Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen & John Peek.
Hi Jen & John, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Winery on the Gruene is an independent, locally veteran owned winery in the heart of historic Gruene, Texas, owned by John and his wife Jen. They took over the winery in 2024 with a simple goal: keep the relaxed, welcoming character people already loved while continuing to improve the wine, the experience, and what the winery could become.
For John, wine has become much more than what’s in the bottle. He enjoys the entire process, from sourcing grapes and developing wines to production, blending, tasting, and ultimately watching someone discover a wine they didn’t expect to love. Wines for the winery are produced locally giving the team the ability to stay closely involved from production all the way to the glass.
What they’ve tried to create at Winery on the Gruene is the opposite of an intimidating wine experience. You don’t need to know anything about wine to walk through the door. Whether someone wants to learn, taste something unusual, sit on the patio with friends, or simply enjoy a good glass of wine, the goal is for them to feel comfortable and welcomed.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a small business, especially a winery, has certainly come with challenges. There are long hours, constant decisions, regulations, staffing, production, inventory, and the never-ending reality that there is always something that needs attention. But that is also part of what makes it rewarding. Every improvement is tangible, and every returning customer is a reminder that the work matters.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
John and Jen see Winery on the Gruene as something they are continuing to build rather than something they simply purchased. The goal is to create a winery that feels distinctly Gruene: laid-back, memorable, a little different, and genuinely local. And perhaps most importantly, they want people to leave thinking, “That was fun, I want to come back,” rather than worrying about whether they knew the “right” way to drink wine.
With more than 95 wine selections, Winery on the Gruene offers a broad look at what Texas wine has to offer. The goal is to be 80 percent Texas, featuring wines made with grapes sourced from across the state, alongside a small selection of world-class wines. The lineup includes everything from crisp High Plains whites to bold Texas reds, giving guests plenty of room to explore different varietals, styles and expressions of Texas-grown fruit.
Our featured Cattle Baron Cellars wines are a reflection of that approach. The lineup includes Texas Tempranillo, High Plains Sauvignon Blanc, High Plains Chardonnay and High Plains Cabernet Sauvignon, each showing a different side of Texas wine and the range that can come from growing grapes in the state.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gruenewinery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wineryonthegruene/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WineryOnTheGruene
