Hill Country wine region spurs $20.35B industry statewide From the cover
The overview
Texas Hill Country wine region Wineries
190
87
183
The Hill Country has largely contributed to Texas becoming the fifth-largest wine producing state in the nation with a total economic impact of more than $20 billion, according to a 2022 report by WineAmerica, a national wine industry association. With 19 wine trails, the state has become a popular destination due to its unique hospitality offerings and diverse production of wines, wine experts said. Although the Hill Country climate produces unique challenges, local wineries and organizations said there is a movement toward more wineries growing their own grapes in the area. The Hill Country’s growth has resulted in more jobs and wages, and positively impacted local businesses around Lake Travis, Shultz said. Meanwhile, the opening of new wineries is continuing to draw more visitors. “We have people come in from other states [that] specifically come to Texas just to do the wine trails and do wineries,” Yates said.
16
71
190
29
Georgetown
29
Leander Cedar Park
71
10
87
Lakeway
130 TOLL
Bee Cave
290
Austin
377
290
Fredericksburg
83
Dripping Springs
183
San Marcos
16
10
377
281
55
35
10
410
173
87
90
90
San Antonio
N
SOURCE: TEXAS HILL COUNTRY WINERIES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The background
The approach
Wineries. The nonprofit trade association increased its membership from eight to more than 60 wineries since forming in 1999, Execu- tive Director January Wiese said. Over the last 10 years, the number of wineries has grown significantly across the state. “It is booming,” Texas Agriculture Commis- sioner Sid Miller said about the state’s wine industry in an interview with Community Impact . “It’s one of the fastest growing seg- ments of agriculture.”
Fall Creek Vineyards—one of the first wineries in the Hill Country—was founded by Susan and Ed Auler in 1975. By 1991, the Hill Country was recognized as an official grape-growing region known as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, after Ed Auler submitted a petition to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Susan Auler said. Spanning about 15,000 square miles, the Texas Hill Country is now the third largest AVA in the nation, according to Texas Hill Country
Visitors are often attracted to popular wine destinations in the Hill Country due to the region’s unique offerings from culture to nature to shopping, Wiese said. “Texas is really known for hospitality,” said Valerie Elkins, co-founder of the Texas Wine Auction Foundation. “It’s very different to come here than it is to go to maybe other wine regions.” Residents near Lake Travis have several options to enjoy wine close to home, with four local wineries in the Spicewood area.
Texas winery permits allow holders to: Active winery permits in Texas 1,000
Lake Travis wineries
5 Soul Wine Co. • 4514 Bob Wire Road, Spicewood • www.5soulwine.com Spicewood Vineyards • 1419 CR 409, Spicewood • www.spicewoodvineyards.com El Gaucho Winery • 21301 Kathy Lane, Spicewood • www.elgauchowinery.com Stone House Vineyard • 24350 Haynie Flat Road, Spicewood • www.stonehousevineyard.com
+186%
750
Make their own wine
500
Purchase wine from other wineries
250
Self-distribute wine to retailers
0
2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Sell and ship wine to consumers
Fiscal years
SOURCE: TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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