is a good place to start. We’re small enough that we can sit and talk to you about it.”
Decorated with items found exclusively on their property, the winery has a warm, friendly, homey quality to it. “Everything, even the boat behind the bar was found here” says Brian.
Posted by Jeff Cope, July 2, 2017
Spirit of Texas Winery is located in Early and is owned by Brian and Moira McCue. The winery opened April 6, 2017.
I first met Brian McCue at the Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference held in Fredericksburg November 2016. After the conference, I looked forward to the winery opening and then getting a chance to visit. The winery opened as Star of Texas Winery, but like other wineries have had to do, they were contacted of a possible trademark infringement and changed their name to Spirit of Texas Winery.
I visited on a Saturday, and the previous day it had rained heavily in the area leaving some places muddy. I was on the road already and did not happen to check Facebook when the winery announced they would be opening later in the day instead of noon because the parking lot was a “swamp.” Thankfully when I pulled into the winery’s entrance, Brian and Moira were outside and they directed me to a parking spot out of the mud and under a covering. I was happy they said I could still do a tasting and as it turned out, others stopped by while I was there too.
Posted by Brownwood News, Jun 12, 2017
Brownwood News – The Brownwood and Early Chambers of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting on Friday, June 9th for Spirit of Texas Winery. Pictured at top are Spirit of Texas Winery owners Brian and Moira McCue with Brownwood and Early Chamber ambassadors and board members.
“Every now and then you get a business that’s a little bit different and special,” Brownwood Chamber of Commerce Director Ray Tipton addressed the crowd during the ceremony. “Not every business on its own is a tourist attraction. Those draw in large amounts of people from larger cities, and that makes you unique to Brown County.”
The new winery opened in April of this year and offers a selection of wines that can be enjoyed in their tasting room or outside on the patio. They also offer cheese and meat trays, but customers are welcome to bring their own food as well. They frequently offer special events and live music to add to the atmosphere.
Ronald W Erdrich , Abilene Reporter-News Published April 23, 2017
EARLY – Love that bathroom!
“The bathroom is a beautiful place,” laughed Moira McCue. “I know that sounds horrible, but that’s what it is. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to do the bathroom because it had to be really neat.”
Moira and her husband Brian opened the Star of Texas Winery two weeks ago. It’s on U.S. 183/84 about a mile south of the Union Pacific overpass on the east side of the highway.
“It sounds silly, but I wanted places where women could hang their purses,” she explained, still laughing. A peek inside showed what she meant; a door knob hangs on the wall opposite the commode and reclaimed wood covers the walls. It feels homey, perhaps even restful.
FABIANA SANTANA POSTED MARCH 28, 2017
One hardworking Texas couple is fulfilling their lifelong dream of opening a winery. Star of Texas Winery & Vineyards is a small, family-owned boutique winery owned by Brian and Moira McCue. After leaving their respective 30-year careers in finance and teaching, they decided to work together and focus on their love of wine.
They found the perfect location and hope to open Star of Texas Winery in early April. Located in Early, Texas, the property was something that ‘fell into place’ for them.
By Spring Sault | March 3, 2017
With a goal of creating a place where you can “relax and unwined”, the Star of Texas Winery in Brown County is a family-owned boutique tasting room exclusively stocking Texas wines and presently in the process of developing their acreage to grow their own grapes. Brian and Moira McCue had 30 years experience in their respective employment fields when they chose to make a change and finally pursue their shared interest in starting a winery. After seeing the property in Early, Texas, they knew they had found the place.
By Graham Dudley / Brownwood Bulletin Posted Feb 21, 2017
Just off Highway 84, a few miles south of Early City Hall, an abandoned storehouse is quickly transforming into Brown County’s new destination for quality Texas wine.
Brian and Moira McCue spent 30 years working in sales and teaching, respectively, across the state of Texas. Both felt the time was right for a change, and started searching the state for a property to pursue a shared love and start a winery.