EXPLORING TEXAS WINE COUNTRY

 EXPLORING TEXAS WINE COUNTRY

Are you looking for a great weekend getaway? Somewhere you can get a fabulous glass of wine and a gourmet dinner – all within driving distance of Houston? Fortunately, Texas has plenty to offer in that department, proving that you don’t have to go to California’s Napa Valley to experience premier American wine country.

The wine industry in Texas is exploding with 260 wineries located across the state, all within an hour or so drive from a major metropolitan area. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas wine industry has a $1.7 billion impact on the state’s economy. The department quotes a new study by MFK research, saying the industry accounts for nearly 11,000 full-time jobs for Texans, an increase of nearly 20 percent since 2007. The study, funded by the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and Texas Tech University Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute, reports that tourism dollars related to the state’s wine industry have increased by 28 percent since 2007, reaching nearly $400 million.