Business Review
October 5, 2023
Rooted in Texas agriculture, Juniper Cove Winery partners exclusively with Texas vineyards to produce quality wine for both Whitney locals and visitors. The winery offers wine bites to complement the drinks and holds special events like open mic nights, book club meetings, comedy nights and live music events.
Anne Chastain, owner of Juniper Cove Winery, said, “My philosophy is that if you picked that grape in the vineyard, I want you to taste it in the bottle.” Her wine-making process involves minimizing additives, with a goal of preventing the natural grape flavor from being overshadowed by alcohol or sugar.
One of Chastain’s highlights of her day-to-day life at Juniper Cove Winery is helping customers find their favorite wine in a cozy, welcoming environment. “With every visit to the tasting room, my goal is to bring people more information on both Texas agriculture, how grapes are grown in Texas, as well as helping people learn to personalize their own pallet.”
She leads customers on their tasting exploration and gives them tips on food pairings that can enhance the flavor of the wine.
The emphasis on finding the best fruit in Texas and bringing it through the wine-making process with care translates well when put up against other wines. Juniper Cove Winery has earned 20 notable honors since 2019. In 2023 alone, the winery’s white wine called Petals won a gold medal from San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a silver medal in the Midlothian Wine Competition and best dry white wine at Grapefest, which is the largest consumer-based wine competition in the United States.
Juniper Cove Winery brought home gold medals from two out of 10 categories at Grapefest this year, with Peachy Keen ranking first in the sweet white wine category. Juniper Cove Winery’s Margarita Moscato Wine Cocktail was also honored at the Midlothian Wine Competition, achieving double gold medals in the categories of best in class and best sweet wine in the competition.
Chastain studied enology at Grayson College in Denison, and during that time period, she gained mentors as well as valuable feedback that caused her to become a better wine maker. October 2023 marks Chastain’s fourth anniversary of wine making in Whitney.
Ever since she moved to Whitney in 2018, Chastain has been a proud member of the Whitney community. She is familiar with a small-town atmosphere with high community spirit because she grew up in New Boston. In her Texas hometown, she and many of her friends’ families lived in the area for generations and were proud of where they came from.
Chastain, who obtained a master’s degree in industrial engineering, spent time as a factory engineer in upstate New York after graduating. The knowledge she gained as an engineer provided her with skills that led to the creation of a safe, well-designed winery. Chastain expressed that she is grateful for the village of people who have supported or helped Juniper Cove Winery be successful.
Juniper Cove Winery is located at 101 West Washington Avenue in downtown Whitney. Chastain encouraged community members to stop by and have a tasting and then shop at the local businesses nearby. The winery can be reached at 254-307-0764 or JuniperCoveWinery@gmail.com. The tasting room is open Friday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Hours may vary based on holiday schedules and special events.
Juniper Cove Winery specials planned for Pioneer Days include frozen peach bellinis, margarita Moscato cocktails, the full wine selection and popcorn for sale. The winery will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 7 and will close following the street dance.
Visit Juniper Cove Winery’s Facebook page for updates.
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