Create a Legacy. Craft Your Vintage. Leave Your Mark.
For more than two decades, Bernhardt Winery has been dedicated to producing exceptional wines while creating memorable experiences in the heart of Texas wine country.
Now, we invite a select few to become more than wine enthusiasts—we invite you to become a winemaker.
The Bernhardt Barrel Club is an exclusive two-year experience designed for those who appreciate fine wine, craftsmanship, and the art of aging. Working alongside owner and winemaker Jerry Bernhardt, members will participate in the creation of their own private barrel of wine, culminating in a collection of custom-labeled bottles unlike any other.
From selecting your barrel to celebrating the bottling of your finished vintage, the Barrel Club offers an extraordinary opportunity to create a legacy wine to enjoy, cellar, or share with family, friends, and clients.
Your Winemaking Journey
Each Barrel Club membership includes a private, two-year journey through the winemaking process.
Your experience includes:
• A custom Nadalie® oak barrel
• Participation in grape crushing, barrel filling, and aging wine
• Private barrel tasting events with the winemaker
• Personalized wine label design
• Twenty cases (240 bottles) of your finished wine
• Your engraved barrel to keep following bottling
Throughout the aging process, you’ll enjoy exclusive events and behind-the-scenes access while your wine matures in our cellar.
Membership Overview
Membership Term
Two Years
Membership Investment
$25,000
Wine Produced
Approximately 20 cases (240 bottles)
Membership Availability
Only 18 memberships will be offered
To preserve the intimate nature of the program:
• Six founding memberships will be offered initially.
• The remaining twelve memberships will be introduced over the following two years.
• Upon completion of the initial membership term, members receive priority renewal at a 10% renewal discount.
• Vacated memberships will be offered to individuals on the Barrel Club waiting list.
Applications are accepted annually from July 1 through September 1, allowing time to secure the finest grapes from each harvest.
The Barrel Club Experience
Your Personalized French Oak Barrel
In September, members will select a premium Nadalie® oak barrel, internationally recognized for exceptional craftsmanship and the influence it imparts during aging.
Every barrel will be laser engraved with:
• Member’s name, family crest, or company logo
• Bernhardt Winery Barrel Club insignia
Following bottling, your personalized barrel becomes yours to take home.
Autumn Harvest Celebration & Barrel Filling Experience
Each autumn marks the beginning of your private winemaking journey. In September, members are invited to Bernhardt Winery as the newly harvested grapes arrive from the renowned Texas High Plains AVA. For our inaugural Barrel Club vintage, members will craft an exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon.
Members and their invited guests are encouraged to participate in the harvest celebration, experiencing the winemaking process firsthand while enjoying an exclusive afternoon of wine, food, and fellowship.
As fermentation concludes, members will return in November for the Barrel Filling Celebration, where their wine is carefully transferred into its personalized French oak barrel to begin its two-year maturation.
This exclusive member experience includes:
• Hands-on grape crushing during harvest
• An exclusive harvest tasting celebration featuring seasonal wine pairings
• Personal participation in filling your custom oak barrel
• Guided tastings of Bernhardt Winery wines
• Artisan charcuterie and culinary pairings
• An intimate discussion with owner and winemaker Jerry Bernhardt, exploring the harvest, winemaking process, and the journey ahead.
This unforgettable experience marks the beginning of your wine’s transformation—from freshly harvested fruit to a beautifully aged vintage that will bear your own custom label.
Spring Barrel Tasting Experience
Approximately six months after your wine begins its journey in barrel, members return to Bernhardt Winery for the first tasting of their developing vintage. This exclusive gathering offers a rare opportunity to sample your wine directly from the barrel and witness the remarkable transformation taking place as it matures.
Guided by our winemaker, you’ll explore the early characteristics of your vintage while gaining insight into the aging process, the influence of French oak, and the decisions that shape an exceptional finished wine. As each barrel evolves uniquely, this experience provides an exciting first glimpse into the personality of your future private collection.
This exclusive member experience includes:
• Private barrel sampling of your developing vintage
• An educational tasting exploring the stages of barrel aging and wine maturation
• Seasonal culinary pairings thoughtfully selected to complement the wines
• A behind-the-scenes discussion of the vintage, harvest, and progress of your wine
• An opportunity to connect with fellow Barrel Club members while sharing your experiences and anticipation for the journey ahead
This intimate gathering celebrates an important milestone in your winemaking experience and offers a deeper appreciation for the patience, craftsmanship, and artistry required to produce an exceptional vintage.
Additional guests are welcome with advance reservations and an event fee.
Autumn Barrel Tasting & Blending Experience
As your wine continues to mature, you’ll return to Bernhardt Winery for one of the most fascinating stages of the winemaking journey—the opportunity to evaluate your vintage as it develops and explore the subtle influences that shape its final character.
Guided by our winemaker, members will sample their wine directly from the barrel while gaining a deeper understanding of how time, oak, and careful craftsmanship work together to create a beautifully balanced wine.
During this exclusive experience, members will also explore a variety of premium oak alternatives and finishing techniques designed to enhance aroma, structure, texture, and complexity. Under Jerry’s guidance, you’ll participate in selecting the oak profile that best complements your vintage before it continues its final months of aging.
