Texas ranks 2nd most visited wine region in the US
TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – California is far and away the leading wine producing state in the U.S., but some other regions are coming on strong and turning into tourism hotspots, too.
That includes parts of Texas.
From small batch producers sprinkled among quaint hotels, to major manufacturers like Becker Vineyards.
The Texas Hill Country, just west of Austin, now boasts more than 100 different wineries for enthusiasts to enjoy.
After only a few decades of this serious grape growing, the Lone Star State has already launched into the second most visited wine region in the country, only behind Napa Valley.
"The industry's fairly young, compared to other wine growing regions in the country," said Patrick Connelly, general manager of Becker Vineyards.
And the wineries are a hot business, too.
"It tends to be a little hotter here, so our harvest season is a little bit earlier and finished a little earlier than most places," said Tyler Turbeville, general manager of Narrow Path Winery.
According to Vantage Market Research, the industry raked in more than $50 billion in domestic revenues last year.