There’s a misconception that Texas wine country is by definition The Hill Country. Sure, The Hill Country boasts more wineries and tasting rooms than any other Texas region. But award-winning wineries are all over the state — some in bucolic settings close to Dallas.
As for vineyards, the Texas High Plains in the Panhandle accounts for 90% of the grapes used by wineries throughout the state. Admirably, many North Texas wineries have planted vineyards and are making estate wines, as well as wines made with Texas High Plains fruit. We’ve highlighted four noteworthy wineries, below.
Want to explore dozens more? North Texas is home to more than 40 wineries within 100 miles of Dallas, including some up-and-coming wineries in the Texoma AVA — one of eight designated viticulture areas in Texas.
Although you can order many North Texas-made wines online, visiting the wineries immerses you in scenic wine country — an unexpected find so close to Dallas. Besides tastings, winery visits can include other experiences, from mountain biking at one, to tours, fishing, games, live music, and picnics at others.
Fall is an ideal time to visit local wineries, says Shari Richter, president of the North Texas Wine Association. From October 1-31, the association hosts one of several North Texas Wine Country events: the Fall Wine Trail. A $50 pass, valid all month, entitles you to tasting flights at more than 40 participating wineries. For tickets to the Fall Wine Trail — or the Drink North Texas wine and music festival on Nov. 5 — visit northtexaswine.com. On Saturday, Oct.15, the Windsong Wine and Music Festival (windsongwinefest.com), will feature select North Texas Wineries at Windsong Ranch near Prosper.
Besides festivals and other events, northtexaswine.com suggests day trips and itineraries to follow any time of year. Below are four award-winning wineries to include on your North Texas Wine Trail itinerary.
Hidden Hangar Vineyard and Winery, Denison
Nestled on a beautiful 277-acre property in Grayson County, this is the only North Texas winery that makes only estate-grown wine. Its 50-acre vineyard is the largest in the Texoma AVA. Once home to a barnstorming airport from 1928 through the 1950s, the property was planted with vineyards in the 1990s and currently grows cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, petite verdot, riesling, syrah, and malbec.
In 2017, after years of providing fruit to other Texas winemakers, Hidden Hangar decided to build a winery and make its own wine. “We opened in November of 2019, just in time to close for COVID,” says owner Stormy Cansler. The winery’s 2018 Malbec, Texoma won big at the 2022 Houston Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, bringing home Gold, Reserve Class Champion, and Texas Class Champion awards; the 2018 Cabernet Franc won Double Gold, and Class Champion the prior year. Other Hidden Hangar Wines have won silver medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. In total, the winery makes 17 wines, including five blends, two sparkling wines, and a late-harvest riesling dessert wine.
The winery offers tours, tastings, charcuterie, and picnic lunches for sale; no outside food is allowed, but well behaved dogs are welcome. Besides a putting green, corn hole, and other games on the grounds, there’s an 11-acre lake available for fishing.
Hidden Hangar Vineyard and Winery, 273 Middle Road, Denison. hiddenhangar.com.
Eden Hill Vineyard, Celina
Off a country road, 15 miles north of Frisco, this winery is just a 45-minute drive from Dallas. Eden Hill grows tempranillo on its estate vineyard, and sources more than ten grape varieties from growers in the Texas High Plains. At the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Eden Hill won four Double Gold medals for the following: the 2020 Albariño; 2020 Petit Sirah; 2019 Garden Red — a sweet tempranillo blend; and the 2020 “Estate” Tempranillo Reserve. Eden Hill also makes white blends, a red Bordeaux-style blend, and petite verdot.
Recently, the winery had its biggest tempranillo harvest. “It was close to nine tons - nearly double last year’s harvest,” says Shari Richter, also Eden Hill’s sale’s manager. She says the winery expects to produce some “incredible estate tempranillo and tempranillo rosé,” with the 2022 harvest.
