Winemaking

Texas winemaking demands flexibility in the face of the state’s dramatic viticultural extremes. With vineyard conditions varying wildly between cold seasons and heat spikes, abundant rainfall to harsh drought, and disease threats lurking, winemakers must remain nimble. But through years of unpredictability and hardship, their dedication prevails. Rather than resign, Texas winegrowers insist on wines that speak of the land no matter the vintage’s challenges. They continue to innovate and adapt their approach to translate each vineyard’s unique story. This agile spirit and commitment to terroir is what defines the winemakers of the Lone Star State. Together, they author a narrative as dynamic as Texas itself in every bottle they craft.

Dedication in the winery means many things in Texas, since innovation and responsibility can be expressed in many ways. Here are just a few ways that Texas producers choose to let their fruit shine:

• Optical Sorter: An optical sorter uses cutting-edge optical recognition technology to meticulously sort through vast quantities of grapes. As each grape flows through, the sorter’s digital eyes evaluate its quality based on predetermined criteria such as color, size, and shape. With a swift gust of air, it separates the prime grapes from the less desirable, ensuring that only the choicest candidates contribute to the ensuing vinification process, thereby elevating the wine’s caliber to a superior echelon.
  
• Concrete Egg: A concrete egg, utilized in contemporary winemaking, embodies a harmonious blend of traditional and modern methodologies. Its porous matrix allows for subtle micro-oxygenation, enhancing the complexity and texture of the wine. The distinctive ovoid geometry facilitates a natural convective movement within, ensuring a gentle yet continuous mixing of the contents. This vessel not only houses the fermenting wine, but significantly contributes to the refinement and maturation of its character.
  
• Oak Barrels: In winemaking, oak barrels are instrumental for both fermentation and aging processes, serving as a nexus where wine interacts with wood to garner sophistication. New barrels impart robust flavors and tannins, enhancing the wine’s structure and adding aromatic complexity. Conversely, neutral barrels, seasoned by prior use, offer a subtler influence, fostering a controlled environment for the wine to mature, while its interaction with residual compounds in the wood gently refines the wine’s character, promoting an elegant evolution of its flavor and aromatic profile.
  
• Blending: A variety of blending choices present themselves in the winery, including blending from several vineyard sites and with various varieties. Due to the unpredictable nature of Texas’ weather, blending choices can improve consistency, aid in structural component including color, and take part in defining a winemaker’s style. While some wine varietal blends are traditional – such as the classic “Bordeaux-style” wine – many of Texas’ blends take shape in ways that are unique to the world of wine.
  
• Gravity Flow: Some winemakers in Texas have embraced minimal intervention techniques that use the most natural methods possible to make wine. Gravity flow in winemaking is a methodical approach, employing gravitational force to facilitate the movement of grapes and must through various production stages, thus minimizing mechanical interference. This process fosters a gentle handling of the material, reducing the risk of over-extraction and preserving the nuanced characteristics of the grapes. By obviating the need for pumps and conveyors, gravity flow also reflects an environmentally considerate practice, aligning modern winemaking with sustainable principles.