Texas Toasts October as Wine Month, Showcasing Growing Prestige of Vineyards

Texas is celebrating October as Texas Wine Month. Winemakers and vineyard owners are praising one of the best grape harvests in recent years and the growing popularity of the state's wine business.

According to reports from vineyards, this year's harvest produced "outstanding quality" fruit. This means that both the state's winemaking and its image among U.S. wine regions are continuing to improve. With eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) already recognized by the federal government and plans to create six more, Texas is quickly becoming a national leader in wine production.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau oversees Texas' AVAs, which are official government-designated grape-growing places. AVAs are like the appellation system in France, Italy, and Spain; they show off the unique soils, weather, and terrains that make a wine what it is.

In 1986, Bell Mountain, near Fredericksburg, became the state's first AVA. The Texas Hill Country AVA is one of the three biggest in the country. It covers well over nine million acres and is home to many wineries that make a wide range of wines, from Bordeaux blends to Italian varieties. The Texas High Plains AVA, which is west of Lubbock, grows more than 80% of the state's wine grapes. The cool nights and high mountains make it perfect for grapes to ripen.

Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, Texoma in the Texas Davis Mountains, Escondido Valley, and Mesilla Valley are some of the other AVAs. Each has its own temperature and soils that are best for growing different types of grapes.

Three of the new AVAs—Llano Uplift, Hickory Sands, and Hidden Waters—should be ready for government approval within the next few months. Planning is already underway for three more: the Pedernales River Basin, the Brazos River, and the Rio Grande. If accepted, they will make the state's wine even more well-known.

The Rio Grande AVA is famous for growing the hybrid grape Blanc du Bois. Blanc du Bois is a refreshing white wine type that is picked early in the summer and bottled by August. It is known as a "Texas Summer Sipper."

As the number of wineries in the state grows, event organizers and communities across the state are celebrating Texas Wine Month with tastings, tours, and festivals through October.