The Texas Hill Country is now one of the top wine regions to visit in the country, and winery operations are now extending into our area. The Texas wine industry is exploding and will be ranked number two in the country in terms of its number of wineries. The latest figures show that the Texas wine industry contributes around 24 billion dollars annually to our state’s economy. The north Houston region is achieving a mass of outstanding wineries to become another recognized wine region. Our local area is home to:
· B. E. Winery on the north side of Conroe and a tasting room in historic downtown Conroe.
· Bernhardt Winery just off S. H. 105 about 15 miles west of Lake Conroe. Jerry Bernhardt established Bernhardt Winery in 2005 when Texas had only 50 wineries.
· Deep Roots Vineyards on S. H. 249 south of Plantersville.
· Golden Oak Micro Cellar in New Waverly.
· H – Wines on Liberty Street in charming Montgomery, Texas.
· The Ferm Meadery is on the south side of the courthouse square in historic downtown Conroe.
· Tosca Winery in New Waverly
· West Sandy Creek Winery on F. M. 1791 near Richards, Texas.
· Whitley Vineyards north and west of Montgomery on F. M. 1097. This Winery overlooks a beautiful vineyard sloping toward a small lake.
·Wild Stallion Vineyards in north Harris County on West Rayford Road.
These ten wineries are in what I call the “Houston Hill County.” These family-owned/operated wineries offer Texas-sized welcomes to winery visitors. They are typically open Thursdays through Sundays except Whitley Vineyards, which is closed on Saturdays. Most of these wineries host live music concerts on their winery grounds for the pleasure of their visitors. Wine tastings are always ongoing during regular winery hours. These ten wineries proudly serve wines made from Texas grapes with the Ferm Meadery using Texas honey. In addition, H – Wines offers French wines to compare French and Texas wines together.
The weather is not conducive to growing the classic Vitis vinifera grapes along the Gulf Coastal areas, so hybrid grape varietals like Blanc du Bois and Lenoir are grown in the rolling terrain of the “Houston Hill Country.” Our Texas humidity and warm night temperatures are the perfect match to produce these hybrid types of grapes. These grape vines bud out in late February and early March, with tiny white flowers popping out six weeks after bud break. The flowers are bunched tightly together and self-pollinate to form hard, green berries. The grapes form in May and have developed to the point where they can be harvested and made into wine by the last days of June and into the early part of July.
Bernhardt Winery, West Sandy Creek Winery, Whitley Vineyards, and Wild Stallion Vineyards welcome visitors during harvest. In fact, these family-owned vineyards need visitors to help them harvest grapes. Another wonderful aspect of these wineries is that they will let you into their fermentation rooms and provide visitors with access to the winemaking process.
Each of these ten wineries has its unique flair when dealing with the wines they make and serve. You should visit all ten winemakers to discover your favorite wines and events. Bernhardt Winery has the broadest range of winery events, including its winter indoor concerts, spring-summer-fall outdoor concerts, strawberry festival, Saturday Country Markets, Winter Solstice Celebration, and more.
Bernhardt Winery, B. E. Winery, West Sandy Creek Winery, Tosca Winery, and Wild Stallion Winery have also become wedding destinations. These five local wineries have large rooms for hosting indoor weddings or outdoor weddings. They also have commercial kitchens and more to host unique wedding or corporate events.
Bernhardt Winery and West Sandy Creek Winery have onsite bed and breakfast arrangements, with WSCW having cabins to accommodate up to 24 guests. These onsite accommodations provide opportunities to experience a winery first-hand and to spend the night safely after a long, hard day of tasting and exploring the grounds.
The best part of visiting these area wineries is bringing family and friends to share the entire wine-tasting experience. Vino is always meant to be shared and is even better when shared with your best friends! You can compare what you love in each wine. Determine what you look for in wines and experience the aspects of pairing wines and foods. Each of these ten wineries offers a wide range of tasting experiences from classic, dry, bold wines to the other end of the spectrum of sweet wines. Whatever your taste in wines, you can find it in these ten wines in the “Houston Hill Country.”
October is Texas Wine Month, and from October 1st to 31st, you can experience unique Texas Wineries with a complimentary tasting. When you travel through the local wineries listed, ask what they are offering!