(Lubbockonline) - Cotton is king on the South Plains, but the Texas wine industry is becoming a more desirable alternative as the business continues to grow and succeed in harsh climate conditions.

“I think producers looking for alternatives to use the limited, declining water in ways that generate the most revenue is what’s driving a lot of this,” said Darren Hudson, director for international center for agricultural competitiveness at Texas Tech. “If you’re a big cotton or corn farmer, you still have water but it’s not nearly as good as it used to be.”

While the majority of crops grown in the area need a lot of water or else the crop will suffer, grapes don’t need as much and some varieties even fare better in the heat.