TEXAS WINE 101: THURSTQUEEN SPILLS EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT WINE IN THE LONE STAR STATE

A lot of great things have come out of Texas. Beyoncé, for example grew up in Houston. Topo Chico, that delightful sparkling water that is liquid crack and puts your generic can of La Croix to shame also hails from the Lone Star state. Who would have known that Texas actually produces some of the most exciting wine in the United States? And the numbers back it up.

Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Texas wine tourism brought in an average of 13.1 billion dollars in 2017. In 2021 many Texas wineries cleaned up at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition against some big bad Cali wineries no less. Yes, folks, there’s something pretty special coming out of Texas. So let’s take a quick second to spill the tea on Texas wines and what to look for should you decide to discover some out in the wild.

What do Texas wines taste like?

If you’re a fan of the lush, big, powerful reds that come out of places like Portugal then you’re definitely going to fall hard for Texas wines. You know that quote, “Everything is bigger in Texas?” Well, that could easily apply to some of the wines coming out of this region. Big bold reds are part of Texas’ specialty.

Folks who love their Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and other Spanish varietals like Mourvédre (Mataro) will be quite happy with Texas wines. Texas is also known for creating killer expressions of Viognier, so if you’re a decadent B and love your white Rhône varietals - like me - you’re going to be a very happy camper hitting up some Texas whites.

These wines all have a distinctive mineral-driven quality due to the soil composition in the Lone Star state, which we will get into in a little bit.

The History of Texas Wine

Anybody who reads this blog on the regular knows that I absolutely love a good underdog story - especially within the world of wine. And honestly? If there was ever a region that I’d consider an underdog - Texas would be it.

You’d probably be surprised if I told you that grapes were planted in Texas about a hundred years before they were planted in California and Virginia. In a story eerily similar to that of California and Mexico, vine plantings of the Mission grape were brought by Spanish Missionaries for religious purposes. Centuries later, Texas had a fairly robust wine scene, and a famous horticulturist, Thomas Munson, experimented with grafted rootstocks to help the folks in France during the Phylloxera epidemic that nearly decimated wine production at the turn of the 18th and 19th Century. Because of Thomas Munson’s work - and climate change - you’ll find a pretty healthy amount of hybrid grapes that grow here.

BUT THEN, SHIT GOT REAL—

Tragedy struck on January 17th, 1920, when the United States Government made an incredibly dumb decision (shocking, I know) and enacted…. PROHIBITION.

Prohibition nearly decimated Texas’ beautiful, thriving and robust wine scene, whittling down the number of commercial wineries to just one, the Val de Verde winery in Del Rio which is now the oldest winery in all of Texas. After Prohibition ended, Texans had a long way to go in terms of rebuilding their wines. A renaissance of Texas winemaking emerged in the 1970s, and the quality of these wines just keeps getting better - as evidenced by recent accolades in heavy hitting wine competitions.

Yet Texas still faces additional hurtles from climate change and extreme weather patterns, coupled with a devastating loss of business due to some of the COVID-19 restrictions that effected wineries in the Pandemic. Yet the state continues to rebuild, and it’s exciting to see what’s in store for the future of Texas wines.

LET’S GET DIRTY - THURSTQUEEN CHATS TEXAS TERROIR

The Lone Star state has all the makings of a great wine region: high elevation, strong diurnal shifts, a diverse array of soils, and hot weather that puts plenty of stress on red grapes, thickens their skins and yields wines with heavier tannins.

The most common soil types you’ll see in Texas are sandy loam over limestone. If you’ve read my post on how soil affects the way a wine tastes - if you haven’t check it out here - you’ll know that limestone adds a distinctive mineral-driven quality to wines. One of the common through lines all Texas wines have is the fact that they have a very distinctive mineral vibe - even if they’re big bad reds.

As far as wine regions go, Texas can be broken up into four major regions. Let’s discuss more below:

THE BREAKDOWN OF TEXAS WINE REGIONS

HILL COUNTRY - THE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

Besides being home to swaths of Bluebonnets, Texas Hill Country has more than 5,000 acres of vineyards and 400 wineries. If you wanted to go wine tasting in Texas, Hill Country would probably be the spot to hit up. This part of Texas is known for complicated, mineral-driven red wines with plenty of big red fruit and Coca Cola vibes. The major grapes that grow in Texas Hill Country are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Mourvèdre and Tannat. This is THE wine region to look for if you’re looking for a juicy porch pounder of a red wine.

