Dane Aziz didn’t set out to become a winemaker. In fact, when he first discovered Water 2 Wine, he wasn’t much of a wine drinker at all. What he did have was a longstanding interest in owning a small business and an appreciation for the service industry. Growing up in El Paso, Aziz watched his parents operate a restaurant (successfully!), and he later waited tables before joining the Air Force. His dream of opening a small business was always on his mind. But it took him almost 25 years to get there.
After four years in the military, he spent about two decades in the semiconductor industry. When he was laid off from his semiconductor job in 2018, the timing was right to bring that dream to fruition. He reconnected with the Water 2 Wine concept–a franchise that he had first encountered years earlier in New Braunfels–and discovered that the business was finally available. He spent a year and a half learning how to make wine while preparing to open in a quaint location in Buda.
The bright, open, and homey space, with comfortable colorful couches and plenty of natural light feels like a home away from home. “I want people to come in and feel at home,” he says, “and to be able to relax, enjoy themselves, and get treated like a guest in my own home — to be seen, heard, accepted. We are here to serve you.”
Water 2 Wine offers something for every palate, from sweet and fruit-forward wines to dry reds and whites, along with selections that range from low to high in tannins. Aziz particularly enjoys experimenting with unexpected flavors, including a recent personal favorite, a habanero-blend wine.
With over 40 varietals made onsite using globally sourced grapes, Water 2 Wine is a working winery. For Aziz, winemaking brings together his background in science and his longtime love of cooking. “Cooking is your own art form, and winemaking is also your own art form” he says. This creative and individualized approach is reflected in the variety of wines on the menu.
Having patiently developed his own tastes, Aziz also enjoys introducing people to wine who may arrive thinking they aren’t wine drinkers. Women make up about 80% of the winery’s clientele. But Aziz sees plenty of opportunity to change the perception that wine isn’t for everyone — or that it isn’t a particularly masculine choice. He and his team all have an educational spirit and are committed to listening to their guests to help them find what they truly like.
There’s another aspect of the wine that matters to him, too. Because Water 2 Wine makes its wines in small batches — meaning they aren’t made to age or sit on the shelf for years — he can limit the sulfites and histamines added during the process. That means no wine-induced headaches and no red-faced flushing. The winery also offers several nonalcoholic wines, providing options for guests who are pregnant or simply prefer not to drink alcohol.
While Aziz didn’t name the winery, he appreciates the Biblical reference to Jesus’ first miracle, in addition to the association of wine with sustenance, celebration and fellowship.
He carries that concept of fellowship into the community as well. Each November, Water 2 Wine hosts a giving tree benefiting Buda’s Brightside, a nonprofit that helps adults with disabilities. They also rent the space at no cost for Brightside’s annual Christmas party. And they’ve partnered with Austin Angels to help local foster children through donations and gift cards. “We’re an outward-focused business, and I love the community that surrounds us,” says Aziz.
In many ways, that’s what Water 2 Wine is all about: gathering, comfort, and savoring special moments.
https://buda.water2wine.com/
“I want people to come in and feel at home…to be seen, heard, accepted." Dane Aziz - Owner/Water 2 Wine Buda