A big, fast-rising wine state: Mediterranean varieties across the High Plains growing heartland and the Hill Country tourism hub. Updated for 2026.
Texas is one of the largest and most ambitious wine states in the country, and one of the most misunderstood. Far bigger and more serious than its reputation suggests, with hundreds of wineries and a fast-rising quality reputation, Texas has built its modern industry on a simple split: most of the grapes are grown on the windswept, high-elevation Texas High Plains around Lubbock, while most of the tasting rooms and tourism cluster in the scenic Texas Hill Country around Fredericksburg. The hot, sunny climate and the state's embrace of warm-climate Mediterranean grapes, Tempranillo, Viognier, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, and other Spanish, Rhone, and Italian varieties, rather than Napa-style Cabernet and Chardonnay, have become the key to its identity and its best wines. From founding High Plains pioneers to acclaimed Hill Country estates, Texas rewards visitors willing to taste with an open mind. That rise is now drawing international notice: at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, Texas won its first-ever Gold medals and was named one of Decanter's five global "Regions on the Rise."
Below are the Texas wineries we recommend most, spanning the High Plains growing heartland and the Hill Country tourism hub. Current as of October 2026.
A founding Texas pioneer
A pioneer of the modern Texas wine industry, Llano Estacado in Lubbock grew into one of the state's oldest and largest wineries and helped prove the High Plains could make serious wine. A benchmark, widely distributed name and an essential stop for understanding where Texas wine began.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Lubbock / High Plains.
Our tip: Taste where modern Texas wine was proven; a founding High Plains pioneer.
A Hill Country anchor
One of the Hill Country's largest and most visited wineries, Becker in Stonewall is famed for its Viognier and Tempranillo and its lavender fields, a polished, popular anchor of the Fredericksburg-area wine scene and a benchmark for Texas warm-climate wines.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Stonewall / Hill Country.
Our tip: Taste the Viognier and Tempranillo amid the lavender; a Hill Country anchor.
Texas-grown, critically acclaimed
A leader of the Texas fine-wine movement, William Chris in Hye is acclaimed for its commitment to 100 percent Texas-grown fruit and its expressive, terroir-driven wines, one of the state's most respected producers and a must for serious Texas wine lovers.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Hye / Hill Country.
Our tip: Taste the 100 percent Texas-grown wines; a leader of Texas fine wine.
Acclaimed Tempranillo and Viognier
A family estate near Stonewall acclaimed for its Tempranillo and Viognier, Pedernales Cellars is one of the Hill Country's quality leaders, pairing serious, award-winning wines with a scenic hilltop setting, a rewarding stop for Texas wine at its best.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Stonewall / Hill Country.
Our tip: Taste the award-winning Tempranillo and Viognier; a Hill Country quality leader.
A pioneering Texas wine family
Run by winemaker Kim McPherson, part of a pioneering Texas wine family, McPherson Cellars in Lubbock is a High Plains quality leader known for food-friendly Rhone and Mediterranean varieties, a serious, well-priced producer and a cornerstone of Texas wine.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Lubbock / High Plains.
Our tip: Taste the Rhone and Mediterranean varieties; a pioneering Texas wine family.
One of the oldest Hill Country estates
Founded in the 1970s on Lake Buchanan, Fall Creek is one of the Hill Country's oldest and most established wineries, a pioneer that remains a respected producer of Texas-grown wines, a historic, scenic stop in the northern Hill Country.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Tow / Hill Country.
Our tip: Taste at one of the Hill Country's oldest estates; historic and scenic.
Italian varieties, Texas fruit
A handsome Driftwood estate specializing in Italian grape varieties (notably Vermentino and Montepulciano) from Texas fruit, Duchman is a quality-first, food-friendly producer and a distinctive stop that shows the Mediterranean side of Texas wine.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Driftwood / Hill Country.
Our tip: Taste the Italian varieties from Texas fruit; distinctive and food-friendly.
High Plains growers turned vintners
A multi-generation High Plains farming family turned vintners, Bingham grows grapes near Meadow and makes well-regarded estate wines, with tasting rooms in the Hill Country, a grower-rooted name that reflects the farming heart of Texas wine.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Meadow / High Plains.
Our tip: Taste the grower-estate wines; a High Plains farming family turned vintners.
Texas wine country comes down to two very different areas. The Texas Hill Country, around Fredericksburg and the US 290 wine road west of Austin and north of San Antonio, is where most visitors go, dozens of tasting rooms and estates (Becker, William Chris, Pedernales, Grape Creek) in scenic hills, easy to tour in a weekend. The Texas High Plains, around Lubbock in the state's northwest, is the agricultural heartland where most of the grapes are grown and where pioneers like Llano Estacado and McPherson are based, less touristy but central to the wine. Most travelers focus on the Hill Country; serious enthusiasts also visit the High Plains. Plan around Fredericksburg for a first trip, book ahead on weekends, and visit spring or fall, as Texas summers are hot.
Do not judge Texas by Cabernet and Chardonnay; the state's identity and best wines come from warm-climate Mediterranean grapes like Tempranillo and Viognier, so taste those. Do not assume all Hill Country wine is Texas-grown, some wineries use out-of-state fruit, so seek out the Texas-fruit leaders (William Chris, Pedernales) if authenticity matters to you. And do not try to combine the Hill Country and the High Plains casually, Lubbock is a long drive from Fredericksburg, so treat them as separate trips.
Which are the best wineries in Texas?
A well-rounded list spans both regions: the founding Llano Estacado and the quality-leading McPherson Cellars and Bingham on the High Plains; and the anchor Becker, the acclaimed William Chris and Pedernales, the historic Fall Creek, and the Italian-focused Duchman in the Hill Country. Together they capture Texas wine from its growing heartland to its tourism hub.
What wine is Texas known for?
Warm-climate Mediterranean grapes rather than Napa-style varieties. Tempranillo has emerged as arguably the state's signature red, alongside Viognier (a standout white), plus Mourvedre, Syrah, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and other Spanish, Rhone, and Italian varieties that thrive in the hot, sunny climate. These give Texas its distinctive, food-friendly identity, and the best examples have earned the state a serious, fast-rising reputation.
Where is Texas wine country?
Mainly in two areas. The Texas Hill Country around Fredericksburg (west of Austin, north of San Antonio) is the tourism hub, with most of the state's tasting rooms along the US 290 wine road. The Texas High Plains around Lubbock in the northwest is the growing heartland, where most of the grapes are cultivated. Texas has several other AVAs as well, but these two dominate the scene.
Is Texas wine any good?
Yes, and it surprises most visitors. Texas is a large, fast-improving wine state, and its best producers, especially those committed to Texas-grown Mediterranean varieties like Tempranillo and Viognier, make genuinely serious, distinctive wines. Estates like William Chris, Pedernales, and McPherson have earned real acclaim, and the overall quality has risen sharply as the industry has matured and focused on grapes suited to the climate.
What is the difference between the Texas High Plains and the Hill Country?
They play different roles. The Texas High Plains around Lubbock is the agricultural heartland, high, flat, and windswept, where most of the state's wine grapes are grown; it is less touristy but central to the wine. The Texas Hill Country around Fredericksburg is the scenic tourism hub, with most of the state's tasting rooms and estates. Many Hill Country wineries actually source much of their fruit from the High Plains, so the two regions work hand in hand.
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