Texas High Plains AVA

The modern Texas High Plains wine industry grew directly from academic research. The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Lubbock documented grape cultivation trials between 1909 and 1937, and research resumed in the 1950s when Dr. W.W. Yocum, a horticulture professor at Texas Tech University, planted experimental vinifera plots on campus. A decade later, during campus construction, professors Bob Reed and Dr. Clinton 'Doc' McPherson, a chemistry professor, rescued surviving vines and replanted them in their Lubbock gardens. Encouraged by the results, they co-founded Llano Estacado Winery in 1976, the first post-Prohibition commercial winery in Texas. Bobby Cox planted the first 15 acres of Pheasant Ridge's all-vinifera vineyard in 1978 and opened the winery in 1982, becoming one of Texas's earliest estate producers. In 1992, Doc McPherson compiled a 112-page petition documenting the region's distinct climate, soils, and viticultural history, leading to official AVA recognition on March 2, 1993. Doc's son, winemaker Kim McPherson, later converted a 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant in downtown Lubbock into McPherson Cellars, opening in fall 2008.

• Texas Agricultural Experiment Station records show grape cultivar trials between 1909 and 1937; Texas Tech University research plots followed in the 1950s under Dr. W.W. Yocum
• Llano Estacado Winery (1976), co-founded by Doc McPherson and Bob Reed, was the first post-Prohibition Texas winery; its 1984 Chardonnay won a Double Gold at the 1986 San Francisco International Wine Competition
• Pheasant Ridge Winery, founded by Bobby Cox (vineyard 1978, winery 1982), planted the largest all-vinifera vineyard in Texas at the time; Cox's 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon won a Gold Medal at the 1986 San Francisco Wine Competition
• Doc McPherson's Sagmor Vineyard was the site of the first Sangiovese planted in Texas; it still produces fruit for McPherson Cellars today and has been designated a historical site by the Texas Historical Commission

The Texas High Plains AVA occupies the Llano Estacado, a broad, flat tableland that forms part of the southern Great Plains. The region covers roughly 8 million acres across 24 counties, centering on Lubbock and extending west toward the New Mexico border and south toward the edge of the Ogallala Aquifer. Most vineyards sit on flat terrain at elevations between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, with the Caprock Escarpment, a steep drop marking the eastern boundary, separating the High Plains from lower terrain to the east. This high elevation moderates summer heat, producing warm days that ripen fruit and cool evenings that preserve acidity through significant diurnal temperature swings. Annual rainfall is low and irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer is essential for vine survival. Semi-arid conditions and steady westerly winds reduce humidity, limiting fungal disease pressure and making the region well suited to varieties that struggle with wet-season mold in other climates. The combination of elevation, continental climate, and free-draining soils gives the High Plains its resemblance to dry Mediterranean and Iberian wine regions.

• Elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet across most of the AVA; most vineyards located west and southwest of Lubbock in Terry, Hockley, Yoakum, and Gaines counties
• Sandy loam and clay loam soils with five major associations covering 75% of AVA acreage; the Amarillo-Acuff-Olton association alone covers over 1.7 million acres; soil pH increases with depth from approximately 7.3 to 8.1
• Semi-arid climate with low annual rainfall and low humidity; Ogallala Aquifer irrigation is essential; grapevines require roughly 25% of the water needed for cotton farming
• Spring frost and hail are the primary viticultural hazards; freeze risk increases along the New Mexico border and to the north, factors that helped define the AVA's western and northern boundaries

The Texas High Plains grows more than 75 grape varieties, with Spanish, Italian, and Rhone cultivars consistently outperforming classic Bordeaux grapes in the region's continental climate. Tempranillo has become a flagship red, producing structured wines with dark cherry, plum, and spice characters supported by natural acidity. Sangiovese, grown notably at Doc McPherson's original Sagmor Vineyard, yields bright, food-friendly reds. Viognier has earned recognition as the region's premier white variety, with winemaker Kim McPherson famously referring to it as the 'state white grape,' while Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Counoise, and Cinsault also thrive at high elevation. Chenin Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Picpoul, Albariño, and even Riesling and Gewurztraminer perform well in cooler pockets of the AVA. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay remain present but secondary. The region's Reddy Vineyards cultivates 38 varieties across more than 300 acres, making it one of the most diverse single vineyards in Texas, while Bingham Family Vineyards and Newsom Vineyards supply fruit to wineries statewide.

• Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Counoise, and Tannat are consistent performers; high elevation and diurnal variation mimic dry Mediterranean and Iberian growing conditions
• Viognier is considered the region's signature white variety; Roussanne, Marsanne, Chenin Blanc, Picpoul, and Albariño also produce notable results in cooler parts of the AVA
• Over 75 varieties currently planted; Reddy Vineyards grows 38 varieties on 300+ acres; Bingham Family Vineyards manages 245+ acres supplying fruit to Texas wineries across the state
• Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are grown but less prevalent; the region's identity is built on warm-climate Mediterranean and Spanish cultivars suited to its semi-arid, high-elevation terroir

