Fairhaven Vineyards plants old vines for a new life in eastern Texas

wildlife, the incredibly high water
quality, the wildflowers that flourish
on the north perimeter, all of
it adds up to a place born to raise
wine grapes."
Well, that depends upon which
grapes. Vitis vinifera falls to
Pierce's disease, but another species,
Vitis lencecumii, grows wild in
the surrounding hills; Munson used
that species in his own research.
Even Albert Siebel, creator of so
many of the best-known French-
American hybrids, utilized Vitis
lencecumii in his work. Winters'
plant science knowledge has aided
him in the rescue and/or development
of "about 200 new varieties.
We use a strict regime of a 122°F
hot water bath for 25 minutes, followed
by a direct application of
3% IBA (indole butyric acid)," he
explained. The propagation beds
are bottom-heated with high-pressure
mist irrigation. Winters’ antiviral
treatments are also believed
by some to destroy the Pierce's
bacteria, but that's still speculation.
Grapes are hand-harvested, with
average yields of 4-6 tons per acre.
"Routinely, we will sort up to half of
any given harvest," Winters said,
"to separate the most pristine of
the clusters for whole cluster fermentation."
Reds are fermented at
around 82°F and the whites at 60°F.
Reds are fermented with Lalvin
ICV D254; the whites are produced
using Lalvin K1 (V1116). The high
TA levels endemic to hybrids are
partially controlled through malolactic
fermentation.
VINEYARD
"In keeping with our devotion to
things related to the history of the
American hybrid," Winters said, "we
have limited our production to new
American oak barrels."
Fairhaven Vineyards added a winery to its operations less than two years ago. Winters
uses only American oak barrels. Photo: Sam Smead Photocreative
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