Texas is a big state. Covering over 268,500 square miles, it’s even bigger than the country of France. Texans are known for big smiles, big hearts — and now, big wines. Our diverse geography includes coastal beaches, lush forests, rolling hills, mountain peaks, and desert plains. And that range of geography means varied climates and soils, which impact the characteristics of wine grapes and the finished wines.
Wine lovers are becoming more curious about the wines they drink, and where a wine comes from is an important detail. The same grape grown in different regions can have vastly different characteristics. Learning exactly where the grapes come from helps you identify areas you like and confidently choose new wines.
Every winemaking country has its own laws regarding wine production. These rules can get complicated, so let’s focus on wines made in America and how to know where your wine was grown.
An American Viticultural Area defines a region where wine grapes are grown. Also known as an AVA, each designated area has a different geography or climate that distinguishes it from the surrounding area. These specific features affect the characteristics of grapes grown there. The federal government must approve the formal application for an AVA, and the agreed boundary defines the region with unique characteristics such as temperatures, rainfall, geology, soil composition, elevation, and physical features that differ from other parts of the state.
It’s common for an AVA to be named after a geological feature of the area, such as a mountain, river or aquifer. The aim is to distinguish specific wine-growing regions to help growers, wineries, and wine enthusiasts better understand where their favorite wines originate.
As an example, the well-known Napa Valley in California is an AVA. The valley spans five miles wide and about thirty miles long, with another sixteen separate AVAs inside this region that differ from the overall Napa Valley designation. Currently, 269 AVAs span 34 states across our country.
But why is the AVA important?
A wine’s label will state the origin, which indicates where the grapes are grown. Being familiar with the AVAs in our state gives you a better idea of where your bottle of Texas wine actually comes from. The AVA tells us where the grapes were grown, regardless of where the winery or tasting room is situated. The grapes used to make a wine can come from anywhere — another town, region, state, or even a different country.
There are currently eight Texas AVAs, and these regions cover only a portion of the state, so some vineyards are outside a defined AVA. If at least 75% of the grapes in a wine are grown in Texas, the wine can be labeled as Texas.
The specific AVA can be noted on the label if at least 85% of the grapes were grown in the defined area. You may also see the specific vineyard name on a label, which can help you zero in on particular growers you enjoy.
Existing AVAs
These are the eight American Viticultural Areas in Texas: Texas Hill Country, Texas High Plains, Texoma, Mesilla Valley, Davis Mountains, Escondido Valley, Bell Mountain, and Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country.
Indicating the AVA and even the vineyard are ways for a winery to enhance your drinking experience by giving you a sense of place when you open a bottle of wine. Most of our state’s grapes are grown in the Texas High Plains AVA, near Lubbock in the Panhandle. We have about 9,500 acres of grape vines in the state, and nearly 85% are in the High Plains.
By contrast, the most significant number of winery tasting rooms are situated in the Texas Hill Country AVA, surrounding Fredericksburg, in the center of the state. So when you visit a winery in the hill country, don’t assume the grapes that make up the wines are grown on that property. Look at the label or ask your server so you can better understand the origins of the wines you enjoy.
The Texas Hill Country AVA was approved in 1991, with rolling hills, limestone outcroppings, and well-drained soils characterizing the area. Our state boasts over 500 wineries, with nearly 200 of these situated in the Texas Hill Country. The hills slope from 980 to nearly 2,500 feet, though most vineyards sit on flat land with subtropical weather conditions, high heat during much of the year, and a dry growing season. The sprawling region stretches from the northern portion of San Antonio up to San Saba and spans 150 miles west of Austin and the IH-35 corridor to Rocksprings.
With approximately 9 million acres, this is the southernmost and third-largest AVA in the United States. About 1,200 acres grow grape vines. To put it in perspective, California’s Napa Valley is arguably the best-known AVA in the U.S. and covers only 225,000 acres, with over 400 wineries and 46,000 acres planted in grapes.
In 1986, Bell Mountain AVA was established, covering 15 square miles in Gillespie County. It is located just north of Fredericksburg, situated within the Texas Hill Country AVA, which was created surrounding the existing Bell Mountain region. It was the first AVA established entirely inside the borders of Texas, and the key feature is the peak of Bell Mountain, which sits at 1,956 feet. The area is prone to frost during the spring and can delay the natural flowering of the vines.
Just two years later, in 1988, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country was established with about 110 square miles. This region is also within the Texas Hill Country AVA. The soils are typically clay with spots of limestone.
The Texas High Plains AVA encompasses about 8 million acres in the southwestern Panhandle, where the largest city in the region is Lubbock. The area is about five hours from the Hill Country, with an elevation between 3,000 and 4,000 feet and sandy soils that drain easily. Long, hot summer days allow grapes to mature to ideal ripeness, and the cooler nights allow the vines to rest and set the needed acidity in the grapes. The region is dry, and irrigation is common for vineyards. These conditions are all favorable for grape growing, which began in the area in the mid-1970s.
North to the Texas-Oklahoma state line sits the Texoma AVA, encompassing over 3,600 square miles. The region was established in 2005 with elevations of 425 to 1,300 feet, a wide variety of soils, and a subtropical climate with humid summers and temperate winters. The quaint historic city of Grapevine sits just south of the AVA and close to the DFW airport. While there are no vineyards in the town, there is a growing number of winery tasting rooms downtown, making it a popular day trip for wine lovers near the Dallas metroplex.
