The Winery About twenty minutes outside of Austin, down a winding country road, sits the small community of Driftwood, Texas. The roads are lined with scenery not uncommon in the Hill Country- ranch and farmland, lots of beautiful oak trees, the occasional longhorn, and one very familiar BBQ restaurant. A few miles down Farm to Market 150, just a little off the beaten path, you’ll find Duchman Family Winery. Making the turn into the winery property, you couldn’t be faulted for thinking you had somehow left Texas and ended up in the Italian countryside. Seventeen acres of vines line the driveway leading to the winery. Past the monument sign, a walkway crosses under a canopy of giant oak trees and over a bridge before reaching the winery. Once inside, guests are greeted by the soaring ceiling and stone walls of our tasting room. The production area, which covers over 18,000 of the facility’s 26,000 square feet, is on full view from the main hall. Red wine filled barrels, fermentation tanks, and our own state-of-the-art bottling line are all on display. Drs. Stan and Lisa Duchman chose this little corner of Driftwood to realize their dream of making world class wine in Texas. Today, over a decade after the first wines went to bottle, the Duchmans and their partners continue to raise the bar for Texas wine. We invite you to join us in Driftwood to taste what we are working on next.
Texas Wine Regions Texas is currently home to 8 American Viticultural Areas, including 2 of the largest AVAs in North America. Those regions, the High Plains and Hill Country AVAs, provide 100% of the fruit for our current production.
Over 90% of the grapes used at the winery are sourced from the High Plains, a wine region that encompasses over 8 million acres. The eastern border of the region runs along the Caprock escarpment and sits at an elevation of over 3000 feet. The region runs west to the New Mexico border, reaching elevations of over 4000 feet in the extreme northwestern portions. Our vineyard partners are situated in the southern portion of the region. The climate is semiarid, with hot summers and mild winters. Cool overnight temperatures provide a necessary respite from the warm days. Soil associations vary throughout the region, but most are marked by top layers of porous sand or sandy loam over a deep layer of clay loam. Vermentino, Trebbiano, Montepulciano, and Aglianico thrive in the High Plains. The remainder of our grapes are sourced from within a few miles of the property in the Hill Country AVA, which sits atop the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. Grapes grown here are chosen for their unique ability to withstand heat. At over 9 million acres, there are a variety of soil associations and texture profiles with clay loam being predominant and underlying layers of limestone and decomposing granite in a large portion of the region. Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and Syrah are particularly successful in the Hill Country.
Texas Wine Supports Texas Agriculture There is no more basic truth in winemaking than this: Great wine requires great grapes. For that reason, we choose to work with some of the finest farmers in the state. Our grapegrowing partners have led the way by planting varietals that are best suited for the soil and climate of Texas. The investment took courage. When other farmers were planting grapes with more familiar names, we were partnering with enterprising growers to introduce Italian varietals to Texas, some of which were difficult to pronounce but long on potential. We are ever grateful for the risks taken in those early days. Our farmers turned over valuable acreage to grape varietals with no track record in Texas and limited market recognition. They had the patience to watch those vines mature for years before a single bottle of wine could provide proof of concept. We currently work with the following outstanding grape growing partners: Bingham Family Vineyards, Oswald Vineyard, Reddy Vineyard, and Salt Lick Vineyards. We are proud to display their names on our bottles.
Award Winning Wines From the outset, the goal at Duchman Family Winery has been incredibly ambitious. The wines produced at Duchman would be on par with the finest varietal examples in the world, and no less than that would be acceptable. By carefully choosing varietals suited for Texas and creating exacting standards for their handling in the winery, Dave Reilly and his team continue to meet and exceed those lofty expectations. Since 2010, Duchman wines have been awarded over 100 medals in international competition and have been consistently recognized for excellence by top wine professionals. The signature style of Duchman Family Winery is decidedly old world, befitting our grape selection. White wines are bright and focused, with no oak aging or secondary fermentations to distract from the beauty of the fruit. Red wines are aged primarily in neutral oak, never relying on cooperage for character.
Special Events At Duchman Family Winery, we believe that making great wine is very serious business, but drinking great wine should most certainly not be. In that spirit, we host a variety of events at the winery. From casual picnics to intimate wine dinners and exclusive tasting events, our goal is to create an experience that will be memorable, and more importantly, a lot of fun. The winery grounds offer a beautiful backdrop for family gatherings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, and, of course, weddings. Our secluded ceremony site sits at the rear of the vineyard, facing the hill country sunset. Inside the building, our event center spans 4000 square feet and accommodates groups as large as 275. We are extremely proud to offer the talents of our in-house chef to prepare the perfect meal, no matter the occasion.
Trebbiano Bingham Vineyards, High Plains The most recent addition to the white wine lineup at Duchman, Trebbiano thrives in the High Plains and produces an incredibly enjoyable lighter style wine- a perfect complement to hot Texas summers.
