A few weeks ago, our first RV photography adventure in our nuCamp Tab 400 (Sheen’s Bean) started with a Harvest Hosts stop in Effingham, Illinois (Harvest Hosts for Glampers: How to Travel in RV Style). The savory food, location and evening sunset set a standard for future Harvest Host locations.
So here we are, driving through Texas heading west to New Mexico and Arizona. Our next Harvest Hosts stop? Seifert Cellars & Wild West Vines. Nestled between the high plains of Texas and the hill country, you’ll find this sweet retreat along Lake Ivie.
How We Found Harvest Hosts‘ Seifert Cellars & Wild West Vines
En route from Austin to Santa Fe, NM, Dave and I opted to ease our way across the state Harvest Host style. After leaving the city life of Austin, we chose to go remote, off the beaten path as we head to New Mexico. Using the route locater in the Harvest Host app, Seifert Cellars and Wild West Vines emerged.
We drove through big skies, rolling hills and two lane roads with speed limits of 75 miles per hour. My lead foot itched to push the gas. Instead, driving with Sheen’s Bean in tow, we max out at 60 – 65 mph. That’s the point.
To slow down.
To watch the clouds roll across the sky as we drive along highways dotted with early blue bonnet blooms, Indian paint brush and grasses. Sparrow hawks (American Kestrel), black vultures, turkeys and other birds darted along the way.
Seifert Cellars: Uniquely Wild West
After an almost four hour drive with a few stops, we arrive at Seifert Cellars and Wild West Vines. With the central to west Texas terrain, this isn’t your California pristine vineyard.
Nor do you want it to be.
A unique, off the beaten path vineyard rests comfortably and ruggedly in the raw terrain. Driving from a two lane highway then down a gravel road for a couple of miles, we arrived. And did we ever arrive.
As we navigate through the vineyard to our designated Harvest Hosts area, Brenda greets us with a huge smile, big welcome and a custom welcome sheet. Parking our camper was easy. Just a drive to the back of the house where we parked for the night (the ground was very level!)
Ah, the silence and sounds of birds chirping away.
As this is a vineyard, we absolutely intend to give the wine a whirl.
Mixing Texas Wildlife, Photography & Wine
Before Brenda brings wine to our camper, we walk our dogs along trails popping with delicate and vibrant wildflowers.
Vermillion Flycatchers, Says Phoebe, Curved billed Thrashers, Pyrrhuloxia, Mockingbirds, Lark sparrows, Ladderback woodpeckers and many more birds dart in and out of scrag, barbed wire fence posts and the vineyard.
Seriously, within 5 minutes we saw more species of birds than some of our birding specific trips. Happy campers, photographer and birders all in one! If you’re a photographer, bring your gear as your in for a quick birding fiesta. Birders, bring your binoculars (Vortex Diamond Back) and bird books (we use Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America – both at Amazon).
At dusk, Brenda delivers us a DIY wine tasting kit and an assortment of cheeses, pesto, sausage, crackers and a couple of chocolates. After a few hours of driving, we’re sitting at our table in Sheen’s Bean sipping, grading and chatting about each wine. Most of all, we were enjoying tasting wines, guessing the ‘hints of’ aromas and comparing our ratings.
So how did the wines do?
With wine names of Sunset, Starlight, Fiesta, Spoiled Brat Muscat and others, her wines are unique and authentic. With the intent of pleasing her Texas based and Texas loving clientele, she’s definitely exceeding her customers (and our) expectations.
Our favorite is the Spoiled Brat Muscat and we’re packing a bottle for the road. The other wines with hints of sweetness tasted clean, soft and easy on the pallet. They paired well with pestos, cheeses and sausage. The end of our day began with a delightful Texas wine tasting.
Driving across the Texas terrain, a wine destination is not typically what is top of mind. That’s the cool factor of Harvest Hosts. We went off the beaten path to explore, to experience.
Our expectations going in? No expectations whatsoever except to enjoy the surprises along the way in Sheen’s Bean and photograph the journey.