West Texas boasts three small defined wine regions with the Mesilla Valley AVA at the tip of the Texas border, west of El Paso. Established in 1985, this was the first AVA in Texas, stretching into New Mexico, covering 438 square miles on each side of the Rio Grande River. At an elevation of 4,300 feet, where the climate is hot and dry, about 40 acres grow grape vines.
The Escondido Valley AVA sits just north of Big Bend National Park. The region was designated in 1992 and boasted about 250 acres of vineyards within its fifty square miles. While there are few vines in the region today, the area is distinct, with limestone bedrock and calcium-rich soils. The climate is desert-like, hot, dry, with elevations of 2,600 to 3,000 feet.
Near the artist town of Marfa, not far from Big Bend, Texas Davis Mountains AVA is surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert and spans 270,000 acres. With elevations ranging from 4,500 to 8,300 feet, the days are hot, and evenings cool down by 30 degrees or more. Soils are granite and volcanic ash. Established in 1998, the AVA has few vineyards but is gaining popularity with recent new plantings. Several winemakers are seeking out grapes from the region.
Potential new AVAs
We have sprawling areas within the Lone Star State that an AVA does not yet define. While some existing AVAs are so large, they could be better identified with smaller designations. Applications are in the works for new AVAs. Because of the vast expanse of the Texas Hill Country and Texas High Plains AVAs, with the many differences in microclimates, soil, water availability, and elevation within each area, there is room for further definition within each region. And some areas near Houston or far North Texas have enough acreage planted to vines to justify defining a new AVA.
A Llano Uplift AVA is being proposed to encompass the majority of Llano and Mason Counties, along with small portions of Burnet, Blanco, Gillespie, McCulloch, and San Saba Counties. The area under consideration contains 294 acres of vineyards and 14 bonded wineries. This will still be a relatively large AVA with a proposed 1,341,486 total acres. The elevation of the proposed AVA ranges from 800 to 2,004 feet. Soils are mostly comprised of limestone and caliche-laced sandy loam. The “Uplift” part of the name refers to the reddish granite rock formations that rise above the surrounding landscape, creating notable landmarks like Enchanted Rock, with patches of relatively unique shattered granite soils below ground.
Another area with differing viticulture characteristics within the Texas Hill Country is Hickory Sands. Located in and around Mason County, it is west of Fredericksburg, at a slightly higher elevation. The area is already home to several well-respected vineyards and wineries near the steadily growing community of Mason. The position above the Hickory Aquafer and the decomposed granite and sandstone gravel soils make the area unique compared to the rest of the Texas Hill Country region. This area was originally included in the Llano Uplift petition, but the geologic differences may allow the area to be a separate Hickory Sands AVA.
The proposed Hidden Waters AVA is in the Chihuahuan Desert, east of El Paso, in the shadow of the tallest mountain in our state. Annual rainfall is low, but water drains into the valley, creating a sub-aquifer to feed vegetation. This unique feature of the region could allow for a designation of the area as an AVA.
While petitions are already underway for these three regions, additional new regions are being explored, with possible applications next year. Pedernales River Basin AVA would include much of the Pedernales River corridor along U.S. Highway 290. The area is mostly contained in Gillespie and Blanco counties, with more river-deposited silty soils with generally lower elevations than the rest of the Hill Country AVA, making it a consideration for a separate region. Cross Timbers AVA could be considered as the Brazos River basin in north-central Texas has striated soils different from the more northern Texoma region. Thick-skinned grapes can grow well here despite the challenges of humidity, fungus, and insects. While there are vineyards planted in east Texas, there is not yet a defined AVA for this part of our state. Along the Gulf of Mexico, there is potential for one or more defined regions. The growing conditions are tough, but wine grapes are being grown successfully, and perhaps this is reason enough to seek out AVA definitions. Gulf Coast AVA is a possibility, and further south towards South Padre Island, Rio Grande Valley AVA.
Application process
Applying for a new American Viticulture Area requires quite a bit of data-gathering — and determination. The regional distinction helps consumers to have more confidence in buying Texas wines. Helpfully, some wineries provide us with more details by noting the county in which the grapes are grown. For example, the Texas High Plains AVA has 24 counties. Significant vineyard plantings already exist in Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Gaines counties. Consider the regions of Texas that are not already in an established AVA but are growing wine grapes. Vineyards in these areas could be further identified by noting the county of origin.
New legislation offers wineries label designations that can better define grape origin and clearly denote 100% Texas wine. Any time the county name is used on a label, rest assured the grapes are all sourced from Texas vineyards. The growth and popularity of Texas wines have many consumers interested in learning more about the precise origin of their wine. With more defined AVAs in our state, it will be easier to determine if your wine was made from Texas grapes and to buy new wines with confidence.
Because most grapes grown in Texas come from the High Plains, you will see this on most bottle labels. Our wine industry is thriving, and you’ll see more and more AVAs indicated on bottles in the future. Looking for the specific place your wine comes from is a great way to identify with the place that makes that bottle unique. Creating new AVAs throughout the state makes sense — remember, Texas is bigger than France and we have the big wines to prove it.