Llano Estacado Winery, founded in 1976 by Doc McPherson and Bob Reed, is the largest and second-oldest winery in Texas, producing over 100,000 cases annually. The winery passed through decades of original stockholder ownership before being acquired by a new investor group led by wine industry veteran Bret Perrenoud, with winemaker Jason Centanni continuing in his role. McPherson Cellars, founded by Kim McPherson in 2008 inside a restored 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant in Lubbock's Depot District, produces focused small-lot wines from Rhone, Italian, and Spanish varieties, retailing between approximately $13 and $18. English Newsom Cellars, which traces its roots to Teysha Cellars (1988) and CapRock Winery (1992), was refounded as English Newsom Cellars in 2018 through a partnership between the English family and grape growers Steve and Cindy Newsom; the winery produces 10,000 to 12,000 cases annually from over 100 estate acres in Hockley County. Pheasant Ridge Winery, originally founded by Bobby Cox in 1982, returned to Cox family ownership in 2015 and continues as a 100% estate producer from original vines planted in 1978. Reddy Vineyards and Bingham Family Vineyards round out the region's significant grower-producer profile.

• Llano Estacado (1976): Largest premium winery in Texas; 100,000+ cases annually; 1984 Chardonnay earned Double Gold at 1986 San Francisco International Wine Competition; recently acquired by new investor group led by Bret Perrenoud
• McPherson Cellars (opened 2008): Kim McPherson focuses on Rhone, Italian, and Spanish varieties; estate Sagmor Vineyard holds the first Sangiovese planted in Texas; wines retail $13 to $18 and distribute to nearly a dozen states
• English Newsom Cellars (2018): Estate grown from 100+ acres in Hockley County with 21 varietals; 10,000 to 12,000 cases produced annually; facility located in Lubbock; traces lineage through CapRock and Teysha Cellars to 1988
• Pheasant Ridge Winery (1982): 100% estate production from original 1978 vines; Bobby Cox, who personally planted more than 400 acres of vinifera across the High Plains, regained ownership in 2015

The Texas High Plains AVA was officially designated March 2, 1993 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as the nation's 144th AVA. Federal TTB regulations require a minimum of 85% of grapes to originate from within the AVA for producers to use the designation on their label. Texas strengthened its labeling standards through legislation effective September 1, 2021, applying to wines made from grapes harvested on or after January 1, 2022. Under this 'Grape Compromise,' any wine bearing a Texas AVA, county, or vineyard designation on its label must be made from 100% Texas-grown grapes: for an AVA label, 85% must originate within that specific AVA with the remaining 15% sourced from elsewhere in Texas; for a county label, 75% must come from that county and the balance from within Texas; for a vineyard designation, 95% must come from the named vineyard with 5% from elsewhere in Texas. Wines labeled simply as 'Texas' may still follow the federal standard requiring only 75% Texas fruit. The AVA imposes no mandatory grape variety restrictions, oak aging requirements, or quality classification tiers, leaving stylistic decisions entirely to individual producers.

• AVA established March 2, 1993 (nation's 144th AVA, Texas' sixth); petition submitted by Doc McPherson based on distinct elevation, climate, soils, and wind patterns
• Federal minimum: 85% of grapes must come from within the Texas High Plains AVA to use the designation; remaining 15% may come from elsewhere in Texas under state law (100% Texas fruit total)
• Texas 'Grape Compromise' (effective September 1, 2021; applies to grapes harvested January 1, 2022 onward) requires 100% Texas grapes for any wine bearing an AVA, county, or vineyard designation
• No quality classification tiers, mandatory variety requirements, or minimum aging rules; the TTB designation is purely geographic, leaving winemaking style entirely producer-driven

Lubbock serves as the hub of Texas High Plains wine culture, home to Llano Estacado Winery, McPherson Cellars in the historic Depot District, English Newsom Cellars, and Burklee Hill Vineyards. Terry County, southwest of Lubbock, was officially declared the Grape Capital of Texas by the Texas Legislature in 2016 and is where a large share of the state's wine grapes are grown. Brownfield in Terry County and Plains in Yoakum County are key agricultural centers within the AVA. Unlike the Texas Hill Country's 100-plus tasting rooms strung along Highway 290, the High Plains experience is more intimate and agricultural in character, centered on working farms and family vineyards rather than resort-style tourism. Visitors are advised to confirm hours and appointments before arriving, as many estates have limited or seasonal tasting room schedules. Wine tourism infrastructure is growing, with English Newsom Cellars and McPherson Cellars now maintaining tasting room presences in both Lubbock and the Hill Country. Lubbock is accessible via I-27 and sits approximately two hours south of Amarillo and three hours north of Midland-Odessa.

• Terry County declared the official Grape Capital of Texas by the Texas Legislature in 2016; Brownfield is the county seat and epicenter of High Plains viticulture
• Lubbock tasting room cluster: McPherson Cellars (Depot District), English Newsom Cellars (Woodrow Rd), and Llano Estacado Winery (southeast Lubbock) are all within the city or its immediate outskirts
• Wine tourism is growing but remains more agricultural and intimate than Hill Country; visitors are encouraged to confirm hours in advance, as many estate tasting rooms have limited or appointment-based schedules
• Lubbock is accessible via I-27; approximately 2 hours south of Amarillo and 3 hours north of Midland-Odessa; Texas Tech University's enology and viticulture programs support industry research and education