Texas Wine

Wine production in Texas is a growing and increasingly respected industry in the United States, with a long history and diverse terroir.

Texas was home to some of the earliest recorded viticulture in North America, with Spanish missionaries planting vines in the 1600s.

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Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo have the highest number of plantings in the state, followed by Merlot, Black Spanish, and Blanc du Bois as leading variety in bearing acreage planted.

Texas is also home to Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Viognier, Muscat Canelli, and Malbec plantings.

The United States Department of Agriculture lists more than 53 wine grape varieties grown in Texas.

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Red Grapes

Grape	Description
Tempranillo	Known as the “signature grape” of Texas.
Cabernet Sauvignon	Popular but challenging in some regions.
Mourvèdre (Monastrell)	Performs well in warm climates.
Tannat	Bold, tannic wines gaining traction.
Sangiovese	Italian variety that handles heat well.
Grenache, Syrah, Malbec	Rhône and Bordeaux influences.

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White Grapes

Grape	Description
Viognier	One of Texas’s top-performing white grapes.
Roussanne	Rhône variety, aromatic and age-worthy.
Albariño	Spanish variety, crisp and fresh.
Vermentino	Italian variety with citrusy freshness.
Chenin Blanc, Muscat, Trebbiano	Often used in blends or for sweeter styles.

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Texas Wine Regions

Texas is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., after California, Washington, Oregon, and New York. The state has a range of climates and soils that support wine grape growing, from hot and arid to cooler, elevated areas. The main AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Texas include:

• Texas High Plains AVA
• Texas Hill Country AVA
• Texoma AVA
• Escondido Valley AVA
• Mesilla Valley AVA (shared with New Mexico)

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Texas High Plains AVA

Texas High Plains AVA is located near Lubbock in northwest Texas. The area produces around 80% of Texas wine grapes due to favorable growing conditions.

• Climate
  Semi-arid, with large diurnal temperature swings.
• Elevation
  High Altitude (3,000–4,000 feet).
• Soil
  Sandy loam (tiera roja) over caliche (limestone base).
• Grapes
  Ideal for Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Viognier, and Albariño.

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Texas Hill Country AVA

Texas Hill Country AVA is located in Central Texas, west of Austin and north of San Antonio. It is one of the largest AVAs in the U.S. and a major tourism destination with over 100 wineries with tasting rooms.

• Climate
  Warm with some elevation. More humid than the High Plains.
• Elevation
  1,000–2,500 feet.
• Soil
  Limestone-rich, rocky soils.
• Grapes
  Known for Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Tannat, Mourvèdre, and Viognier.

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Texoma AVA

Texoma AVA is located in North-central Texas along the Red River. This region has a smaller production with experimental and diverse plantings.

• Climate
  
• Soil
  
• Grapes
  

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Escondido Valley AVA

Escondido Valley AVA is located in West Texas near Fort Stockton.

• Climate
  Hot and dry.
• Soil
  
• Grapes
  Limited production, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and other heat-tolerant varieties.

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Mesilla Valley AVA

Mesilla Valley AVA (shared with New Mexico) is located in the far western Texas near El Paso.

• Climate
  Very hot and arid.
• Soil
  
• Grapes
  Smaller vineyards; growing some Rhône and Spanish varieties.

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US Wine Production 2023

California has the dominant role in U.S. wine production, producing more wine (680 millon gallons) than all other states combined.

State	Gallons	Hectares
1. California	680.0 million	240,000
2. Washington	41.0 million	24,000
3. New York	28.0 million	14,500
4. Oregon	12.0 million	13,000
5. Texas	2.1 million	3,200
6. Virginia	1.9 million	1,800
7. Pennsylvania	1.8 million	1,600
8. Michigan	1.5 million	1,400
9. Missouri	1.0 million	1,300

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US Grape Plantings

Grape	Hectares
Chardonnay	36,000
Cabernet Sauvignon	34,000
Pinot Noir	22,000
Merlot	19,000
Zinfandel	18,000
Syrah	9,000
Sauvignon Blanc	8,000
Pinot Gris	7,000
Petit Sirah	4,500
Riesling	4,000

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USA is New World