There is a new fold in Kerr County winery development pushing the throttle of excellence. Once, only known as Turtle Creek Olives and Vines in downtown Kerrville, Proprietors Dan and Sue Schulse have now unleashed a new working winery built around 17 acres of pristine terraced vineyards.
The Winery Estate
Turtle Creek Vineyards, located on the edge of Kerrville, has been a work in progress since the purchase in 2015. The family vision now includes a 10,000-square-foot winery and vineyard production operation set for 2026.
Once arriving at the winery estate – or a Tenuta, the Italian name for an area offering more than just wine – you will encounter an Italian Villa, farm animals, fresh-grown produce and fruit trees intertwined with a new production operation.
The gentle flow of Turtle Creek which runs adjacent to the Villa gives the rippling sound and beauty enchanting tasting room visitors. Expect lavish vineyard wine dinners hosted by family members, musical guests, and even a venue for onsite weddings. That, coupled with an on-site chef, yields an exceptional experience at every turn.
The vineyards came about on a whim when Dan asked his wife, Sue, if he could plant a few vines. She thought it would be three or four. Instead, what ensued was 400 vines shipped in from a California nursery, creating a small and experimental vineyard using common Texas red varietals. This developed into an estate vineyard expansion using the expertise of Bill Blackmon, the iconic 35-year veteran vineyard specialist behind William Chris Vineyards and Blackmon Ranch Vineyard.
“Dan Schulse is a true Texan,” said Bill Blackmon, half of the William Chris empire. “Three generations deep within Houston, coupled with Texas A&M education mark his culture. He is professional and driven around great ethical business practices. Texas needs more vineyards to sustain all the new winery growth and Dan shares that vision versus buying grapes on contract from the High Plains."
Helping the family on the vineyard estate is Kyle Allen, an up-and-coming prodigy within vineyard development and wine making. He is adding new vineyards along the benchland to create a two-tiered arena.
“Turtle Creek Vineyards has finally transcended into the next phase of excellence,” Allen stated, winemaker of Turtle Creek. “We cherish the vineyards we farm and respect sustainable farming practices. It takes endless decisions to fully understand the land and wine making within, but my long tenure and new production resource have me positioned to raise the bar to a higher pedigree.”
Downtown Kerrville Tasting Room
The Turtle Creek Olives & Vines tasting room is located at downtown Kerrville, 211 Earl Garrett Street. Opened in July 2019, the tasting room is a wine bar orchestrated by Sue’s son, Carl Schulse.
The exquisitely appointed tasting room is in a two-story historic “Masonic” building founded by Corrine and Charles Schreiner in 1890. The outside framework showcases locally quarried limestone and is designed using late Italianate-style architecture. Inside is a warm and inviting parlor with sit-down service around a relaxed, elegant persona.
“Our goal in the tasting room is to make you feel like family,” claims Carl. “We focus on Texas wines from the Turtle Creek estate but also offer an international array of wines along with tapas and locally sourced, artisan products. It is an elevated experience that caters to foodies and all levels of wine connoisseurs.”
Both Turtle Creek downtown and the vineyard offer food and wine educational programs married with live music at the vineyards. They cleverly choose a theme each month and use key wine speakers and musical guests to enhance the experience.
It can be said that the ten-year progression of Turtle Creek is now reaching its quintessential plateau. That mark of development is defined by positive and negative experiences of growth. In the case of the Schulse family, their hard work and honest Texas integrity have prevailed within a two-generation family spear. It is a lovely story unfolding the future in Kerrville.
Details about Turtle Creek can be found at turtlecreekolivesandvines.com or turtlecreekvineyard.com, which also includes a list of musical guests.
Turtle Creek Olives and Vines – Downtown
211 Earl Garrett Street, Kerrville, TX. 830-896-0010
HOURS:
Tuesday - 12-8 p.m.
Wednesday - 12-8 p.m.
Thursday - 12-8 p.m
Friday - 12-8 p.m.
Saturday - 12-8 p.m.
Sunday - Closed
Monday - Closed
Turtle Creek Vineyard
183 Fall Creek Rd., Kerrville, TX. 830-777-9501
HOURS:
Monday - 12-6 p.m.
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - 12-6 p.m.
Friday 12-6 p.m.
Saturday - 12-6 p.m.
Sunday 12-6 p.m.