Meet our Winemaker

Janet Miertschin and her husband, Mark, both spent most of their careers in the energy industry in Houston. In more recent years, they have enjoyed cultivating a refined wine palette and visiting different regions that are known for high quality wines.

Janet and Mark obtained winemaking certificates, from Texas Tech and UC Davis, respectively. After much discussion, they decided that they wanted to start a winery of their own. The name, Portree, originated from a family vacation to Scotland, during which they decided to purchase the land for the winery. The Scottish word 'cairn' literally means a 'heap of stones,' and they are a common sight in rural Scotland. These stacked rocks are used to identify landmarks and the Miertschins thought this name and the symbol of a stack of stones could mark the start of their next phase of life and the adventure to come.

When she’s not working on winemaking, Janet enjoys painting, taking the lead from her talented artistic mother and daughter. Janet truly enjoys creating and feels that both making wine and developing Portree’s property are outlets for her creativity. She’s hoping to exhibit some of her original works in Portree’s future tasting room which is now under construction.

While the tasting room is being built, you can enjoy Portree Cellars wines in a scenic seating area under an oak grove that overlooks the larger vineyard . Janet is excited to welcome you into the Miertschin family adventure and share her love for the art of winemaking.

You can check out more about Janet in her Texas Wine Lover's feature.