Texas Wine

Have you ever had the opportunity to taste Texas Wine?

Many people may be surprised to learn that Texas is one the oldest wine growing states in the US. In the 17th century, needing wine for celebrating mass, Franciscan priests planted vines in near modern day El Paso. Today, Texas boasts over 30 different varieties of grape, 15 of which are native to Texas. West Texas is particularly fertile, and offers long sunny days and cool nights, with colder winters that allow the vines to hibernate before the growing season without being subjected to severe winter conditions. Sainte Genevieve is a winery 26 miles outside of Fort Stockton, TX, and one of the fastest growing wineries in the country.

Luz de Estrella Winery
Marfa, Texas

The hot climate is favorable for grape growing, as well as the well-drained, sandy, high-calcium soil that typifies the 1,000 acre estate and the vines have been maturing for some years now achieving a more sophisticated flavor. Sainte Genevieve has been producing award-winning wines since 1987. The winery's most highly acclaimed wine is their Sauvignon Blanc, which won the Gold Medal at the Lone Star Competition in 2001, and their Chardonnay is a consistently strong seller. They also produce an award-winning Fume-Chardonnay in the white category, and in the red category, a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Syrah that have all won medals. In addition, the winery blends and bottles three table wines: Texas Red, Texas Blush, and Table White.

Near Lubbock the wine taster can find Llano Estacado, which began bottling wine in 1976, and planted its first vineyard in 1978. By the 1990's, it was producing over 50,000 cases of wine a year. Llano Estacado wines have won numerous awards over the years. Recently, their Cabernet Sauvignon has taken medals in the Texas Open Wine Competition and Lone Star Competition, and their 2005 Chardonnay took the gold at the Open Competition. The winery offers tours and tastings 7 days a week, and also sells wine accessories, gourmet foods, and gift baskets in their gift shop. Harvest in Texas usually precedes harvest in California by a few months, occurring most often at the end of July. Keep this in mind when planning a trip to the West Texas wine country.

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