TEXAS HIGH PLAINS - A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

As far as the most diverse a wine region gets, the Texas High Plains AVA has a little bit of everything. The Texas High Plains AVA is the second largest AVA in the entire state of Texas, and sits right on the state’s panhandle. This dry, high elevation portion of land is home to more than 80% of the state’s vines. That means, people go here to actually grow their grapes. If you’re interested in savory, mineral wines with plenty of herb and sagebrush vibes - the Texas High Plains AVA is your ultimate spot! This place on the panhandle is home to vines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Viognier, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Muscat Canelli.

WEST TEXAS - THE OG WINE REGION IN THE LONESTAR STATE

West Texas has roots that go way back, if you know what I’m sayin’. As a matter of fact, the very first vines that were brought up to Texas by Spanish Missionaries were planted within the Mesilla Valley AVA in the region. This spot is another great place for bold red lovers. If you’re a fan of high acid whites — we’ve got good news for you: this high elevation area with mineral rich soils is great for cultivating white grapes. If you love Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and - Gewurtztraminer of all grapes, this is the place!

NORTH TEXAS - THE UNDERGROUND REGION

If you’re all about discovering hidden gems, be sure to hit up the North Texas Wine Region. Pay close attention to the Texoma AVA, which is home to plenty of rising star wineries, and grows a variety of really unique grapes. Here, you’ll see white grapes like Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc, and a hybrid grape called Blanc du Bois. You’ll also run into grapes like Petit Sirah, Syrah, and Black Spanish - a very special grape that grows within the area.

SPECIAL TEXAS GRAPES TO LOOK FOR:

MUSTANG

POWERFUL, BOLD, HIGH ACID REDS THAT AGE

Mustang Grapes grow in the South - more specifically Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. These grapes are hearty AF and can be found growing up trees, along riverbanks, and pretty much anywhere! As a matter of fact, if you plant them, you have to be pretty religious about pruning them. Mustang Grapes produce powerful and tannic wines with plenty of pucker power. These grapes are wild and date back to the Civil War. A lot of the wines made out of Mustang Grapes can age for quite a bit in the cellar as well.

BLACK SPANISH

JUICY DARK FRUIT FOR CAB & MERLOT FANS

Black Spanish is a hybrid grape that is a cross from the vitis aestivalis species. This hearty grape is super resistant to diseases and is considered one of the best to plant in the South. Black Spanish produces delicious, juicy dark fruit-driven wines that are quite similar to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

ALICANTE BOUCHET

THE ULTIMATE BIG SPICY RED FOR EVERYONE

Friendly, fruity, and bold — Alicante Bouchet is a crowd pleasure for sure. This grape was bred strictly to add color to wines, or as the French like to call a Teinturier Grape. This grape not only has red skins, but red flesh as well! Alicante Bouchet has loads of dark red cherry vibes, and a bit of cola spice as well.

PICK OF THE WEEK: SOUTHHOLD FARM & CELLARS “I WANT TO BE STEREOTYPED” CARBONIC ALICANTE BOUSCHET

This striking, bold, yet supple carbonic Alicante Bouschet is absolutely stunning. Like a Beaujolais with some Syrah-like brooding qualities, Southhold Cellars’ expression of this grape really hits different. I Want To Be Stereotyped comes in a 1 liter format, which will make it an absolute hit at parties or large gatherings of any and all kinds.

Alicante Bouschet is such a powerful grape, it was kind of a crazy awesome decision to do this grape in the Carb/Mac style - a la Beaujolais - and yield such a soft and plush wine that literally feels like dipping into a bath of dark red berries.

Southhold Cellars is based out of Texas Hill County, and they are all about crafting beautiful wines with a sense of time and place. Expect a different treasure each vintage, but beautifully transparent wines none the less! This wine begs to be paired with barbecue - of course - Cuban Sandwiches, and deep fried turkeys.