Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa preview
Friday, June 29, 2018
Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa is a winery, brewery, and much more that will be opening soon in Johnson City. Gloria and I had the chance to meet with General Manager on June 2nd at the property to learn about the new resort.
The story of our involvement actually began three years ago when we made a trip to Temecula, California to visit the wine region. We wrote about our day in Temecula and the Texas connections we found during our visit. We had the chance to meet South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s winemaker Jon McPherson, brother of owner and winemaker Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars. He told us at that time that South Coast owner Jim Carter was planning to open a winery in Johnson City, and here we later found ourselves standing on the property of the upcoming Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa.
Lon Yaeger explained that Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa was to be owner Jim Carter’s first business in Texas. He owns the two wineries in Temecula but also some other business properties in other states. Lon will be the General Manager overseeing the entire operation.
The 38 acre property is actually divided into two sections. A guest room section will have suites where guests can stay, and the entertainment area will house the winery, brewery, restaurant, and more. The entire property was still under construction with workers rapidly getting the resort ready to open.
Our tour began at the first building which will be the arrival building and the only way to get into the entertainment section of the property. Past this building will be a large common grassy and landscaped area. On the left will be a 7,000 square foot event center. On the right side is a long row of buildings with the restaurant, brewery, and then winery. They would like to have significant music events, and between the common area and event center, they will be able to seat about 3,200 people for a music event.
Walking into the first building is the restaurant and the Old 290 Brewery. The restaurant will be able to offer hotel guests breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with a steakhouse-style menu. A stage will be in the restaurant to allow musicians to perform. The brewery tanks will be on display at the front for a classic brew pub concept. Only draft beer will be served from the brewery, but wine will also be available to the patrons.
The next building has the winery and winery tasting room. The winery tasting room will be opening first, currently scheduled for as soon as August, and everything else will be opening sometime in the fall. The winery’s tasting room has a large wraparound bar with nicely paneled walls. An outside patio will be available for wine club members to overlook the countryside. Wine club members will be able to apply their discounts to the restaurant and guest rooms at the resort.
Speaking of the wine, winemaker Jon McPherson will be working with his brother Kim McPherson in making the wines. At the April 2018 Newsom’s Grape Day in the High Plains, I was able to taste some Carter Creek Winery wine that Kim McPherson and assistant winemaker Spenser Igo had brought. The wine was a 60% Viognier/40% Roussanne blend, and as expected, it was wonderful. Besides Carter Creek wine, South Coast Winery wines will also be available at the winery. With the winemakers involved, you can expect some fantastic wine.
In addition to the winery production area and a room for wine barrels and wine storage, a ballroom will be next to the winery.
We then moved to the guest room section of the resort. Hotel guests will be able to access the entertainment section via a passageway. Just as with hotels, a separate building will have the resort’s lobby and registration desk. There will be a bar for coffee in the morning and wine in the evening. Also in the building will be two boardrooms for meetings, a fitness center, a whirlpool jacuzzi, and a space available for small weddings. While the wedding guests are inside the building, the bride and groom and officiator can be outside on a deck overlooking the property. Of course, additional wedding space is available like the ballroom, and the venues at the resort will be able to accommodate up to 200 people.
With the boardrooms in the building, ballroom, and additional spaces on the property, there will be 16,000 square feet of meeting space that will be available for businesses to use. On the bottom of the two story building will be a large patio that can be used for breakout lunches with catering provided by the resort. Adjacent to the patio will be a large pool that will separate the first building from the spa offering massages, facials, and more.
The guest room buildings complete the lodging section of the resort. There will be 26 villas with some of the villas housing two suites and the others with four suites. In total, there will be 78 guest rooms which are all suites. Each suite with a separate living room and bedroom is about 500 square feet. The suite will be luxurious with 55-inch TVs with DirecTV, room safes, refrigerators, Wi-Fi, and more.
Needless to say, when Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa is completed, it will be a destination that all will want to visit whether it be for the wine, beer, restaurant, music, spa, lodging, and other amenities.
Lon Yaeger explained that Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa was to be owner Jim Carter’s first business in Texas. He owns the two wineries in Temecula but also some other business properties in other states. Lon will be the General Manager overseeing the entire operation.
The 38 acre property is actually divided into two sections. A guest room section will have suites where guests can stay, and the entertainment area will house the winery, brewery, restaurant, and more. The entire property was still under construction with workers rapidly getting the resort ready to open.
Our tour began at the first building which will be the arrival building and the only way to get into the entertainment section of the property. Past this building will be a large common grassy and landscaped area. On the left will be a 7,000 square foot event center. On the right side is a long row of buildings with the restaurant, brewery, and then winery. They would like to have significant music events, and between the common area and event center, they will be able to seat about 3,200 people for a music event.
Walking into the first building is the restaurant and the Old 290 Brewery. The restaurant will be able to offer hotel guests breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with a steakhouse-style menu. A stage will be in the restaurant to allow musicians to perform. The brewery tanks will be on display at the front for a classic brew pub concept. Only draft beer will be served from the brewery, but wine will also be available to the patrons.
The next building has the winery and winery tasting room. The winery tasting room will be opening first, currently scheduled for as soon as August, and everything else will be opening sometime in the fall. The winery’s tasting room has a large wraparound bar with nicely paneled walls. An outside patio will be available for wine club members to overlook the countryside. Wine club members will be able to apply their discounts to the restaurant and guest rooms at the resort.
Speaking of the wine, winemaker Jon McPherson will be working with his brother Kim McPherson in making the wines. At the April 2018 Newsom’s Grape Day in the High Plains, I was able to taste some Carter Creek Winery wine that Kim McPherson and assistant winemaker Spenser Igo had brought. The wine was a 60% Viognier/40% Roussanne blend, and as expected, it was wonderful. Besides Carter Creek wine, South Coast Winery wines will also be available at the winery. With the winemakers involved, you can expect some fantastic wine.
In addition to the winery production area and a room for wine barrels and wine storage, a ballroom will be next to the winery.
We then moved to the guest room section of the resort. Hotel guests will be able to access the entertainment section via a passageway. Just as with hotels, a separate building will have the resort’s lobby and registration desk. There will be a bar for coffee in the morning and wine in the evening. Also in the building will be two boardrooms for meetings, a fitness center, a whirlpool jacuzzi, and a space available for small weddings. While the wedding guests are inside the building, the bride and groom and officiator can be outside on a deck overlooking the property. Of course, additional wedding space is available like the ballroom, and the venues at the resort will be able to accommodate up to 200 people.
With the boardrooms in the building, ballroom, and additional spaces on the property, there will be 16,000 square feet of meeting space that will be available for businesses to use. On the bottom of the two story building will be a large patio that can be used for breakout lunches with catering provided by the resort. Adjacent to the patio will be a large pool that will separate the first building from the spa offering massages, facials, and more.
The guest room buildings complete the lodging section of the resort. There will be 26 villas with some of the villas housing two suites and the others with four suites. In total, there will be 78 guest rooms which are all suites. Each suite with a separate living room and bedroom is about 500 square feet. The suite will be luxurious with 55-inch TVs with DirecTV, room safes, refrigerators, Wi-Fi, and more.
Needless to say, when Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa is completed, it will be a destination that all will want to visit whether it be for the wine, beer, restaurant, music, spa, lodging, and other amenities.