Texas High Plains Ava is one of the largest Avas in the US

In the south of Texas Panhandle (that’s part of a touching state like Smokestack), you will find Llano Estacado, a high mesa characterized by a rolling square as far as the eye can be seen. Here, agriculture rules the king, and drives along the highway, you will see a farm that is broken with cotton, corn, and peanuts. However, what most people don’t know is that the field here is also full of wine, and you can find one of the largest wine areas in Texas-and right here.

Known as the American Viticultural Area High Plains, the area produces 80 percent of all wine grapes grown in Texas, far beyond his famous sister, Texas Hill Country. High Plains AVA is the second largest in the state (after a hill country) and covers about 8 million acres.

Although the panhandel looks rather flat, its height is slow to the west, and ranges from 2,800 to 4,000 feet above sea level. This higher height, combined with the level of rain, temperature, and low to moderate dry weather, all united to form an ideal environment for growing wine grapes.

“The region enjoys a cooler night that helps the wine stay fresh and balanced, even in our hot climate,” said Madison Regis White, a Sommelier and a hospital director at McPherson CellarsA Lubbock -based wine factory, Texas. “Low humidity is another bigger, as it helps prevent common wine issues such as diseases, decay, and pests, and sandy loams flow well, keeping healthy roots.”

Texas, of course, is known for its summer -but dry and hot days actually encourage grapes to mature and cook to ideal sugar levels, which helps to determine wine acidity. The wine that grows well here can handle ice rain, annoying spring frosts, and the weather is constantly changing on the plains (as the saying goes, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes). Llano Estacado can actually support the diversity of wine varieties: more than 75 types of wine wine are grown here, including Tembnillo, Sangiovese, Mourvèdrre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, and Pinot Noir.

Vignerons have planted wines and wines that have been ranked in the plateau since the mid-1970s, but the region has not officially obtained AVA status until 1993. The vineyards here provide wine to vineyards throughout the country, but you can try the best rights where the wine is planted.

Llano is a wineThe oldest state and the oldest wine in High Plains, established in Lubbock in 1976 and regularly use local grapes, including in the “clay block” of Merlot -gold medals at the 2024 Lone Star International Wine Competition. Located about 10 minutes from the city center, the wine has a cute and cute terrace to breathe the outside. There are also wine visits available to those interested.

In the middle of Lubbock, you can find McPherson Cellarsfounded in honor of Kim McPherson’s wine maker Clinton “Doc”, the modern Texas wind industry pioneer. Doc McPherson experimented by planting a wide variety of wine varieties in the 60th plains to see the best in the hot and dry region and to help establish AVA High Plains. McPherson Cellars mainly specializes in Sangiovese, but you can also breathe white and roses here as well.

The plateau also gained a lot of love from the Hill Country -The Panhandle plantation, after all, producing most of the grapes grown in the state.

“I was impressed with the Petit Verdot we received from the Narra vineyards and Newsom vineyards, as various wines worked well in the hot climate in Texas,” said Jennifer Cermosek, General Manager of the Winery Branch Branch, located in Comfort, Texas. “The complexity of layered flavors and black cherries and dark berries make Petit Verdot stand well as a single wine, though Petit Verdot has been used classically to combine.”

And while the wine region may not be known as a big player like Napa or Sonoma, it is slowly gathering more awards, appreciation, and year -end recognition.

“Texas High Plains Ava proves it can hold itself throughout the top wine around the world,” Regis White said. “Growers gain experience every year, the vineyard continues to grow, and wine makers hone their skills and produce prominent wines that continue to be better.”