“This has been a relatively mild summer by Texas standards, which was really good for fruit quality,” Scheiner said. “There were some fungal disease issues early because of heavy spring and summer rains, but vineyards that were able to keep those in check have harvested excellent fruit.”
Weather, disease influence yields and quality
Unlike recent years, Texas vineyards avoided widespread catastrophic events like late spring freezes or major hailstorms, though localized hail and flooding still caused damage in some areas.
Rains created challenges across multiple regions, particularly with fungal diseases that threatened production and vine health in the Gulf Coast, Hill Country and North Texas vineyards. Hill Country growers also dealt with localized flooding. However, once conditions dried out heading into ripening, vineyards that maintained control of diseases produced high-quality grapes, Scheiner said.
“Blanc du bois, black Spanish and newer Pierce’s disease-resistant varieties like Camminare Noir performed well,” he said. “Yields were moderate, but the quality has been excellent.”
Vineyards in the Texas High Plains, which account for most of the state’s wine grape acreage, will continue harvesting into October. So far, Scheiner said reports from the region also indicate high-quality fruit.
Wine grape demand dips
Despite the high-quality crop, Scheiner said some vineyards continue struggling to find buyers. National wine sales have slowed in recent years, and that trend has impacted Texas wineries and growers.
“The largest wineries in Texas buy most of their fruit, but they don’t grow much of it themselves,” Scheiner said. “Meanwhile, the largest growers often don’t have wine labels. So, when demand slows, it creates challenges linking vineyards and wineries.”
Growth has slowed in the Texas wine industry, but it continues to add acreage and wineries, he said.
Texas added around 50 new wine permits annually over the last decade, but that number has slowed to around 20 this past year. Vineyard acreage surpassed 14,000 acres this year, compared to 11,000 in 2022.
“We’re still seeing growth, but it has definitely slowed compared to the last several years,” he said.
Growth in regions, new varieties
Texas remains one of the most diverse grape-growing states in the U.S., with vineyards stretching from the Gulf Coast to the High Plains and into North and East Texas. The Hill Country is still home to the highest number of wineries, led by Gillespie County with more than 100 active permits.
Most vineyard acreage growth continues to be concentrated in the High Plains, but Scheiner said North Texas has seen significant growth in vineyards and wineries.
Scheiner said adoption of newer Pierce’s disease-tolerant varieties has expanded opportunity in areas that receive more annual rainfall like North and East Texas. The new Pierce’s disease-resistant varieties are now planted in more than 20 Texas counties.
Scheiner said AgriLife Extension, along with industry partners, continues to research how these varieties perform under Texas conditions, including vineyard growth habits, fruit characteristics and winemaking potential.
“These are still relatively new, but we’re starting to see the first wines produced from them,” Scheiner said. “They represent a lot of potential for growers in areas where Pierce’s disease has been a limiting factor.”
Source : tamu.edu