August 14, 2009
Chrissy Mazzone
KXAN
KXAN (AUSTIN) - The drought has been tough on more than our lakes and backyards. Texas wineries have seen their grape crops dying; and that means it could be a tough year ahead. Wineries are hoping to see a boost in business this weekend during the annual Texas Harvest Wine Trails.
Out at Driftwood Vineyards, owner Gary Elliott has been working to get his grape harvester up and running. But it won't be cutting down the kind of harvest he's used. "We started out the year with an estimated 60 tons of fruit and on April 7th the temperature dropped down to 27 degrees and that pretty much wiped out all the fruit," said Elliott.
Photo: Grapes lay withered on the vines or fall off altogether after freezing temps wipe out tons of fruit.
In the end he'll be able to harvest about one ton. "Maybe 20 vines on the very top of the winery and just happened to be sitting a foot or two above the freeze level," said Elliott. No doubt that will be a special bottle of wine. "It will have to be very special since there will be very little of it," said Elliott.
Gary still needs wine to keep Driftwood Vineyards in business so he'll have to buy grapes from New Mexico or California. At the same time, he has to focus on next years’ crop.
"We still have to keep the vines alive, keep them watered, although they don't take any where as much water when they don't have fruit," said Elliott.
Thanks to the hard times this year, Gary along with other winery owners, hope you'll come out this weekend and next for the Harvest Wine Trails. It's an event where you can check out 24 Hill Country wineries and sample their creations.
"If you don't know about them or you tried them 10 years ago and you have an idea in your head about quality, we invite you to try them again," said Katy Jane Bothum, the Executive Director of the Texas Hill Country Wineries. "We're winning international and national awards."
With a bum crop this year the wine sales that will keep wineries like Driftwood in business.
"If sales drop off then we're really hurting," said Elliott.
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/money/business_news/Wineries_showcased_in_weekend_event