The Hill Country is an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, a wine-growing region designated by U.S. Department of Treasury. The area was designated in 1991 and serves as a tourism hub for Texas. The grapes grown in this area are typically harvested in early summer due to being unable to survive the Texas heat. Geographically, the area is characterized by its hills, which feature limestone and sandstone outcrops, several types of soil and moderate rainfall.
The first vineyard planted in the Texas Hill Country was Fall Creek Vineyards in 1975, according to the winery. However, grapes were first grown in Texas in 1682, planted by Spanish missionaries near El Paso about a century before California.
To determine what is a Texas wine, there are four designations that a bottle can be labeled with. For the AVA label to be listed on the bottle, it must have used at least 85% of local grapes. For a vineyard to use its own label, 95% of grapes must have come from the vineyard. To label the bottle as a Texas wine requires 75% of the grapes to be from Texas.
A guide to Texas grapes:
Pinot grigio
- White wine grape
- Typically grayish-blue color
- Wines produced vary in color
- American hybrid primarily grown in Southeast Texas
- Typically used to make white table wine
- White wine grape
- Dry
- One of the most widely planted grapes in the world
- Native to Southern U.S., including Texas
- Red or rosé
- Red wine
- Contains tannins
- High in alcohol
- Spicy, berry flavored
- Red wine grape
- Originated in Spain
- Dry red wine
- Grows best in South Plains and North Texas
- Red wine
- Lighter than cabernet sauvignon
- Red wine grape
- Dry
- Originated in France
Driftwood:
Driftwood Estate Winery
Address: 4001 Elder Hill Road, Driftwood
Daily hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Established: 1998
Duchman Family Winery
Address: 13308 FM 150 W., Driftwood
Hours: Mon. noon-6 p.m., Tue.-Thu. noon-7 p.m., Fri.-Sat. noon-8 p.m., Sun. noon-7 p.m., closed Wed.
Established: 2004
Fall Creek Vineyards
Address: 18059-A FM 1826, Driftwood
Hours: Mon-Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.,
Sun. noon-5 p.m.
Established: 1975
Wimberley Valley Winery
Address: 2825 Lone Man Mountain Road, Driftwood
Hours: daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Established: 2010
Dripping Springs:
Bell Springs Winery
Address: 3700 Bell Springs Road, Dripping Springs
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.,
closed. Mon.-Tue.
Established: 2010
Hamilton Pool Vineyards
Address: 25711 Hamilton Pool Road, Dripping Springs
Hours: Thu.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.,
closed Mon.-Wed.
Established: 1999
Hawk’s Shadow Estate Winery and Vineyards
Address: 7500 McGregor Lane, Dripping Springs
Hours: Thu.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.,
closed Mon.-Wed.
Established: 2010
Henly Vineyards
Address: 1171 Windy Hills Road, Dripping Springs
Hours: Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sun.-Fri.
Established: 2012
Solaro Estate Winery
Address: 13111 Silver Creek Road, Dripping Springs
Hours: Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Thu. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Tue.-Wed.
Established: 2009
Summer Revival Wine Co.
Address: 665 W. Hwy. 290, Dripping Springs
Hours: daily noon-7 p.m.
Established: 2022
South Austin:
C.L. Butaud Wines
Address: 12345 Pauls Valley Road, Ste. 2, Austin
Hours: Fri. 1-7 p.m., Sat-Sun. noon-6 p.m., closed. Mon.-Thu.
Established: 2014
