RGIII's pad for sale

Texas football star hopes to punt his lakefront paradise for $2.6 million

Robert Griffin III RGIII Lake Conroe house home for sale

RGIII has listed his Lake Conroe manse for sale.

Photo courtesy of Realtor.com

Professional athletes are often coached on the importance of building a strong portfolio during their playing career and for many, that means investing in real estate.

Taking a page out of that playbook, NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III — known to fans around Texas as RGIII during his Heisman Trophy-winning days at Baylor University — had invested in a Houston-area mansion, but is now punting the home.

The Mediterranean-style estate on Lake Conroe — currently listed at $2.6 million by Houston Portfolio Real Estate — is more than 9,000 square feet and boasts seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a large home theater, a massage and exercise room, and what’s billed as a “backyard paradise.” The outdoor amenities include a beach-entry pool with swim-up bar, spa, sunken outdoor kitchen, and a pool bathroom/changing room.

Active types can enjoy a nine-car garage with its own golf cart section, plus a private boat dock with two boat slips. Anchoring a corner lot, the waterfront home, nestled in the April Sound neighborhood in Conroe, was built in 2007 and has been on the market for 97 days.

Griffin was a Texas football and track standout and highly pursued prospect out of Copperas Cove High School, near Temple. After bringing Baylor its first-ever Heisman, Griffin was selected second overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Cowboys fans might still feel the sting of team's crushing loss to RGIII's Redskins on Thanksgiving 2016.

Injuries cut his tenure there short; Griffin is currently on the Baltimore Ravens roster.

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NEW CRUSH

Lauded Texas winemaker uplifts Hill Country town with new vineyard and tasting room

Photo by David Capote

Uplift Vineyard devotes 55 acres to growing grapes.

One of Texas’ most acclaimed winemakers is stomping on new grounds. William Chris Wine Company is opening of a new vineyard and tasting room on a gorgeous 78-acre property in Burnet, about 170 miles (or just over two-and-a-half hours) southwest of Fort Worth.

William Chris founders Chris Brundrett and Andrew Sides purchased the property, formerly named Hoover Valley, in 2021 from a private owner. The rebranded Uplift Vineyard hired the vineyard team and rehabbed the existing structures to offer elevated wine-tasting experiences and host future private events.

Uplift will be William Chris’ first estate wine brand. For those not up on wine-speak, the offerings will use grapes exclusively grown in the vineyard instead of those harvested by outside growers. Winemaker Claire Richardson will head the program, featuring a surfeit of single-varietal wines and proprietary blends.

Fall releases will zero in on hefty sippers like a single variety Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, as well as a Bordeaux blend. Springtime will lighten up with Italian grapes such as Montepulciano, Aglianico, and Sangiovese.

Eventually, Uplift Vineyard will expand its wine offerings to a medium-body Rhône blend featuring Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre and explore white blends and rosés.

“Every bottle of Uplift wine will come from only the best grapes harvested from this spectacular site, situated in the Llano Uplift geological region,” says CEO Bundrett via a release. “We’re looking forward to bringing awareness to this unique location within the Texas Hill Country AVA because the fruit that’s being grown here is just outstanding.”

Guests can enjoy the vintages at the tasting room or via a limited-capacity wine club, the Uplift Viticultural Society. Uplift is in the final stages of filling the first 300 of 1,000 total spots for the ultra-exclusive Founders Club.

Looking forward, Uplift will host onsite cooking demonstrations and full-day experiences that take advantage of the bucolic setting. For now, the tasting room is open for reservations only, Thursdays through Sundays, 11 am-6 pm.

Last fall, William Chris Vineyards came in at No. 56 on the World’s Best Vineyards' list of top wine destinations for 2022. It was the only Texas vineyard on the list and one of only seven wineries from the U.S.

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