We’re On Cloud ‘Wine’

The new decade got off to a great start here in Harvest Green. The latest news? Messina Hof has broken ground on the largest winery in Southeast Texas, right here in our community.

A small ceremony was held, Friday, Jan. 17, with the Bonarrigo family — owners and operators of Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Inc. — Johnson Development team members and local dignitaries toasting the start of construction.

We’re on cloud “wine” thinking about what the winery will look (and taste) like when it opens.

Messina Hof Harvest Green Winery will include a tasting room and wine bar, as well as an open-kitchen restaurant that will seat approximately 130 guests across all indoor spaces. A 2,600-square-foot covered patio will allow for larger, private events and group tastings. Two private tasting rooms will be available for corporate use, group bookings and private dining. The wine production and barrel room will be anchored by wooden foudres and oak barrels acting as both a focal point and an opportunity for guests to taste wine in process. Much like Vintage House Restaurant located at Messina Hof’s Estate in Bryan, the restaurant at Messina Hof Harvest Green will make use of the on-site gardens and Harvest Green’s neighborhood farm to put forth a hyper-local menu focused on Vineyard Cuisine™.

When complete, Messina Hof Harvest Green Winery will be the winemakers’ second largest production facility, with both vineyard harvesting and wine processing aging taking place on-site. Messina Hof Harvest Green Winery will also become the home for all wine shipping operations including the Messina Hof Wine Club. A later phase will include a large indoor event space. Eventually the project will also serve the local community with an abundance of educational programming, work with the community farmers on seasonal tastings and start to harvest and make wine from the experimental vineyard plots that are currently being added.

As wonderful as that is, we’d also like to point out that our residents will be within walking or biking distance of the winery. Pretty cool, huh? Not many communities can say that.

We congratulate Messina Hof and look forward to opening the first bottle!