WHY TEXAS GRAPE VARIETALS DIFFER FROM CALIFORNIA
California seems to be setting the standards in the wine industry for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlots, Chardonnays, and Zinfandels. Texas is not producing a lot of great wines from those varietals that California seems to excel in. It all boils down to a blind wine tasting in France in 1976 when California outshone the BEST of the BEST French wines. At that time 49 years ago, everyone “knew” that only the French produced great wines. That concept changed in one day when unknown California wines beat the best French wines. Before the 1976 Tasting known as the Judgment of Paris, wines were known by their region being Bordeaux (right bank or left bank), Burgundy, Chablis, Mosel, Rhine, Champagne, Tuscan Chiantis, etc. After the 1976 Judgment of Paris, the New World wines were called out by their grape varietal names such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, etc.
Prohibition shut down all of the Texas Wineries except one near Del Rio which continued to make Sacramental Wines during Prohibition and is still in business today. Texas got its first winery after Prohibition which was incorporated as Llano Estacado Winery on the Texas High Plains. It was Dr. Clint “Doc” McPherson from Texas Tech University who established the winery and vineyards. By 1980, Texas had three wineries with each trying to copy the successful California wineries. By 2005, Texas had 50 wineries in operation. Today, Texas has over 1,000 wineries and over 10,000 acres in vineyards. Bobby Cox established Pheasant Ridge Winery in the 1980’s and taught several cotton-farming families how to grow grapes. The Bingham and Newsom Families found that growing grapes was more profitable and used considerably less water than cotton. Dr. Vijay Reddy also established his vineyards on the Texas High Plains, also finding the cool nights on the arid Texas High Plains Plateau at over 3,000 feet above sea level to be suitable for growing quality grapes.
Vineyard owners were beginning to experiment in the 1990’s as to what grapes best grew in Texas. Their innovations and test plots of a variety of grapes were in search of a true Texas Identity in grape growing. These blocks of experimental grape varieties were based on grape varietals found in Southwest France, Northern Spain, and in Italy. It was all an experiment by many vineyard owners to find what would truly grow as a BEST representation of each of the various grape varietals on the Texas High Plains and in other parts of Texas.
The vineyard results provided wineries with top grapes in their varietal fields. The problem was marketing since California has successfully marketed its grape varietals by name, making them known to wine lovers. Texas wineries are producing wines make from grape varietals that are in many cases almost unknown since California varietals have been marketed for years as grape varietals. In fact, California abandoned their marketing imitations of Chablis, Chianti, and other European grape region names and focused more on grape varietals making them well known.
Now it is Texas’ turn to actively market our grape varietals that produce exceptional wines. The problem is who has heard of these grape varietals like

• Sagrantino
• Aglianico
• Tempranill0
• Viognier
• Semillon
• Picpoul Blanc
• Mouvedere
• Sangiovese
• Pinot Grigio
• Tannat

This is a partial list of the 30+ grape varietals that are growing exceptional well in Texas. Texas Soils, weather, and altitude differ greatly from California’s. Texas is beginning to find its identity in growing the best of these grape varietals and learning how to vinify them into exciting Texas wines. These unique Texas wines are earning oodles of Double Gold Medals with 29 in the recent San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, along with six Best of Show.
Texas has a marketing hurdle in getting these grape varietals properly marketed. In addition, Texas’ prior attempts at imitating California’s wines were unsuccessful and probably turned some wine lovers off with our prior imitations. Now is the time to celebrate some really great Texas winners with many having names no one has heard.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. Surprise Mom with a special Texas wine on her special day!