...the uniqueness of natural wines is what makes them so special. “Natural wines express a sense of place, of time, the conditions of the year. They’re not made to be reproducible, year after year after year,” A&M’s Botezatu says. “They’re an expression of the moment.”

Dan McLaughlin, proprietor of Robert Clay Vineyards in Mason, is almost alone in trying to practice organic viticulture.

They strive to be pesticide-free, free of added sulfites, additive-free and use natural wild yeasts for fermentation.

Mr. McLaughlin is one of very few Texas growers trying to farm organically. On grassy, sandstone fields amid chickens and geese, he tends grenache, barbera, chardonnay, mourvèdre and viognier, along with other varieties.

In the Hill Country, you see some great things happening with Tallant Vineyards and Robert Clay Vineyards in Mason County, and Salt Lick Vineyards and Klein Vineyards in Hays County. The collaborative effort is inspiring, and Texas wineries now have a lot of great relationships to foster.

If there was any winemaker to encapsulate natural wine in Texas right now, it’s Dan McLaughlin at Robert Clay Vineyards. The Mason Country producer made the switch to organic farming and unsulfited winemaking in 2016 at the suggestion of tablemate Krista Scruggs.

I felt like I needed to see the difference -- the impact in the wine and on the palate compared to conventionally made wine, so I started experimenting.

The soil is some of the best in Texas for growing grapes.

The grape growing industry has really taken shape in Texas and the only way it’s going to proliferate is if students are exposed to what it’s all about at a young age.

It will be the biggest vintage in Texas history, no question

...implementation of this innovative coursework is a big step in the direction of promoting agriculture and putting Texas grapes on the global wine map.

“Damn it Dan, this wine is good!” It was in a medium bodied style and had a moderate dose of oak. The Wine Industry Continues to Expand in Texas Hill Country

the family struggles to keep up with the overwhelming task of retraining thee grapevines, which are gowning back at a quick clip.

...they have quickly learned that growing grapes in Texas presents plenty of challenges

I wish we could just give everything up and do that

For reasons that defy logic, Paul Buist planted Touriga in his Robert Clay Vineyard in rural Mason County some time ago.