Making Waves

'Surf condos' backed by world champion Kelly Slater barrel into Texas

Kelly Slater is the development's splashiest investor. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

A water-themed community featuring dozens of “surf condos,” backed by surfing legend Kelly Slater, is making waves near Austin. The splashy development might soon give landlocked San Antonio travelers a reason to drive north for a beach vacation.

Surfer.com and the Austin Business Journal recently reported that work has begun on the Austin Surf Club in Del Valle, an unincorporated area seven miles southeast from downtown Austin. The 190-acre project tentatively is set to include more than 140 condos, along with a brewery, cafe, clubhouse, and spa. Water features are supposed to include a 19-acre reef wave and a 2,220-foot-long surf basin. The project also might offer sports courts, and a lake for fishing and stand-up paddle boarding.

“Austin Surf Club is a one-of-a-kind surf residential community where cutting-edge technology and classic surf culture converge,” the club says on its website. “It is a fusion of urban energy and coastal serenity that embraces the adventurous spirit of Austin, Texas and brings the joy of surfing to your front door.”

The Austin Surf Club is being built along Navarro Creek Road off State Highway 71 on the former site of NLand Surf Park, which closed in 2018, according to the Business Journal. The property is near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Discovery Land Co. is developing the project in tandem with Slater. Surfer.com identifies Slater as the world’s richest surfer, with an estimated net worth of $40 million. The 53-year-old Slater starred on the popular lifeguard drama Baywatch. The original TV series aired from 1989 to 1999.

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Brews and Barrels

New brewery and Italian-inspired winery barrel into Hill Country town

Charleston Taylor Estate Winery exterior

The new winery will host cooking classes to pair with its Cabernet wines. Photo courtesy of Charleston Taylor Estate Winery

A new winery tasting room and brewery on the same property are preparing for a May 3 grand opening in Johnson City, about 65 miles from San Antonio. The Charleston Taylor Estate Winer y and Black Chapel Brewing Co. will do much more than serve beverages at their new space.

The estate is located at 6212 W. U.S. Highway 290, which is next to Vinovium, a winery Texans might recognize as the host of the annual Texas Wine Jam.

A photo of the winery, sent via press release, shows an unassuming, rustic structure with a patio and parking. Both the winery and the brewery have been sharing photos and videos of their construction progress for months on Instagram.

The winery, named for the owners' children, takes a community-centered approach, offering plenty of excuses to visit beyond drinking wine. The press release lists haunted tours, tasting events, and workshops — both creating wine blends and Italian cooking. Some of these events center around a 19th century well used for aging wines.

The vineyard uses Cabernet grapes for its wines, and a mix of traditional and modern techniques. Its specialties are sparkling wines and reds, which are made with the winery's "Italian-inspired cuisine" in mind.

On the brewery side, the website touts "over 15 years of craft beer and pizza-making excellence." The team comes from Black Market Brewing in Temecula, California, so if the new venture is anything like its predecessor, Texans should expect pizza with tons of toppings, and an array of beers with a sense of humor, like the Severance double hazy IPA or the No Equis Mexican Lager.

The brewery further offers an indoor taproom with games and big screens, outdoor seating, and access to the rest of the 30-acre estate.

Winery hours are Thursdays through Mondays from 11 am to 5 pm, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment. Brewery hours are Thursdays and Mondays from 11 am to 8 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 9 pm.

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