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Texas Wine of the Month: Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo Reserve 2010

This year kicks off with a Tempranillo for Texas Wine of the Month. By now, you should be fairly familiar with the prevalence of this grape. It’s turning heads in Texas blends (McPherson Cellars La Herencia) as well as in single-varietal wines (Inwood Estates Vineyards “Cornelius” Tempranillo). This month, we celebrate a wine devoted solely to Tempranillo grapes—most of which were grown in the Hill Country. It’s an elegant representation of just how great this grape can be in Texas. In fact, it was one of the top 10 Texas Monthly Wines of 2012. And it comes from a winery in Stonewall that continues to make strides in the emerging Texas wine industry.

Mumphord's Place BBQ

Rating: 4
Opened: 2000
Pitmasters: Ricky Mumphord, age 55; Keith Mumphord, age 48; Bubba Barnes, age 61; and Ernest Rucker, age 50
Method: Mesquite and oak; direct-heat pit

Pro tip: The chocolate cake with cream cheese icing is made by a local church lady. And it’s divine.

Stanley's Famous Pit Barbecue

Rating: 4.5
Opened: 1959
Pitmasters: Nick Pencis, age 36 (since 2006), and Jonathan Shaw, age 34 (since 2009)¶
Method: Pecan; gas-fired smoker (ribs); indirect-heat (everything else)

Pro tip: Stop by in the morning and try a “breakfast bowl”; then go back to bed.

Big Boy's Bar-B-Que

Rating: 4
Opened: 2000
Pitmaster: Gaylan Marth, age 57
Method: Mesquite; direct-heat pit

Pro tip: Save room for Mrs. Marth’s made-from-scratch key lime pie if you can.

Corkscrew BBQ

Rating: 4.25
Opened: 2011
Pitmaster: Will Buckman, age 34
Method: Red oak; indirect-heat pit

Pro tip: The green-chile ranch dressing on the brisket tacos is homemade. Get some, even just to dip your pinky in.

Opie’s Barbecue

Rating: 4.5
Opened: 1999
Pitmaster: Marco Oglesby, age 31 (since 2007)
Method: Mesquite; indirect- and direct-heat pits¶

Pro tip: Most of the desserts can feed a crowd.

Zimmerhanzel's BBQ

Rating: 4
Opened: 1980
Pitmaster: Bert Bunte, age 54 (since 1984)
Method: Post oak; indirect-heat pit

Pro tip: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday they offer pork butt, which is tender and yielding.

Hays Co. Bar-B-Que and Catering

Rating: 4
Opened: 2007
Pitmasters: Michael Hernandez, age 39, Aaron Hernandez, age 19 (since 2009), and Omar Serna, age 40 (since 2012)
Method: Post oak; indirect-heat pit

Pro tip: The mustard sauce is as good as City Market’s.

Two Bros. BBQ Market

Rating: 4.25
Opened: 2009
Pitmaster: Emilio Soliz, age 29 (since 2011)
Method: Oak; indirect-heat pit

Pro tip: Get a few of the bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed jalapeños; that’s them on the cover of our barbecue editor’s book.

The Granary 'Cue and Brew

Rating: 4
Opened: 2012
Pitmaster: Tim Rattray, age 30
Method: Oak; indirect-heat pit

Pro tip: The beer is brewed in-house. And so are the pickles.

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