Two of the Hill Country’s biggest barbecue names are trying to change what you reach for with your brisket. Salt Lick Vineyards and Terry Black’s Barbecue have quietly rolled out FridayMtn., a collaborative wine label made from Salt Lick fruit and built specifically to pair with smoked meat. The debut is tiny, the bottles are scarce, and sales are capped at one per customer.
What’s in the bottle
The first FridayMtn. drop is a trio of 2020 reds. There is a Mourvèdre ($80) with notes of blackberry, white pepper and leather, a Syrah ($75) that leans into black-cherry cordial and roasted-meat tones, and a Tempranillo ($75) that shows red plum, dried sage and baking spice. The Mourvèdre comes off a Salt Lick block the label calls Frenchman’s Corner, and the release is intentionally kept small to stay tight and focused, as reported by CultureMap San Antonio.
Grown in Driftwood, presented by a Black family concept
FridayMtn. is made entirely from Salt Lick fruit grown on family land in Driftwood and from the Texas High Plains, and Salt Lick Cellars notes decades of plantings that include Tempranillo, Mourvèdre and Syrah. The Salt Lick tasting room sits next to the Driftwood restaurant and has been pouring tastings and estate bottlings since the family expanded into grapes. The new label is presented as a Black Family Hospitality concept on the FridayMtn. site, tying the wine project to the same hospitality group behind Terry Black’s restaurants.
Where to buy and who made it
The inaugural bottles are available at Salt Lick Cellars in Driftwood and can also be ordered through FridayMtn. site, and local outlets may see limited allocations as well, according to reporting. Winemaking duties for the release went to Phil Price, who is credited with creating “site-driven wines that celebrate the Texas Hill Country in every bottle,” as reported by CultureMap San Antonio.
If you want to line up a bottle with your next brisket, the Syrah was crafted to complement smoked meat, while the Mourvèdre is built to stand up to beef ribs and heavier plates. Keep expectations modest, the run is limited and sellers are capping bottles per customer, and check Salt Lick Cellars or the FridayMtn. waitlist for any updates on availability.
