The Texas Excessive Plains AVA Is One of many Largest AVAs within the U.S.

Within the southern a part of the Texas Panhandle (that is the a part of the state that juts up like a smokestack), you will discover the Llano Estacado, a excessive mesa characterised by rolling plains so far as the attention can see. Right here, agriculture reigns king, and driving alongside the highways, you will see fields bursting with cotton, corn, and peanuts. Nonetheless, what most individuals won’t know is that the fields listed below are additionally stuffed with grapes, and you’ll find one of many largest wine grape-growing areas in Texas—and the U.S.—proper right here.

Referred to as the Excessive Plains American Viticultural Space, this space produces 80 p.c of all of the wine grapes grown in Texas, far outpacing its extra well-known sibling, the Texas Hill Nation. The Excessive Plains AVA is the second largest within the state (after the Hill Nation) and encompasses round 8 million acres.

Though the Panhandle appears comparatively flat, its elevation gently rises the additional west you journey, and ranges wherever between 2,800 to 4,000 toes above sea stage. This larger elevation, mixed with low to average ranges of rainfall, temperature, and dry climate, all come collectively to kind a fairly very best setting for rising wine grapes.

“The area enjoys cooler nights that assist grapes keep recent and balanced, even in our scorching local weather,” says Madison Regis White, a sommelier and the hospitality director at McPherson Cellars, a vineyard based mostly in Lubbock, Texas. “The low humidity is one other huge plus, because it helps forestall frequent vine points like illness, rot, and pests, and the sandy loam soil drains effectively, conserving the roots wholesome.”

Texas is, after all, recognized for its toasty summers—however these dry, scorching days truly encourage grapes to mature and ripen to very best sugar ranges, which helps set the wines’ acidity. Grapes that develop effectively right here can deal with hail, pesky spring frosts, and the ever-changing climate of the Excessive Plains (because the saying goes, should you do not just like the climate, simply wait 5 minutes). The Llano Estacado is definitely able to supporting a large range of grape varietals: over 75 sorts of wine grapes are grown right here, together with tempranillo, sangiovese, mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon, viognier, and pinot noir. 

Vignerons have grown grapes and fermented wine within the Excessive Plains for the reason that mid-Seventies, however the area did not formally get its AVA standing till 1993. Vineyards right here provide wine to wineries all through the state, however you’ll be able to pattern the Excessive Plains’ most interesting proper the place the grapes are grown.

Llano Estacado Vineyard, the state’s second oldest vineyard and the oldest vineyard within the Excessive Plains, was established in Lubbock in 1976 and steadily makes use of regionally grown grapes, together with in its “clay block” merlot—a gold medal winner on the 2024 Lone Star Worldwide Wine Competitors. Positioned about 10 minutes from downtown, the vineyard has a tasting room and a cute patio for out of doors sipping. There are additionally vineyard excursions accessible for these .

Within the coronary heart of Lubbock, you’ll find McPherson Cellars, which was based in honor of winemaker Kim McPherson’s father, Clinton “Doc” McPherson, a pioneer of the trendy Texas wind trade. Doc McPherson experimented with planting completely different sorts of grape varietals within the Excessive Plains through the ‘60s to see which labored finest within the scorching, dry area and helped set up the Excessive Plains AVA. McPherson Cellars primarily focuses on sangiovese, however you may also sip on whites and rosés right here as effectively.

The Excessive Plains additionally get loads of love from Hill Nation wineries—the Panhandle does, in any case, produce the overwhelming majority of the grapes grown within the state.

“I’m impressed by the Petit Verdot that we’ve acquired from Narra Vineyards and Newsom Vineyards, because the grape selection does effectively within the scorching rising local weather of Texas,” says Jennifer Cernosek, the overall supervisor of Bending Department Vineyard, situated in Consolation, Texas. “The layered taste complexity and wealthy notes of black cherry and darkish berries make the Petit Verdot arise effectively by itself as a single-variety wine, although Petit Verdot has classically been used for mixing.” 

And although this wine area might not be as effectively often known as the large gamers like Napa or Sonoma simply but, it is slowly amassing extra awards, accolades, and recognition yr after yr.

“The Texas Excessive Plains AVA is proving it may maintain its personal alongside high wine areas all over the world,” says Regis White. “Growers acquire expertise annually, winery acreages proceed to develop, and winemakers are honing their expertise and producing standout wines that preserve getting higher.”