For Texas Wine Month, we’d like to share some information on the Lone Star state’s wine industry. Hopefully it will inspire you to check out some wineries on your next trip to the SXSW festival or whatever brings you to the great state of Texas!
- Texas has 7 established AVAs: Bell Mountain, Escondido Valley, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hills Country, Mesilla Valley, Texas Davis Mountains, Texas hills Country, and Texoma.
- Texas is home to 15 native grapes, the most in a region the whole world over.
- Texas is one of the oldest wine growing states with plantings having begun over 100 years before Virginia or California
- Horticulturist Thomas Munson conducted research in Texas that led to the breakthrough with grafting American rootstock on European vines to end the phylloxera epidemic.
- While Cabernet and Chardonnay are the most planted grapes in Texas, you can also find: Merlot, Syrah, Muscat Canelli, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Viognier, Tempranillo, and a number of other Spanish grapes.
- As a generalization, Texas’ climate makes for wines that are compared more to Portuguese wines.
- There are more than 200 wineries in the state of Texas
- Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association has 17 wine trails for you to explore in the state. For more information, click here.
Happy trails!