The name for Marker Cellars was hard to find. Mark and Becky Rogers came up with a short list of names that were connected to their story and family. All the names they came up with were already being used, or were trademarked. Later on, Mark and Becky were in Hill County, heading towards a conference. They stopped at T-Becker Winery in Fredericksburg, and after a few tastings Becky said, "You know, my name is Becky and we're here at Becker. Why don't we name it after you - you are Mark, let's call it Marker?" Thus Marker Cellars Winery was born.
Once they planted the vineyard at the farm, Mark noted how much time and attention the grapevines needed from May until Harvest. As the vines matured, he soon learned that he needed to be able to split his time with the build-out of the winery, winemaking, and vineyard management. While he was building his empire, Mark was still working full-time. Then, the vineyard was hit with 2-4-D. All the while, demand was growing for Mark's wine as told by increasing sales. This told Mark one thing: He needed help. Since then, he's hired people to manage the vineyard and help with marketing, so he can focus on the business side of things.
The grapes for the original first six barrels came from Midland, Texas. Today they come from the High Plains AVA and we are currently awaiting the release of barrels 29-34. They soaked the spires in a 2015 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in Oak barrels for over three years. The wine has a dark ruby richness to the color, and a smooth, almost chocolatey mouth-feel and finish. You'll see the cab bleed out from the spires after bottling, allowing the cab flavor to marry with the bourbon.
