Several proposals in Legislature would make some sweet wines all-Texan

AUSTIN — When Gene Estes makes a dessert wine at his Burleson winery, he would like nothing more than to buy Texas-made brandy to mix into the wine.

But he can’t.

State law says he can’t buy or sell brandy from other Texas wineries, so he buys California brandy — and has it shipped here — to make his sweet wines such as sherry and port.

"I would prefer to buy Texas brandy because I’m a Texan," said Estes, president of Lone Oak Winery in Burleson and president of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association in Grapevine.

He and other winery officials appeared before the House licensing committee Wednesday to ask that lawmakers let Texas wineries make the fruit-flavored brandy and sell it to other state wineries.

They say the change is needed, especially since the state is now among the country’s leading grape and wine producers.

Growing business

Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, the Senate sponsor of the bill, said it is needed to support Texas’ wine producers, especially those locally.

"Grapevine is the capital of the Texas wine industry, which is a growing and important part of our state’s agribusiness economy," Nelson said.

Home to more than 200 family-owned vineyards, Texas is the country’s fifth-largest wine producer and ranks seventh in the number of wine-grape producers. Nearly 1 million tourists visited Texas wineries in 2007, a 10 percent increase from 2005.

Wine, wine-grape and related industries contributed more than $1 billion to the state economy in 2007, according to statistics from the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association.

Industry boost

Gabe Parker said he would likely make brandy at his winery in Grapevine if this measure becomes law.

He would not only sell brandy to other Texas wineries but also use it in all three of his Homestead Winery facilities, which include wineries in Ivanhoe and Denison. That’s something now not allowed by law, even if it is shipped in from out of state; under current law, he must buy individual allotments for each facility.

Parker said this bill would help the Texas wine industry.

"This would allow some wineries to buy expensive distillery equipment and go into [the brandy] business," Parker said.

"But it would also allow other wineries to . . . share the brandy product that is used to create wines."

That, he said, could cut not only his costs — from shipping out-of-state brandy to his wineries — but consumers’ costs as well.

Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, is carrying the bill in the House.