Texas High Plains Pride, Poured With Purpose
Texas Tech / University Area · Lubbock · Winery Restaurant / American Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Burklee Hill at Skyviews and it's immediately clear this isn't a hedge — they're all in on Texas. The list is tight, estate-focused, and unapologetically West Texas from top to bottom. It's the kind of commitment that either wins you over or sends you reaching for a cocktail menu.
The list leans hard on Burklee Hill's own Texas High Plains estate wines — Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé, and a Sparkling — with a curated selection of other Texas producers rounding things out. Don't show up looking for Burgundy or Barolo; that's not the point here. The High Plains AVA sits at nearly 3,600 feet elevation with big diurnal swings, and wines grown there have genuine character — earthy Tempranillo especially can surprise you. The selection is small, yes, but it's purposeful, and that earns real respect in a region still fighting for its seat at the table.
By-the-glass options run somewhere in the 10-plus range, covering the estate lineup and likely a handful of guest Texas pours, with prices sitting in the $10–$20 window. That's honest pricing for a winery tasting room that also functions as a full dining room. Rotation appears limited — this is more of a stable program than a weekly-special kind of operation — but the estate wines are consistently available and that's the whole reason you're here.
Burklee Hill Vineyards Tempranillo, Texas High Plains — $12
High Plains Tempranillo at this price is a genuine steal. The elevation and sandy soils in this AVA produce a leaner, more structured style than you'd expect from Texas, and Burklee Hill's version holds up. Order a glass before you commit to a bottle — you'll probably order the bottle.
Burklee Hill Vineyards Sparkling, Texas
Texas sparkling wine doesn't get much attention, and that's exactly why you should order it. Most people walk past it for something familiar, but a Texas-grown sparkling at a working estate is a genuinely rare thing — and at this price point, the risk is low and the story is high.
Burklee Hill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Texas High Plains
Cab is the default order for a lot of guests here, and that's exactly the problem — it tends to get overshadowed by the estate's stronger suits. If you're locked into big reds, try the Tempranillo first. The Cab isn't bad, but it's the least interesting thing on the list.
Burklee Hill Vineyards Rosé, Texas High Plains + Bistro-style charcuterie board
A dry Texas High Plains Rosé cuts through fatty cured meats and aged cheeses with the kind of acidity that the hot climate still manages to preserve at elevation. It's the move for a shared starter, and it keeps the momentum going before you commit to a bottle of red.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Burklee Hill at Skyviews is a Wild Card in the best sense — a genuine estate winery experience in the middle of Lubbock, pouring wines that actually reflect their place. If you're curious about Texas wine and not just tolerant of it, this list is worth your time.
Southeast Lubbock · Lubbock · Winery tasting room with light bites
If you think Texas wine is still playing catch-up, English Newsom Cellars will quietly adjust your priors. Come for the Tempranillo, stay for the view, and stop sleeping on what the High Plains can do.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown (Buddy Holly Hall / Depot-area) · Lubbock · Wine Bar & Bistro / New American
Burklee Hill is the rare winery tasting room that actually makes you believe in the place it comes from. If you're eating in Lubbock and want something worth talking about, this is where you go for wine — full stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Greater Lubbock · Lubbock · Wine Tasting Room
Farmhouse Vineyards is doing something genuinely uncommon in Texas wine country — leaning hard into obscure European varieties with an estate-only focus and pricing that doesn't take advantage of the novelty. If you're anywhere near Lubbock and even mildly curious about what Texas terroir can do with Counoise and Malvasia Bianca, this is worth your afternoon.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Outskirts · Lubbock · Winery Tasting Room
English Newsom Cellars is a genuine Texas wine curiosity worth making the detour for — not because everything is world-class, but because where else are you tasting Sagrantino and Picardan grown on the Llano Estacado? Come thirsty, stay open-minded, and put the Flirt back on the shelf.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Outskirts / North Lubbock · Lubbock · Winery / Tasting Room
Pheasant Ridge is a piece of Texas wine history that's still actively making that history, and five dollars gets you in the door. If you're anywhere near Lubbock and care even a little about where American wine comes from, this stop is non-negotiable.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
South Lubbock / 98th Street · Lubbock · Wine Bar & Retail Shop
The Wine Nest is the kind of place Lubbock didn't know it needed — a genuine small-production wine shop with real range and a Texas-first identity that doesn't feel provincial. If you care about what's happening in the Texas wine scene, this is a required stop.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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