Winery visitors have a choice of tasting experiences. Reservations are required for 90-minute tastings (1 to 6 people) in The Estate Room. Walk-in guests can enjoy food and wine at the Cellar Bar or on the patio, overlooking the pond. Guests can explore the tempranillo vineyard and grounds — where you’ll spot free range chickens — fish at the pond, and picnic. Weekends bring a variety of special events, including a bonfire and concert on Oct. 29 (tickets sold via website). The winery also has a tasting room at the Dallas Farmers Market.
Eden Hill Vineyard, 4910 Eden Hill Lane, Celina. edenhill.com.
Edge of the Lake Vineyard, Valley View
Open for just 1 1/2 years, this father-and-son-owned winery and 100-acre estate sits on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Ray Roberts. Located 58 miles from Dallas, in the Texoma AVA, the winery grows tempranillo, albariño, and grenache on 15 acres of vineyards — the oldest vines being 12 years old. Winemaker, co-owner, and COO Chris McIntosh says he and his father will plant more varieties on the property’s 55 additional acres of farm land. Meanwhile, Edge of the Lake sources seven grape varieties from the Texas High Plains. It currently makes 13 different wines, of which three are estate wines.
The winery won awards soon after opening: The 2020 “Tempetite,” Reddy Vineyards (a blend of tempranillo and petite verdot) won Gold at the 2021 San Francisco International Wine Competition; and the estate grown 2020 Grenache, Texoma, won Gold as well as Best in Category at the 2021 Lone Star International Wine Competition.
The family’s sprawling home was converted into a winery and tasting room, with windows along the backside affording views of the lake and vineyards. Reservations are recommended for tastings, which last about 90 minutes. The menu includes an elaborate cheese and charcuterie board designed to complement the wines, hearty bruschettas, hummus with pita chips, and sangria.
Visitors are allowed to bring picnics to enjoy with wine on the patio or on the grounds. Guests are also welcome to wander the vineyards while sipping wine. Sunday afternoons on the patio, there’s live music ranging from country and R&B, to blues and jazz.
The winery has big expansion plans for 2023: a splashy, larger winemaking facility, lodging for overnight visitors, and a boat ramp. “We’ll be the first winery you can visit by boat,” McIntosh says.
Edge of the Lake Vineyard and Winery, 920 CR 231, Valley View. edgeofthelakevineyard.com.
4R Ranch Vineyards and Winery, Muenster
This winery’s gorgeous 1,100-acre estate is in the thick of North Texas’ ilhl country — just 74 miles from Dallas. The winery made history at the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, when its 2017 Nectar Nero (a dessert wine) was the first Texas wine to win top honors — the coveted Sweepstake Medal — as well as a Double Gold medal.
The 3-acre vineyard in the Texoma AVA is planted with viognier and cabernet sauvignon, which provide fruit for 4R Ranch’s estate wines. The winery produces about 20 wines, including albariño, tempranillo, trebbiano, roussanne, and malbec, made with Texas High Plains grapes. Occasionally, the winery sources grapes from California when it can’t get enough Texas fruit. “We planted six acres of grapes that were hammered by winter storm Uri in 2021 — it got down to minus 14 here,” says Walt Roper, co-owner of 4R Ranch.
Perched on a ridge, the winery’s Wind Shed Tasting Room offers stunning, 270-degree views of the Red River Valley and the seven wind turbines on the property (hence the Wind Shed name). The restored Barnhaus — originally a hay barn — was converted into a winery production facility and event space, operating with solar energy and using geothermal technology for heating and cooling. The winery also has a tasting room in McKinney, on the historic downtown square.
Besides tours, tastings, and a food menu, the winery offers guesthouse and campsite accommodations. The estate is also popular with hikers and mountain bikers, who pay $10 to cycle the hilly Brambles Trail that winds through the ranch. Nov. 18-20, the winery will host the DORBA North Texas Mountain Bike Festival, featuring races, live music, food, wine, and outdoor sports vendors. Visitors are welcome to sip wine while watching the mountain bikers ride on Saturday, and race on Sunday.
4R Ranch Vineyards, 1473 County Road 477, Muenster. 4rwines.com.