»» VARIETAL: 100% Trebbiano »» ELEVATION: 3300+ feet »» SOIL TYPE: Sandy loam over clay »» HARVEST: August/September »» MATURATION AND AGING: 100% Stainless Steel »» COLOR: Happy shiny straw »» AROMA: Tropical fruit, citrus, delicate white flower »» TASTING NOTES: Bright, refreshing, citrus, juicy green apple
Vermentino Bingham Vineyards, High Plains Our flagship white wine, Vermentino, is consistently stunning. Presenting a complex and lively palate, this is a fine example of a Texas wine that belongs in the conversation with the best expressions of this varietal in the world.
»» VARIETAL: 100% Vermentino »» ELEVATION: 3300+ ft »» SOIL TYPE: Sandy loam over clay »» HARVEST: End of August/ early September »» MATURATION AND AGING: 100% Stainless Steel »» COLOR: Light straw, pale yellow »» AROMA: Grapefruit, citrus zest, lightly floral, crushed limestone »» TASTING NOTES: Pink grapefruit, lime zest, light salinity
Viognier Bingham Vineyards, High Plains Viognier is a tried and true varietal in Texas. Dave Reilly eschews the common practice of oak influence, instead relying on amazing fruit to define this wine. The result is bright, focused, and wonderfully perfumed.
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VARIETAL: 100% Viognier ELEVATION: 3300+ ft SOIL TYPE: Sandy loam over clay HARVEST: End of August/early September MATURATION AND AGING: 100% Stainless Steel COLOR: Pale yellow AROMA: Stonefruit, white flowers TASTING NOTES: Peach, apricot, citrus on a well rounded palate
Sangiovese Reddy Vineyards, High Plains Our Sangiovese is specifically crafted to be accessible and enjoyable without the burden of years of barrel time. Bright and fruit driven, this is a sophisticated wine that will please a wide range of wine drinkers.
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VARIETAL: 100% Sangiovese ELEVATION: 3200-3300 ft SOIL TYPE: Sandy loam over clay, limestone HARVEST: September MATURATION AND AGING: Neutral oak, 6-10 months COLOR: Pale Ruby AROMA: Red fruit, fig TASTING NOTES: Ripe cherry, raspberry, bright acidity
Montepulciano Oswald Vineyard, High Plains The cool nights of the High Plains allow our Montepulciano to ripen at the perfect pace, resulting in a full bodied wine with incredible character. One of the most popular wines in our tasting room, this is an eye opener for those unfamiliar with the varietal.
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VARIETAL: 100% Montepulciano ELEVATION: 3300 ft SOIL TYPE: Sandy loam over clay, limestone HARVEST: Early October MATURATION AND AGING: Neutral Oak, 18-24 months COLOR: Deep ruby AROMA: Red fruit, pipe tobacco, vanilla TASTING NOTES: Black cherry, blackberry, hint of spice
Aglianico Oswald Vineyard, High Plains Aglianico may be the most interesting varietal in the Duchman lineup, and certainly one of the most promising varietals in the state. Incredibly complex and sophisticated wines from relatively young vines hint at the amazing possibilities for this grape in Texas.
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VARIETAL: 100% Aglianico ELEVATION: 3300 ft SOIL TYPE: Sandly loam over clay, limestone HARVEST: Early October MATURATION AND AGING: Neutral oak, 18-24 months COLOR: Deep garnet AROMA: Stewed fruit, nutmeg, clove, cedar box TASTING NOTES: Complex, evolving palate of dark fruit and spice, structured tannins, wonderful acidity
Progression The Progression project allows our winemaker the freedom to create wines that represent the best of what Duchman has to offer without the constraints of vintage or varietal. Specially selected lots are blended to produce wines that highlight the best characteristics of each component varietal while creating a finished wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.
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VARIETAL: Aglianico/ Montepulciano MATURATION AND AGING: 10% new American oak, 90% neutral oak, 20-24 months COLOR: Deep Garnet AROMA: Dark fruit, leather, dried rose petal TASTING NOTES: Blackberry, vanilla, white pepper, integrated tannins, balanced acidity
Grape Growers Blend The Grape Growers Blend was created as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our farmers. Utilizing grapes from each of our four major vineyard partners, Dave Reilly has crafted a blend that perfectly exhibits the incredible quality of the fruit we receive each year.
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VARIETAL: Varies MATURATION AND AGING: Neutral oak COLOR: Deep Ruby TASTING NOTES: Juicy red fruit, silky tannins
CONTACT US Phone: 512.858.1470 Email: Info@Duchmanwines.com Web: www.Duchmanwines.com Visit: Duchman Family Winery 13308B FM 150 W Driftwood, TX 78619 Hours: Mon 12 to 6 Tues-Sun 11 to 8 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Photo Credits: Bill Peary Photography Jerry Hayes Photography Matt Montalvo Photography Anthology Jessica Frey Photography