RANCH BRAND WINE & SPIRITS IS PROVING THAT HIGH-END CAN ALSO BE HIGHLY AFFORDABLE

WORDS BY ASHLEY BROWN

The company that began with 20 pallets of vodka just four years ago has rapidly expanded into Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits, which now includes vodkas, gins, rums, bourbons, many varietals of wine, and a tasting room, bar and restaurant. Ranch Brand is the brainchild of industry veterans, West Stone and Chris Ware. The two met while working for a supplier, and when that company transitioned to making hand sanitizer during the pandemic, Ware and Stone decided to pair their passions and expertise to create their own company.

After serving in the Marines, Ware pursued a master’s degree at Texas Tech University and then went on to law school in San Antonio. It was while bartending at Bohanan’s that he found his calling and began immersing himself in cocktail culture. Abandoning his law degree, he ventured into bar management and supplier experience. Stone’s own journey began as a chef in New Orleans before expanding into bar ownership, catering and fine wine distribution, at the likes of Republic National Distributing Company, Gabriel’s Liquor and Destiladora del Valle de Tequila.

Courtesy of Ranch Brand

When Ware and Stone connected, the two decided to create their own liquor and wine company, free from the constraints that have dominated the industry for decades. From the beginning, the pair has infused their brand with humor and transparency, refusing to take themselves too seriously. What they do take seriously is the quality of their products; they just do so with zero pretension.

While the pandemic made it challenging to launch certain businesses or brands, it was an ideal time to develop a business centered on liquors and wines. Ware and Stone invested everything they had into building Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits, confident that once bars reopened, all would go well, given their combined experience and the connections they’d fostered with bartenders for over a decade.

Ranch Vodka was their first product before expanding into gin, then rum, then bourbon … and finally wine. In 2021, they proudly launched their wine portfolio, featuring Ranch Rosé and Snake Charmer Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Axis Jack, Catch & Release, and Cosmic Armadillo, showcasing small-batch Texas varieties and celebrating local vineyards through custom crush capabilities. (If you’re not familiar with the “custom crush” concept, here’s a brief explanation: Some wineries have contracts with farmers. Ranch Brand joins with the local wineries to opt-in on a certain amount of those farmers’ grapes. They work with those grapes and the vineyards they’ve partnered with to make the wine according to their tastes, alcohol content and blending preferences.) In 2022, Ranch Brand expanded further by introducing California production and European imports, including a sparkling Brut Cava aptly named The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly, and a very popular Spanish wine, Plata O Plomo Blanco de Tempranillo, essentially a Blanc du Noir method of wine production where you make white wine from red wine grapes.

Courtesy of Ranch Brand

Today they have about 30 spirits and 25 wines. They steer clear of buzzwords when they can, but they do prioritize sustainability, and the ability to replicate what they’re making year in and year out so the product will always maintain quality. With a recent Wine Enthusiast score of 92 for their sirin pinot noir and an 89 for their chardonnay, there’s no question they’re achieving high quality.

When it comes to the quality of vodka, Ware explains it comes down to creating the cleanest product using filtered water. In order to achieve that, Ranch Vodka is grain-to-glass, made from organic Texas corn, with filtered limestone water from Edwards Aquifer and distilled through a continuous column still. “Ranch Vodka is the only Texas organic well vodka, and we’re very proud that it’s a Texas product that’s affordable … as is the gin,” says Ware. While Ware and Stone have been reluctant to play the marketing game — in an ideal world, they’d just sit and chat with every customer and share their passion for their products — they do realize people aren’t able to get a feel for the brand without shining light on these details they take pride in.

Ranch Brands is also a bit of a rebel when it comes to the ways in which the American consumer equates quality with price. The public generally believes gin needs to cost between $25– $45, for instance. Ranch Gin, which is delicious, is priced at $20 for retail shelves. Brands like Grey Goose, Ketel One and even Evian water were created with the idea of making luxurious lifestyle choices. The price has nothing to do with the product’s quality.

Courtesy of Ranch Brand

Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits Tasting Room, located just off the Wimberley Square, provides a place for people to hear the stories behind the brand, including the artwork — both on the labels and hanging on the walls, all largely inspired from the family ranching history of both Ware and Stone. More than a tasting room, this bar and restaurant has a classy, comfortable ranch living room vibe, where people can relax with a flight of wine, do a tasting of whiskey and/or hang out with a cocktail and bite to eat.

Based in San Antonio, they put a lot of thought into the location of the tasting room and recognized that Wimberley is — and hopefully always will be — a true representation of the Texas Hill Country and all of its small town charm. With many more businesses popping up around them, including a Kendra Scott retail store next door, they’re excited to grow along with their neighbors and have no doubt the town will retain its character. In the meantime, the bar is a favorite spot for locals — especially with its own parking lot, a huge perk in the area! They also have the unique added bonus of Tim Busby’s highly curated cigar lounge trailer (think food truck but serving cigars) parked in the back of that spacious lot.

A one-stop shop for all things liquor and wine, Ranch Brand liquors and wines can be found at restaurants and retailers, though we highly recommend you stop in the tasting room and experience the spirit of the brand.

Visit the tasting room at 13619 Ranch Rd 12, Wimberley, or online at ranchbrands.com

About the Contributor

Writer and editor Ashley Brown lives in Wimberley with her family of rescues: a dog, two cats, and two donkeys. In addition to animal welfare, her passion is exploring the Hill Country’s natural beauty, small farms, eateries and drinkeries.