Photo by City of Lakeway

Vinovium Partners, Lakeway — keg wine storage, blending winery

During its June 17 regular session, the Lakeway City Council agreed to issue a special use permit for a bonded winery, wine cellar and wholesaler.

Vinovium Partners, a member of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, is planning to set up shop in an existing building at 401 N. RR 620, Lakeway, around October 1, Vinovium Partners Vice President Travis Graves said.

The year-old company, whose principals also include President Craig Mayer and Vice President Daniel Kelada, won't be sporting a wine-tasting room or have a public display of its wines at its approved location.

"It's going to be more of a commercial winery," Mayer said.

The company will be strictly focused on wines aged in its 20-liter kegs which can each hold up to 26 bottles of wine, Mayer said. The airtight oak and oak alternative kegs will preserve wine for up to six months after tapping and is used extensively in Europe, Mayer said.

Currently, Vinovium represents seven hill country wineries and is working with restaurants and venues for on-premise consumption. However, Mayer said that his keg wine storage business, when fully permitted by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission, intends to specialize in producing their own blended wines from local Texas grapes.

Mayer said that future plans may open sales to the public and a tasting room at a future site.

"As we grow and expand, we'll open up a proper winery within the city limits at some point," Mayer said.