The road between Johnson City and Fredericksburg is packed with wineries. It’s likely the aisles of your go-to grocery or liquor store also tout a Texas section. But it’s up for debate which wines get to boast a Texas label. Winemakers are taking the issue to the Texas legislature.
House Bill 1514 aims to change the requirements from 75% Texas-grown wine grapes in a bottle to 100% Texas grown grapes in order for it to be labeled a Texas wine.
William Chris Vineyards owner, Chris Brundrett, one of the Texas winemakers behind the push, says that the effort will help wineries support local growers and also help them compete in a market seeking authenticity.
“When I go to a restaurant and try to sell my wine, the first question I get is, ‘How do I know this is real,'” Brundrett says.
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– How common is it for wines with a Texas label to contain grapes grown out of state
– Who is leading efforts to counter HB 1415
– How big the wine grape industry is in Texas
Written by Emma Whalen.
