Our Rating
Texas High Plains
Merlot
Siboney Cellars has been steadily carving out a modern Texas identity from its Johnson City base, pairing a sleek hillside winery experience with a focused lineup of 100% Texas bottlings. Their “Storm Breaker” Merlot from Newsom Vineyards showcases why High Plains fruit is prized: elevation, long hang time, and clarity of flavor handled with a deft touch in the cellar. (Siboney Cellars)
Founded in the Texas Hill Country with a hospitality-first tasting room, Siboney emphasizes small-lot, Texas-grown wines and seasonal club releases. Recent notes from the estate highlight the importance of Newsom fruit to their Merlot program, including special single-varietal selections. (Siboney Cellars)
Site: Newsom Vineyards, near Plains, TX — one of the state’s benchmark High Plains growers.
Context: Elevations around ~3,700–3,800 feet with notable diurnal shifts; soils include sandy red clay loam over caliche limestone—conditions that favor slow, even ripening and structured reds. (bendingbranchwinery.com)
Specific vinification details for the 2019 “Storm Breaker” aren’t published; however, Siboney documented the 2019 Newsom Merlot as a cellar-driven, single-varietal selection arising from standout blocks in that harvest. Expect attentive oak integration aimed at preserving dark-fruit purity and a graphite/mineral line. (Siboney Cellars)
The 2019 High Plains season delivered the altitude-driven ripeness and structure that producers prize from Newsom. Siboney highlighted the 2019 Newsom Merlot in estate communications as a special selection from the harvest, which aligns with this wine’s concentration and length. (Siboney Cellars)
Appearance — Clear; deep ruby; medium(+) viscosity.
Aromas — Pronounced: cedar, oak, clove, graphite, black cherry, plum, raspberry; alcohol medium(+).
Palate — Dry; black cherry, plum, graphite, clove, tobacco, oak, vanilla, mocha. Acidity medium(–); tannin medium(+); alcohol medium(+); full-bodied; flavor intensity pronounced; finish long.
Score — 92 points.
“Storm Breaker” hits a compelling Texas Merlot profile: ripe black fruit framed by graphite, clove, and cedar, with the lift and backbone you expect from High Plains altitude. It’s polished without feeling over-worked—thoroughly Texas, and thoroughly convincing.
USA
Texas High Plains
Merlot
13.8
Barbara Lecuona
30-60 Minutes
Now - 2028
Siboney Cellars
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