Vibrant grapevines in Texas.

According to the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association, Texas is home to the first vineyard planted in North America. This vineyard was established in the early 1660s by Franciscan priests.

Today Texas produces a large number of grape varieties. Red grape varieties include: Malbec, Tempranillo, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Lenoir. Texan white grape varieties include: Chardonnay, Blanc du Bois, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Orange Muscat, Muscat Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer and Semillon. If you haven’t tried a Blanc du Bois or an Orange Muscat wine yet, be sure to give them a try!

Texas has more than 350 bonded commercial wineries. The wineries produce several types of wines including: still wines, fortified wines, dessert wines and sparkling wines. Texas wineries include the large wineries such as Messina Hof winery and the smaller boutique wineries including Texas Legato.

The AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Texas include:

Texas Hill Country
Bell Mountain
Escondido Valley
Texas Davis Mountains
Texas High Plains
Fredericksburg
Mesilla Valley
Texoma

For more information about Texas wineries, check out the GO Texan website which has a section devoted to the wine industry in Texas. One unique aspect are the flower and wine pairing suggestions the website offers.

Texas passport to wineries.

As we have traveled and written about many of the Texas wineries, we are always a bit sad to leave a state where we discovered warm welcomes, friendly hugs and invitations to return again. Check out the reviews we have written about Texas wineries and plan to enjoy your next vacation in Texas. Be sure to ask about the Texas Passport to wineries.

Cheers!
Kathy