This exclusive member experience includes:
• Private barrel sampling of your developing vintage
• Guided sensory evaluation of aroma, structure, tannins, and flavor development
• Hands-on exploration of premium oak alternatives and finishing techniques
• Selection of your preferred oak profile
• An educational seminar on barrel aging, blending, and wine maturation
• Artisan charcuterie and thoughtfully curated wine pairings
• An afternoon shared with fellow Barrel Club members celebrating another milestone in the winemaking journey
This experience offers a rare glimpse into the decisions that shape exceptional wines and allows members to become active participants in the evolution of their own private vintage. By the conclusion of the tasting, your wine will continue aging with its selected finishing profile, bringing it one step closer to becoming a beautifully balanced, custom-crafted expression of the vintage.
Spring Bottling Celebration & Winemaker’s Dinner
After nearly two years of careful aging under the guidance of owner and winemaker Jerry Bernhardt, your private vintage has reached its fullest expression. This milestone marks the culmination of your Barrel Club journey as your custom wine is bottled, labeled, and prepared to become part of your personal collection.
Members may choose to have their wine professionally bottled by the Bernhardt Winery team prior to the celebration or reserve a private bottling session to personally bottle their vintage alongside family and friends. Both options provide a memorable opportunity to take part in the final stage of the winemaking process.
Following bottling, members and their guests are invited to an elegant Spring Bottling Celebration & Winemaker’s Dinner, where fellow Barrel Club members gather to commemorate the completion of another remarkable vintage.
This exclusive celebration includes:
• A private Winemaker’s Dinner featuring thoughtfully curated seasonal cuisine
• A blind tasting of members’ finished wines, followed by a friendly People’s Choice recognition
• Presentation of your custom-labeled vintage and commemorative keepsakes
• An opportunity to share your wine with fellow Barrel Club members and invited guests
• Remarks from the winemaker reflecting on the vintage and the journey from harvest to bottle
• A celebratory toast honoring the completion of your private barrel experience
Members are encouraged to bring several bottles of their finished wine to participate in the blind tasting and to share during the evening’s celebration. Additional guests are welcome with advance reservations and an event fee.
Handcrafted Wine Locker
Each Barrel Club member is provided with a beautifully handcrafted wooden wine locker, prominently displayed within the winery as a lasting symbol of your membership.
Your personalized locker features an engraved brass nameplate and offers convenient storage for a selection of your private wines, specialty stemware, and personal wine accessories, allowing you to enjoy your collection whenever you visit Bernhardt Winery
Your private wine locker includes:
• Custom engraved brass nameplate
• Secure storage for select bottles from your personal collection
• Convenient storage for specialty wine glasses and personal wine accessories
Exclusive Winery Access
Members are welcome to visit Bernhardt Winery throughout the aging process to view their barrel and follow the development of their wine. Watching your vintage mature over nearly two years becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience.
Custom Wine Labels
Once the winemaker determines the wine has reached its ideal maturity, each member’s wine is professionally bottled under a completely customized label. You can arrange at a separate time if you desire to bring a team of your family, friends, or our staff to bottle your wine as we guide you in the process.
Whether commemorating a family milestone, celebrating a business, or creating an elegant private collection, your wine becomes uniquely your own.
Bottling & Storage
Upon completion of the aging process, members receive:
• Twenty cases (240 bottles) of your own custom-crafted vintage, created through your two-year winemaking journey—a collection to celebrate life’s milestones and share with family, friends, and future generations.
• Professionally bottled and custom-labeled wine, ready to enjoy, cellar, or present as distinguished gifts.
Upon request, Bernhardt Winery will provide complimentary storage of your bottled wine for up to one year following bottling.
Barrel Club Privileges
In addition to your private winemaking experience, members enjoy exclusive winery benefits.
Soleil Wine Club Gold Membership
Automatic Gold Membership includes:
• 20% savings on wine purchases
• Gold-level Soleil Wine Club benefits
• Standard Soleil membership purchase requirements apply
Sunset Concert Privileges
Members receive reserved table seating and admission for:
• Six Bernhardt Winery Sunset Concerts annually
• Up to four guests per concert
Membership Sharing
Barrel Club membership may be enjoyed individually or shared among family members, friends, or business associates, creating a truly memorable and collaborative winemaking experience.
Membership includes event privileges for two participants throughout the two-year journey. Members are also welcome to invite additional guests to select celebrations, tastings, and dinners with advance reservations and the applicable guest fee.
Investment Schedule
2026
September 1st – Deposit – 25%
November 26th – Barrel Filling Party 25%
2027
April 27th – Barrel Tasting Party 25%
September 27th – Barrel Tasting Blending Party 12.5%
2028
April 23rd – Bottling Party 12.5%
Save $1000 if paid completely by September 2027 payment
Membership Applications
Applications for the 2026–2028 Bernhardt Barrel Club will be accepted:
July 1, 2026 – September 1, 2026
Membership is intentionally limited to preserve the personalized nature of the experience.
For questions or to request an application:
marketing@bernhardtwinery.com
936-894-9829 ext. 104