From Tuscany to Provence in Texas Hill Country

by Eleanor & Ray Heald
June 12, 2009

U.S. Highway 290, 80 miles from Austin and a short distance out of the town of Fredericksburg, has morphed into Winery Road in the Texas Hill Country AVA, the largest viticultural area in the state and the second largest in the U.S. Its location, over 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, protects the region’s grape vines from undesirable hot, humid coastal winds. Undulating landscape provides not only beauty, but 600 vineyard acres shared by approximately 50 wineries.

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True to Texan tradition, this AVA is the second largest certified Viticultural Area in America. With well over 9 million acres in the heart of Texas, it is no wonder that other more specific AVA’s, such as Bell Mountain and Fredericksburg, have been identified as unique microclimates within this blanket AVA. The wines of this massive region, north of San Antonio and west of Austin, range from Bordeaux blends to Italian varietals, as well as cool climate grapes such as Riesling. This is a quality wine producing region and the wines have won numerous awards both at home and internationally.

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