In 1975, Susan and Ed Auler planted a plot of grapes on their ranch in Tow, Texas that would soon come to be known as Fall Creek Vineyards. The couple had developed a love for wine during a trip to France where they toured the country’s major wine regions two years prior.

Years later, Ed Auler, a practicing lawyer at the time, drew up a map outlining the boundaries of the Texas Hill Country and submitted an application to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Susan Auler said. By 1991, the federal agency recognized the Texas Hill Country as an official grape-growing region known as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA.

The Texas Hill Country wine region is now the third-largest AVA in the nation and has experienced tremendous growth over the past few decades through the addition of new wineries and vineyards.

The big picture

The Hill Country’s booming wine region has largely contributed to Texas becoming the fifth-largest wine producing state in the nation with an economic impact of more than $20 billion, according to a 2022 report by WineAmerica.




This October, the state is celebrating Texas Wine Month for its 25th year and participating in Come Over October—a national campaign centered around uniting family and friends around wine.

Local wineries and organizations say they are continuing to see the Hill Country’s wine industry expand due to the area’s growing hospitality sector and diverse wine selection alongside efforts to increase local wine production.

“We're a destination for great wines,” Susan said. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with all the great wine regions of the world.”

By the numbers




Texas wine industry
  • $20.35 billion total impact
  • 2.02 million tourism visitors
  • 1,474 vineyard acres
  • 443 wine producers
Texas Hill Country wine region:
  • 9 million acres
  • 1 million yearly visitors
  • Over 1,000 vineyard acres
  • Over 120 wineries
Sources: WineAmerica/Texas Hill Country Wineries



The impact

Texas is currently home to around 500 wineries, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The number of active winery permits across the state grew by 186% from 2013 and 2023, according to a 2024 report by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.




Many of these wineries are located in the Texas Hill Country, which spans about 15,000 square miles, said January Wiese, executive director of Texas Hill Country Wineries. The nonprofit trade organization increased its membership from eight to more than 60 wineries since forming in 1999, Wiese said.

Visitors are often attracted to wineries across the Hill Country region due to the area's unique offerings from culture to nature to shopping, Wiese said. Fredericksburg, a historic German town, has become a central destination for wine in the Hill Country alongside a plethora of restaurants, live music and artistic attractions, said Valerie Elkins, co-founder of the Texas Wine Auction.

“Texas is really known for hospitality,” Elkins said. “It's very different to come here than it is to go to maybe other wine regions.”

Beyond providing enjoyable hospitality experiences, the state’s growing wine industry created 141,235 jobs and $6.91 billion in annual wages for Texans in 2022, according to WineAmerica.




Each year, the Texas Wine Auction raises money to provide mental health services for hospitality workers, which helps ensure Texans can sustainably pursue careers in these industries.

“I think we're getting a more engaged workforce,” Elkins said about the Hill Country wine region. “I think that people see this as not a job, but they, a lot of the people here, are seeing this as a career.”

Diving in deeper

Texas’ diverse climate allows for the production of many different grape types, also known as varietals. These varietals differ based on the soil and environment in which they are grown, Wiese said.




A majority of Texas wine is grown in the High Plains AVA near Lubbock due to its cooler climate. Many Hill Country wineries also serve selections grown in other states, Elkins said.

More vineyards are opening in the Hill Country, however, as the acreage of grapes planted in the area has more than doubled over the last 10 years, Wiese said. Although the Central Texas heat can present challenges, some grape varietals perform well in the area, Elkins said.

“[Tannat] is a varietal that is a little more hearty and able to withstand more of the heat and develops really rich, natural flavors ... whereas, there may be other types of grapes that won't make it down here,” Elkins said about the Hill Country.

Solaro Estate Vineyards & Winery has grown and produced wine in Dripping Springs since 2009. Owner Robert Fritz, whose family began growing wine in Italy in the 1800s, said establishing more estate wineries that grow their own wine on site will help the Texas Hill Country develop the same credibility as well-known wine regions such as those in California.

“Solaro is really trying to do its part in putting the Texas Hill Country American Viticulture Area on the map of producing some of the nicest wines in the world,” Fritz said.

The business is currently working to adapt to climate change by planting drought-resistant vineyards that require little to no water usage, he said. These vineyards are being monitored by universities across the country and may be replicated by other wineries, Fritz said.

In an effort to spur on local wine production, Texas Wine Growers has advocated for the state to revise its permitting process to benefit wineries that grow their own wine opposed to those that do not, said Elkins, who is the nonprofit's executive director.

The organization would like to see a lower permitting cost, increased cap on production and the allowance of additional permissions for these wineries, she said.

Get involved

During October, there are plenty of opportunities for Texans to participate in Texas Wine Month throughout the Hill Country. Many local wineries provide educational opportunities, food pairings and other events such as concerts, Elkins said.

“[Texas is] a really great place to come learn about wines and experience wines for the first time, because wineries are so inviting and are providing so much education,” Wiese said.

Several events taking place around Texas Wine Month include:To view more events, visit the Uncork Texas Wines website by the Texas Department of Agriculture.