All Texas, All the Time, No Apologies
Temple · Waco · Winery & Vineyard · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 17, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Pull up to 3 Texans and the mission statement is clear before you even open the menu: this is a Texas-only house, and they're not apologizing for it. The list is tight, the prices are honest, and the whole operation feels like someone's passion project that actually worked out.
The lineup leans into the big reds that Texas does surprisingly well — Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Malbec, all estate-grown and 100% Texas fruit. There's no globe-trotting here, no French imports propping up the credibility — just Hill Country-adjacent terroir doing its thing. The Sunset Rosé rounds out the range and gives the list some warm-weather flexibility. It's a focused portfolio, not a deep one, but everything on it has a reason to be there.
Glass pours run $8 to $11, which is genuinely refreshing in a market where mediocre pours routinely hit $14 or $15. The selection mirrors the bottle list, so you're not stuck choosing between mystery blends on tap. No formal rotation program we can find, but at these prices, you can afford to try more than one.
3 Texans Sunset Rosé — $32
Retail and restaurant price are identical — you're paying what the wine is actually worth, which almost never happens. A solid patio pour with zero markup guilt.
2021 3 Texans Tempranillo Estate
Most people reach for the Cab without thinking twice, but Texas Tempranillo is genuinely interesting terroir-wise and this estate expression deserves a closer look from anyone curious about what the Lone Star State can actually do with a Spanish grape.
2021 3 Texans Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
Not a bad wine, but it's the reflexive order for anyone not paying attention. At $38 it's fair, but if you're driving out to a Texas winery, the Cab is the safe choice — and safe is boring when there are more interesting bottles on the same list.
2021 3 Texans Malbec Estate + Charcuterie plate
A Texas Malbec with cured meats and good cheese is exactly the kind of low-effort, high-return move this place was built for. The fruit weight in the Malbec stands up to the salt and fat without steamrolling anything on the board.
🎲 The Bottom Line
3 Texans isn't trying to be a world-class wine destination — it's a Texas winery selling Texas wine at Texas-honest prices, and that's genuinely worth something. If you're in the Temple area and want to support local without getting gouged, this is your stop.
Central Waco / Richland Mall area · Waco · American gastropub / brewery fare
BJ's wine list exists because it has to, not because anyone loves it — this is a beer destination first and everything else is an afterthought. If you're here on a Wednesday during happy hour, grab the $5 Dark Horse and call it honest; otherwise, just drink the beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Central Waco / Loop 340 · Waco · Casual Chain Italian-American
Olive Garden Waco's wine list is a corporate afterthought dressed up with Italian flags — gouge-level markups on supermarket bottles, no staff expertise, and zero ambition. Order the cocktails, drink the endless coffee, or BYOB if they'll let you. The breadsticks don't need wine anyway.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest Waco / I-35 corridor · Waco · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a great place for a hand-cut steak, cold beer, and line-dancing servers — but the wine list is essentially a placeholder. Come for the food, order a Lone Star, and leave the wine ambitions at home.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / Valley Mills Drive · Waco · Steakhouse
Outback Waco's wine program is what happens when a corporate chain treats wine as a line item instead of an experience — overpriced grocery store bottles with zero staff expertise and zero reason to explore the list. Order the beer, order the cocktail, or BYOB if they'll let you.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / near Richland Mall · Waco · Steakhouse
Saltgrass is here for the steak, and the steak is genuinely good — but the wine program is an afterthought wearing a price tag. Order the ribeye, split a bottle of Decoy if you must, and don't expect anyone on staff to help you think beyond that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Woodway / Marketplace area · Waco · Steakhouse
135 Prime is doing more with a wine list than Waco has any right to expect from its steakhouse scene, and the weekly specials show genuine curiosity. Just keep your guard up when the dessert wine list arrives — that's where the house cashes in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.