Texas High Plains and Hill Country Are Like Washington State’s East and West, But Different

Texas High Plains and Hill Country Are Like Washington State’s East and West, But Different

When it comes to grape growing and winemaking in Texas, the Texas High Plains and Texas Hill Country, that some still say is unsustainable, share a similar dynamic to eastern and western Washington State. This bifurcation is where one region grows the vast majority of the wine grapes while the other serves as the primary locale for tourism, tasting rooms, and wine.

Texas Grape Growing (Like Washington State’s Eastern Side)

Texas High Plains: This flat, high-elevation region in West Texas (around Lubbock) produces roughly 70% plus of all Texas wine grapes.

• The Climate: Similar to Eastern Washington’s arid desert climate, the High Plains features intense sunlight, hot days, and cool nighttime temperatures, which help grapes maintain acidity while fully ripening. After I visited the area around Yakima, I remember telling someone back in Texas when they asked me what it was like, I said it was a lot like the Texas High Plains, but with hills.
• The Production: Just as Eastern Washington is home to famous AVAs like the Columbia Valley, Walla Walla and more where most of the state’s vinifera grapes are grown, the Texas High Plains is the agricultural backbone for the Lone Star State, supplying grapes to winemakers all across Texas.

Texas Hill Country: Located in Central Texas near Austin and San Antonio with its epicenter in Fredericksburg, it has rapidly become a tourist wine and food draw. This picturesque region is characterized by rolling hills, limestone soils and outcroppings, and literally more than a hundred wineries in the hill country and immediate surroundings.

The Dynamic: Much like Western Washington (near Seattle/Puget Sound), the Texas Hill Country is where wine consumers go to taste and buy wine despite very few large-scale vineyards being right in the immediate vicinity. The Hill Country is the premier destination for wine tourism, but with grape growing increasing, especially now that heat-loving Mediterranean and Iberian grape varieties have gained popularity.

The Catch: As noted by many Texas wine tourists, while the Hill Country has plenty of tasting rooms, many local winemakers actually transport in a large portion of their grapes from the distant High Plains. The Hill Country has a greater challenge from higher humidity bringing disease pressure, and higher temperatures, particularly the nighttime temperatures that reduces wine acidity, unless the right type of grapes are grown.

But, For Texas’ The North-South Divide Seems to be Working Handedly

The issue of distance between the grape growing up north (in the High Plains) and the winery concentration farther south (in the Hill Country) used to be a problem. Years ago, the grapes were harvested with little thought of their degradation during the 5 to 6 hour transit time via truck. Now days, great efforts are taken to preserve the grapes after harvest in transit. Harvests now are scheduled in the cool of the night, harvest bins and grapes are cooled with dry ice, and transport occurs via refrigerated trucks. Some winemakers also add sulfites and protective yeasts to the bins of grapes to minimize unwanted fermentation and spoilage in transit.

All of the above measures are now pretty much the standard operating procedure in Texas. In some cases, wineries in other parts of the state process grapes locally in the High Plains at custom crush facilities then transport refrigerated grape must to their wineries. And, you know what? These steps have greatly improved the quality of Texas wines. In increasing numbers, many of these wines anre being awarded high medals (platinum, gold, double gold and best in class) in major international wine competitions. Texas is now making world class wines as noted both by wine judges and consumers.

Here’s Some of the Differences: Comparison of Leading Grape Varieties for Texas and Washington State

   Washington State and Texas Counterparts… The Reds

Washington State excels with structured, Bordeaux-style reds with bright acidity – Their signature reds are Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. Its rising star red is Syrah that produces bold, savory, minerally and sometimes so-called “funky” expressions.

Texas High Plains & Hill Country, on the contrary, focuses its signature reds based on Tempranillo & Mourvèdre and blends like GSM and even TSM (T for Tempranillo or Tannat). Texas thrives with these thick-skinned Spanish and Rhône varieties that love intense sun and heat. In Texas, however, you will also find their heavy, deeply colored reds featuring the southern Italian grape Aglianico punctuated with tannins, color and body.

   Washington State and Texas Counterparts… The Whites

Washington has Riesling & Chardonnay as their signature whites. The cold Washington winters and warm days and cool nights during the growing season yield crisp, aromatic, and mineral-forward whites.

As a counterpoint, Texas shines with full-bodied, lush, and floral Rhône whites like Viognier, Picpoul and Roussanne that retain acidity despite hot summer days and for a while now noted for its Vermentino. A Texas’s ace-in-the-hole as white wines are concerned, goes to its notable hybrid grape with excellent vinifera wine character, Blanc Du Bois. Blanc Du Bois can be grown where heat and humidity prevent plantings of vinifera grapes. Blanc Du Bois grape has become Texas’ most planted white wine grape. Finally, without a wide range of white wine grapes, Texas has been leaning on their “Inner-Provençal” making a range of Rosés from their Spanish, Rhone and Italian red grapes.

Here are Some Texas and Washington State Winners

• Texas White – Portree Cellars Picpoul Blanc (2024)
• Texas Red – Ab Astris Winery Souzao (2022)
• Washington White – Bayernmoor Cellars Chardonnay (2024)
• Washington Red – Maryhill Winery Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills   (2023)

One thing that both Texas and Washington State have in common, however, is that both regions are hard to characterize and making generalizations can be difficult. While Washington does have its cool weather Cabs, Merlots, Chardonnays and Rieslings, you can also find wonderful Touriga Nacional and white Rhone blends. Texas, known for its Tempranillo, Aglianico and Roussanne, has from time to time come up with award winning Chardonnay and Cabernet in major international wine competitions.  Go figure.

The bottom line is that Texas and Washington State have some similarities as highlighted here, but they are also different. Nuff said!

Russ Kane, Ph.D.

VintageTexas & Beyond