Skip to main content

October is Texas Wine Month

     The history of wine in Texas starts much the same as everywhere else in the Americas. It began in the 1600’s when Spanish missionaries started cultivating grapes at the Ysleta Mission which was located in the present day El Paso area. Out of these humble beginnings grew an industry that today produces 2.4 million gallons of wine and over $1 billion dollars in revenue annually from its more than 160 wineries.

     This industry has also increased tourism with nearly a million visitors each year taking the opportunity to visit Texas Wine Country. "Texas is one of the fastest-growing wine destinations in the country," says Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Charming winery bed and breakfasts, boutique cellars and large wineries on huge vineyards provide a diverse experience.

     The Texas Department of Agriculture has created a “Texas Winery Passport” to help you get started on your wine country adventure. This can be picked up at any Texas winery or tasting room. Track your visits by entering each one’s code on the passport and start redeeming for wine traveler’s rewards after just four stops. More information on this can be found at http://www.gotexanwine.org/.

     They also have suggestions on how to plan your trip starting with selecting one of the four regions. There are many miles involved in a complete tour of Texas’ wine country so they have broken it down into eight Texas Wine Trails. Each trail offers a unique taste of each of the different regions. Texas Wine Month is a great time to start as it has developed into a state-wide wine promotion. Sales incentives, winery tours, wine festivals, in-store tastings, restaurant pairings and many other activities will increase the fun. Be sure to consult the calendar of events to get the most from your trip.

     Texas Wine Month is celebrated each October as the harvest winds down at most Texas vineyards. Come now and see why Texas is the 5th largest producer of wine in the U.S. 
    
     No matter where you are this month, be sure to pick up a bottle of Texas’ finest and give a toast to the Lone Star State. As Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said, “The Texas Wine industry has come of age” and that is a very good reason to share a bottle of Texas wine.
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 17, 2010 at 11:44 AM

    Great article. Vintage Oaks was proud to celebrate October for Texas Wine Month. We are located in New Braunfels, in the heart of Texas Hill Country. We offer exclusive vineyard living to our residents. Check out this blog about Facts of Texas Wine. http://www.vintageoakstexas.com/2010/12/15/texas-wine-facts/

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading Wine Life - Houston.

Popular posts from this blog

An Immersive Introduction into the World of Asolo Prosecco

Dinner Views at Osteria Alla Baracca. I was very excited to visit the Asolo DOCG Prosecco region at the end of May on a press trip as it is an Italian area that I have not previously traveled through. Asolo is located in the Province of Treviso at the foot of Monte Grappa in the high hills to the west of the Piave River with views of the Dolomites. The grapes are grown in 17 communes surrounding the town of Asolo. The days were very warm while I was there but I needed a sweater or light jacket on most evenings due to the diurnal swing that makes it a great area for grape growing. Wines from the Master Class Tasting. Asolo was elevated to the DOCG level in 2009. The majority of the Prosecco that I have found in Houston is Prosecco DOC which is mostly from very large producers. Asolo was separated from this category and the region was given this higher status because there are terroir elements that make it distinctive in the world of Prosecco. The Sant'Anna Vineyard. Many of the vin
Post a Comment
Read more

Lust Zinfandel 2007

     My husband loves this wine so he purchased quite a few bottles at a recent Michael~David  dinner that we had attended. Last night, I decided to open a bottle to serve with dinner. I was making a roasted southwestern pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries (w/ chipolte ketchup) and a salad consisting of baby lettuce (fresh from my garden) with strawberries, red bell peppers, red onions and walnuts tossed with a white balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette.      This turned out to be a great pairing. It is a bold wine that really stood up to the strong chipolte seasoning while complementing the fruit flavors. I opened the bottle a 1/2 hour before I served it as I have found this wine to be more enjoyable when I do so.      The Lust Zinfandel by Michael~David 2007  was a dark purple color with a ruby rim. It has intense aromas of very ripe mixed berries and baking spices-both allspice and ginger with hints of cedar. It has flavors of creme de cassis, milk chocolate and also more of the baking
5 comments
Read more

Effervescent Elegance

 In the December 2023 issue of Galveston Monthly , I explore the world of classic method sparkling wine. The holiday season is always an excellent time to enjoy some effervescent elegance in your glass!
Post a Comment
Read more