Near Johnson City between Austin and San Antonio, Charleston Taylor Estate winery sits on 30 acres of land that was first settled in the 1800s. Today, it features a barrel room for wine tasting, an adjacent brewery and pizza restaurant, and its cabernet sauvignon vineyard. Evidence of its early history is seen in the on-property, 40-foot, hand-dug well that was discovered in 2022 by owner and vintner Jared Broach and his team. The well also is rumored to be haunted by a woman named Stephanie who might have lived on the land sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s, according to a paranormal investigator who Broach invited to visit the property and explore the well.
As Broach and his team learned more about this well on their property, another idea came to mind: The well was just the right size to perfectly fit a full wine barrel inside. And at 40 feet beneath the surface, the bottom of the well remains at a constant ideal temperature year-round, providing a suitable place for wine aging. The winery now stores its Reserve Collection wines inside the well, and groups of up to 50 people can book the “Well Aged Tasting” activity to sample them. Beyond the well, Charleston Taylor Estate provides several other team activities, including wine blending and Italian cooking classes.
