Todd Staples, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, released the following:
“Texas is one of the most popular destinations for wine enthusiasts because of
its signature natural beauty, growing culinary scene and more than 160
wineries. To help Texans and tourists document their wine journeys, The Texas
Department of Agriculture has created a new Texas winery Passport that allows
people to earn collectible gifts.
“The Texas wine country offers a unique travel opportunity,” Staples said. “Visitors can experience the state’s diverse regions, see the vineyards and wineries firsthand, and meet the
winemakers that take such pride in their craft. Every operation is a little
different
—from Tuscan-style tasting rooms to quaint outdoor patios overlooking scenic
vineyards
—but they all feature Texas hospitality.
“The Texas winery passports are available at all winery-tasting rooms. Each
winery has its own
‘code’ that consumers enter in the passport. After visiting four wineries and
obtaining their codes, participants can go to
www.gotexanwine.org and click on the ‘Passport Rewards’ logo. There, they enter the code to receive free, commemorative rewards such as
wine journals.
“The passport serves as a record of the wineries visited and includes room for
tasting notes. Since the passport was introduced at this year
’s State Fair of Texas more than 300 tourists have redeemed their passports and
received rewards.
“Each year, nearly 1 million tourists visit wineries across the state. Texas has
six wine trails: the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail in Central Texas, the
Fredericksburg Wine Road 290 in Central Texas, Way Out Wineries in North
Central Texas, Grapevine Wine Trail in Grapevine/North Texas, Munson Wine Trail
in North Texas and the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail in Southeast Texas. In
addition, many wineries host festivals, vintner dinners, weekend entertainment
and seasonal promotions such as holiday events and wine-and-wild-
flower trips. For a list of upcoming wine events and for more information, visit
www.gotexanwine.org.
“Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the United States. The Texas
wine industry contributes nearly $1.35 billion to the Texas economy.
”
For a peek at just the Texas Hill Country American Viticultural Area (AVA),
which is the second largest in America, visit
www.texaswinetrail.com.
A nice two-day wine tour might include a day in the Marble Falls area visiting
Alamosa Cellars, Fall Creek Vineyards, Flat Creek Estate and Spicewood
Vineyards and starting the next day in Fredericksburg/ Stonewall visiting
Becker Vineyards, Torre di Pietra and Driftwood Vineyards. And, end the
day near Austin for a late tasting at Mandola Estate Winery and dine next door
at Trattoria Lisina would make More News About Texas Wines:
Susan and Ed Auler, pioneers of the modern Texas wine industry and proprietors
of Fall Creek Vineyards, Twin Springs, Perfect 10 and Ed
’s Smooth Red, have produced a Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon titled “Mission de San Antonio de Valero.”
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Mission line will be donated to
the Alamo to assist in the preservation of the iconic Alamo Shrine, is the most
visited destination in Texas, and is governed by the Daughters of the Texas
Republic, a nonprofit entity. The wines are available at H-E-B stores across
Texas. Visit Fall Creek Vineyards online at
www.fcv.com.
Denman Moody is the former publisher of Moody’s Wine Review, which the Washington Post said was “...certainly the best publication in this country for tracking the state of rare
and exotic wines.
” He was also the contributing editor on rare wines for the International Wine
Review in New York from 1984-1990. He is currently a freelance wine writer and
wine consultant.
