It has been an exciting time at Lory and Michael Latimer’s place, located just outside of Riesel.

Three years of hard work have paid off for the Latimers with their first crop of grapes from a blossoming, 1.1-acre vineyard. About 1.4 tons came off the vines when they harvested earlier this month.

From now on they’ll be selling grapes to nearby Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery, operated by friends Inga-Lill and Ulf Westblom.

Vangie Martinez cuts grapes at the Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery on Highway 6.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

The Westbloms also grow grapes, but they need more than they can grow. A supply from new growers such as the Latimers is important to them.

It is becoming a common situation and people such as the Latimers are starting to catch on and get into growing to fill the demand.

Texas grapes to produce Texas wine are in short supply, even though people in the state wine industry and with state agriculture agencies say the Texas grape harvest is delivering a bumper crop this year.

Public interest and consumption in wine has increased greatly, leading to an explosion in the number of wine-makers in the state.

Five years ago, about 101 wineries were in the state. The latest count is 204, said Bobby Champion, state coordinator for wine marketing for the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Statewide production

Department figures show 2.96 million gallons of wine were bottled in Texas in 2009, compared to 2.21 million in 2007 and 2.1 million in 2005.

While the amount of wine bottled in the state grew 40 percent from 2005-09, the acreage planted in the state increased by just 14 percent. The 2,900 acres of grapes in 2007 rose to 3,300 acres last year.

Reported health benefits and more people wanting an alcoholic beverage during meals are among the factors driving the trend, said Tim Dodd, director of Texas Wine Markets Research Institute at Texas Tech University.

The good crop is a relief for the state’s wine industry, he said. Hail and freezes shriveled the harvest the previous two years.

“What this will do is allow more of Texas’ wines to be made from Texas grapes,” Dodd said.

To be a Texas wine, state regulations require 75 percent of the juice used to make the beverage must be from Texas-grown grapes.

That number had been temporarily reduced to 50 percent because of the problems with the state’s grape crops in recent years.

Imports to make Texas wine, largely raw juice to make wine, rather than the actual grapes, come from several areas of the country, including California, New Mexico and Washington.

The Texas Department of Agriculture is encouraging an increase in the state’s grape-growing capacity, including a 2-year-old grant program for vineyard managers to expand their operations and to help start new vineyards, Champion said.

Texas grows a variety of grapes, including Merlot, Chardonnay, Blanc du Bois, Norton and Black Spanish.

The type of grape that can be grown depends on climate and other factors, including the presence of Pierce’s Disease, which affects various grape varieties in some areas.

High-value crop

Ulf Westblom has been growing grapes since 1997. They are a high-value crop, bringing more than $1,000 a ton for the grapes, depending on the kind.

An acre can produce 2 to 5 tons, Westblom said.

Anyone considering to start their own vineyard should think it through carefully, industry veterans said. Startup costs are high and risks exists as with any crop.

Many vineyards endured weather problems the past two years. Several years can pass before profits are realized.

For the Latimers, though. it’s been a wonderful experience, Lory Latimer said. The couple first got the idea about two years ago while taking a wine class at Tehuacana Creek, which is near their 30-acre spread.

Westblom mentioned the shortage of grapes and the Latimers, whose two children had recently reached adulthood, became interested.

Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

They planted one-half acre the first year and another one-half acre the second, Lory Latimer said.

They were told it costs about $12,000 an acre to get started and their experience is consistent with that figure, Latimer said.

Drip irrigation has to be installed, plants have to be bought and planted, and trellises need to be built to hold the vines as they mature.

The vines should grow for two to three years before taking a crop to assure the vines put all their energy into developing a strong root system, she said.

Chemicals such as pesticides add to the cost, she said. It will be years before the Latimers, who have other jobs, recoup the cost but it has been worth the effort, she said.

Having fun

“We’re now living the fruits of our labor,” Latimer said. “When you really have that first harvest down it turns into a business. It was fun.”

Another McLennan County newcomer to the wine industry is Jeff Beavers, who started growing grapes in Waco in 2008.

He is now working on starting a winery to produce wine from his grapes. He is a computer programmer, but he is passionate about his sideline.

“I just really like wine and I wondered if I could make my own,” he said. “ I really enjoy it. It’s a challenge.”

bteeter@wacotrib.com

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