Discovering Lubbock’s Wine Legacy in West Texas

By: English Newsom Cellars Tasting Room Manager, Savannah Duby

A hidden gem amongst the wild prairie and West Texas wind, Lubbock is your next, if not unexpected, wine destination. When thinking of there to go experience Texas made wines in the state, it is common for Fredericksburg to come to mind. The Hill Country, however, is not the only home of award-winning Texas wines. In fact, a vast majority of Texas wines produced throughout the state can be traced back to fruit grown in the Texas High Plains. Making up almost 85% of all Texas grape production, The Texas High Plains AVA (American Viticulture Area) is the sleeping giant only recently awoken. 

A few of the State’s oldest wineries make their home in Lubbock, and English Newsom Cellars has had the opportunity to play a significant role throughout the years. First built under the name Teysha Cellars, this winery was built in 1988 with the visitation of giving Napa, California a run for its wine-producing money. Since then, the winery has seen many changes, being Caprock Winery for a time, until becoming the present English Newsom Cellars in 2018. This rich history points to a truth of the wine industry in Texas as a whole; adaptivity and tradition are both not only necessary, but engrained characteristics. Boiled down to one word, it’s grit. 

This quality can be traced throughout the industry’s history and can also be credited for the recent growth and success of Texas wines nationwide. Over the last few decades, wines produced from the Texas High Plains have begun to win awards all throughout different competitions, even against international competitors. This shows that there are serious players in Texas, and they are here to stay. 

These award-winning qualities begin on the vine, and Texas growers know that only too well. Growing conditions on the High Plains are hot, dry, and breezy, and at a higher elevation sitting on the Llano Estacado mesa. These conditions are perfect for several different grape varieties. Home to over 4,000 acres (and growing) of Vitis Vinifera grapes, the Texas High Plains has quickly become a significant part of the state’s wine industry in only the last 30 years. 

A unique and significant aspect of the wines of the Texas High Plains is its identity being found in farmers and growers first. Steve Newsom, the owner of English Newsom Cellars, is a fourth-generation cotton farmer in West Texas. He began growing grapes almost twenty years ago, and today grows over one hundred acres of vineyards, made up of twenty-four different varieties. By being both a grower and the owner of English Newsom Cellars, he sets the precedent of the wines being produced by controlling the fruit in the field. This is a privilege that wineries purchasing external fruit for production do not get to experience. 

The wine industry in Texas is not one to overlook. Its unique mixture of history, nuance, and back-breaking work make it what is known and loved today. Each person and organization that makes up the heart of this industry knows this, too. It is palpable in the wines being produced. The spirit of growers and producers is carried through into every experience with the best Texas has to offer. So come and experience one of the best growing industries in Texas, and in the Lubbock area, and let wineries such as English Newsom Cellars show you what Texas tastes like! 

Learn more about the region’s wine and English Newsom Cellars with our Texas High Plains Wine Trail interactive mobile pass. Happy sipping!