THE TEXAN WAY
The Lone Star State is fast becoming a destination for wine enthusiasts, with Hill County an oenophile’s playground, writes Jillian Anthony
Texas isn’t all cowboys, country music and barbecue. The Lone Star State is swiftly becoming known for a highbrow staple usually associated with California wine. In 2022, it was ranked as the fifth-highest wine-producing state, according to WineAmerica.
Over the past decade, Hill Country – about an hour outside of the capital city of Austin – has grown into an oenophile’s playground. It is home to over 100 vineyards, and at its center is the charming town Fredericksburg, its Main Street lined with dozens of tasting rooms. (You can even sip on your beverage as you explore, as drinking in public is legal here.)
Fredericksburg is where Cheramie Wine owner Cheramie Aho’s romance with wine began. In 2013, her now-husband took her to the town to go wine tasting and she “just felt at home when we got down 290,” Aho says. The winding 290 highway leads to all things wine in these parts. “It was so inviting and so welcoming, and it had that Texas hospitality about it. I became a wine broker selling Texas wine, and people thought I was crazy.”
Flash-forward just half a decade later, and no one can doubt the power of Texas wine. Texan wine producers welcomed over two million tourists in 2022, a number second only to Napa. In the same year, Texas’ 443 wineries sold $6.4 billion of wine and generated more than $685 million in tourism.
Aho herself went on to launch Cheramie Wine with their first vintage, a Texas Riesling made from Hill Country grapes that “turned out to be so beautiful.” She says: “I always want to choose those grapes that are going to showcase the terroir here in Texas. We 100 percent believe in Texas wine. We have a chip on our shoulder to show the world what we can do.”
clockwise from top, The Rhinory, Cellar Rat Wine Tours in Fredericksburg where the team provide curated experiences, and Crowson Wines. Adega Vinho vineyards in Stonewall, wine director Rania Zayyat at Austin’s Bufalina, Becker Vineyards, Cellar Rat Wine Tours, and Kenny Crowson of Crowson Wines
GROWING SUCCESS
Texas grapes can do a lot, with the first vineyard believed to have been established in the 1660s by Spanish missionaries. And after being nearly wiped out by Prohibition, its wine industry is now flourishing – particularly in the central Hill Country, but also in the northern High Plains, where 80 percent of Texas’ grapes are grown.
Rania Zayyat, master sommelier and wine director at Austin Italian restaurant Bufalina, sources many wines from vineyards in the High Plains. “When I was first starting out in wine, there were a lot of Cabernet and Merlot and more internationally recognized grape varieties because that’s what the public wanted,” Zayyat says. “But I think we have moved away from that. The number of producers is expanding, and we’re learning more about the climate. There are a lot more Portuguese, Spanish and Italian grapes coming to the forefront.”
For reds, Texan winemakers widely use Tempranillo grapes as well as Madeira and Touriga Nacional, Zayyat says. For whites, there are Piquepoul grapes in the High Plains that are traditionally found in the south of France that have “a really nice salty, lemony, bright quality,” she offers.
And there’s the “really lovely” hybrid white grape called Blanc du Bois which is good for high-acid whites and sparkling wines. “Hybrid grapes are something important to be considered as far as what is best suited for a climate,” Zayyat says. “They are a little more heat-resistant.” Since Texas has six months of summer, they have to be. “We can’t be drinking 15 percent Cabs when it’s 110 degrees outside.”
Adrienne Ballou, owner of Hill Country-made Lightsome Wines and Johnson City resident, has had a firsthand look at the growth of local wineries – she’s even had her hands in the dirt. “My husband and I helped [Adega Vinho Winery owner] Michael Bilger plant one of the blocks of that vineyard in 2016 or 2017,” Ballou says. “He rebuilt this incredible soil profile on that property. When we planted it it was more like dense Luckenbach clay. There wasn’t tons of organic matter in the topsoil. Now it’s one of the prettiest vineyards in the area.”
Years of Texas winemakers’ toil, experimentation and stewardship of the land are paying off in big ways, as evident by the dozens of country wineries dotted with goats, horses and Texas Longhorns wandering on plenty of wide, open spaces. And if you still want your city fix, head straight to the Texas wine superhighway that is Fredericksburg’s Main Street. You don’t need to do extensive research on where to sip in this town – just keep walking until you see something you like, or spin a bottle and see where it lands.
“When people hear about Texas wine, they automatically turn their nose,” Aho says. “And I would say to anybody who does that, before you open your mouth, give it a try. We are making world-renowned wine here in Texas.”
Taste it for yourself and decide whether you’re coming for the ribs and staying for the wine, or the other way around. Either way, Texas will welcome you with open arms and a full glass.
“When people hear about Texas wine, they automatically turn their nose. And I would say, give it a try. We are making world-renowned wine here in Texas”
Cheramie Wine owner Cheramie Aho
WHAT TO SIP
From a brunch with beer and quirky buffalo milk gelato, to sipping wine with Blake, the four-year-old Rhinoceros, our guide to an unforgettable Texan wine trip
Crowson Wines
This family-run winery in Johnson City specializes in zero-zero wine – it’s one of the only wineries in Texas that makes wine exclusively in that fashion.
Pecan Street Brewing
Known as the living room of Johnson City, this casual eatery with biergarten is great for brunch – think egg Benedict or chicken and waffle – and a beer.
Picnic’d
In the heart of Johnson City is this cute Crowson Wines deli, where you can grab a sandwich and other local treats for the road.
Lewis Wines
This estate vineyard west of Johnson City, with country vibes and resident sheep and chickens, has an outdoor tasting room where you can enjoy seasonal tasting experiences.
Adega Vinho
One of the prettiest vineyards in the Stonewall area, Adega Vinho boasts a cozy tasting room and a food truck serving delicious Italian fare.
Carter Creek Winery Resort and Spa
At this upscale destination you can make a reservation for wine tasting, admire fields of bluebonnets, enjoy a swim in the pool, and take in the sunset while listening to live music.
OroBianco Italian Creamery
For a sweet and quirky treat, tuck into gelato and cheeses made from buffalo milk at one of the three outposts (Stonewall, Bianco and Signor Vineyards) of this small-batch creamery.
Albert Icehouse and Dancehall
A classic Texas experience located halfway between Fredericksburg and Johnson City, with live music every Saturday and plenty of two-steppin’.
The Rhinory
A truly unique 55-acre ranch near Fredericksburg where you can sip your glass while watching Blake, a four-year-old White Rhinoceros.
Kalasi Cellars
A Fredericksburg outfit showcasing Texas-made dry wines that you can pair with chocolates from Austin chocolatier Madhu and a sampler of Indian snacks.
Fat Ass Winery and Ranch
Enjoy laidback Texan vibes at this come-as-you-are joint, home to Jackson the donkey, as well as beer and wine tastings.
Backwoods BBQ
A family-owned, family-friendly Fredericksburg eatery where you can get your fix of brisket ribs and grilled chicken, followed by homemade pies and cakes.
Becker Vineyards
Choose between an estate location on 66 acres of vineyards with 11 grape varietals in Stonewall, or a tasting room on Fredericksburg’s Main Street.
Otto’s
Get a taste of Fredericksburg’s Germanic influence at this local staple, which serves up schnitzels and strudels.
Hill & Vine
Indulge in Southern comfort with peachy pecan pancakes and a shrimp po-boy at this homestyle venue in downtown Fredericksburg.
Der Daiwel
For something unexpected, grab a cocktail and a bratwurst at Fredericksburg’s resident heavy metal bar with moody, headbanging vibes.
Photography ©Enrique Macias, Christin Hume, Jeremy Wilson. All others, the establishments
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