Cedar Park's Bent Oak Winery makes 'serious wine' with family roots
The members of the Catalano family are longtime lovers of vino. So, they opened their own winery.
Bent Oak Winery is the creation of CEO John Catalano and wife Audrey Catalano, sister Marilee Catalano and sister-in-law Debbie Bruce.
"We fell in love with the wine industry, and after taking several wine immersion trips to various wine regions, decided to make a go for it," John Catalano said.
The plan was to find a space once they all retired from the workforce, but as their passion for wine and wine-making grew, the possibility of starting their own brand became more enticing.
Catalano, who had experience as a home brewer, started things off by learning how to turn Texas grapes into wine from scratch, an experience that was 17 years in the making. Over that time, he earned certificates in viticulture and enology (the cultivation of grapevines and the study of wines, respectively).
"Brewing is 95% water, but a grape is a little bio-chemical manufacturing plant all of its own," he said. "So, I started taking organic chemistry courses and wine chemistry courses so I could better understand it. And then, we decided we were going to start a winery."
Once Catalano learned the vinification (or winemaking) process, he and his family shook hands and agreed to open a winery. Although, they still needed a name and place.
The Bent Oak name came to John and Audrey Catalano as they sat on the porch of one of their favorite wineries. As John was discussing the financial plan of the business, Audrey stopped him mid-sentence and pointed to a tree that was arched over from the wind. Drawn to its kinked trunk, they went online and found the name Bent Oak Winery was not yet taken.
After years raising money for the business, the next step was to find a home for Bent Oak. Catalano said they looked to settle in different areas including Marble Falls, but after two years of exploration and obtaining permits, they landed on their Cedar Park location to give locals an urban winery within arm's reach.
"We didn't want people driving 80 miles to have two glasses of wine and drive 80 miles back," John said. "So, we decided we were staying right here."
When the winery first opened in 2014, some barrel tables sat in the front half of the tasting room, and the back portion of the venue housed the brand's wine tanks and fermenters.
As more business rolled in over the next two years, John said theproduction space was pushed back and its fermentation tanks moved to make room for more customers. The family eventually moved their production system to another venue on-site to make even more space for others to enjoy their bottled offerings.
Since opening its doors eight years ago, Bent Oak has become one of the most decorated wineries in Cedar Park, receiving multiple gold and double gold medals from the San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competition and the San Francisco International Wine Competition.
"We call it serious wine for serious wine lovers, but we don't take ourselves too seriously," Catalano said. "We are making world-class wines that can compete with anybody."
Bruce said Bent Oak is keen on creating a relaxing, laidback environment that's open to both wine connoisseurs and occasional sippers. And with food available, patrons will enjoy a variety of pairings fit for their stomach's desires.
The scene
Not to be confused with an everyday wine bar, Bent Oak's welcoming tasting room has the makings of a beautiful outdoor chateau — it's just indoors.
The warehouse winery's tasting space looks like the living room of a small Mediterranean home. It is filled with homey furniture sets, dimly lit candles and small glass tables sitting atop wine barrels. The walls are adorned with pictures of the founding members and their families and dogs.
On the right side of the tasting room, there's a small kitchen with charcuterie trays and chocolates underneath the counter, and the back of the space is designated for performers to serenade patrons with live music for Wine Down Fridays.
Menu highlights
Given the summer weather, Catalano said many patrons typically lean toward Bent Oak's blanc du Bois, zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon.
Along with Bent Oak's charcuterie trays and chocolate bites, the winery also offers chicken nachos, ham sandwiches, pulled pork stew and other food options, which make for interesting wine pairings.
Upcoming events
Singer Heath Ham will take the stage for Wine Down Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 5. Joel Rapaport will perform 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. No tickets or RSVP required. For more information on upcoming events, visit bentoakwinery.com.
Location and hours
Bent Oak Winery is at 2000 Windy Terrace, Suite 2B, in Cedar Park. It is open from 1 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday-Saturday and 12:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
About this story
This story is part of a new occasional series exploring Central Texas' breweries, distilleries and bars. Have a favorite? Email your recommendations to ehopkins@statesman.com.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Bent Oak Winery makes 'serious wine' with family roots
