Will Texas Wine Ever Be Able to Make a Name For Itself?

May 11, 2017

(GQ) - When you think about American wine, California probably comes to mind first. Then maybe Oregon, Washington, even the New York Finger Lakes region. It’s safe to say you’re probably not thinking about Texas.

A group of Texas winemakers and legislators is trying to change this, in hopes of putting Texas-made wine on the map. Their first step has been to ensure that bottles of Texas wine are made entirely with Texas grapes. While this seems like a no-brainer, House Bill 1514 is pretty controversial, according to a recent cover story in the Austin Chronicle. The bill is currently languishing, pending in committee.

As the law stands now, the state of Texas only requires bottles labeled as “Texas wine” to contain 75% Texas-grown grapes. That other 25%? Up to you, but many winemakers supplement with California grapes. Which causes some confusion and criticism among wine buyers, critics, and sommeliers: how can you know what Texas wine tastes like if it’s not made from 100% Texas grapes? If the Lone Star state wants its fermented grape juice to be taken seriously—if it wants to follow in the footsteps of Washington, Oregon, and New York State—this might be the final hurdle.


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