Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisa Jones
Elisa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Elisa and Chris began making wine in 2020 in what was a busy 8 months leading to that point. During that time the couple orchestrated two moves, one from Washington DC and one from Arizona, an engagement in Napa, and a Wedding in the Hill Country. After the numerus life altering events, Chris requested that they slow things down for a while. This lasted about 3 weeks when Chris suggest that Elisa start her dream of making wine. Afterall, this was in the middle of COVID and there was all of this extra time from not commuting into an office. This was start of Elisa Christopher Wines.
The story of Elisa and Chris began many years prior when the two first met in Bellevue, Nebraska when they were in the first grade. They were both military brats, children of Air Force veterans that were just stationed at Offutt Air Force Base. It was here, in Bellevue, that the two began building the foundation to their future marriage and business endeavor. They spent the next four years together, 6 days a week, sharing the same classroom for the first through fourth grades together, and Sunday school. After the fourth grade both parents received new orders to Texas. Chris, at this point asked his mother if he was going to be stuck with Elisa again. She told him not to worry because they were going to San Antonio, and Elisa and her family were going to Abilene after a year in Alabama first. Little did he know that he would spend the rest of his life with her.
Elisa worked for the federal government for 25 years and while on a trip home, she helped her father plant his Blanc du Bois vineyard near College Station in 2007 and decided she wanted to do more in wine. She took winemaking classes via Texas Tech both online and took time off work to do some of the in-person courses. She is also a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and has a Wine Business Certificate from Sonoma State. Elisa has also taken classes from UC Davis. Chris took the Texas Tech winemaking courses during COVID wondering when he was ever going to need them but during harvest and on weekends, he works as Elisa’s Cellar Rat doing filtering, cleaning and likes to disgorge their sparkling wine. Both Elisa and Chris love making and drinking sparkling wine but do love to make red wine too!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a winemaker and running your own business you pretty much work every day. Harvest of 2023 we were in our new building and had delays in equipment arrival and a challenging harvest. You survive because you love what you are doing!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a small winery in the Hill Country but are the first to bring in equipment from France to mechanize the process of traditional method sparkling wine. We also make still red wines too, but it is the sparkling wine that sets us apart from being another winery in the Hill Country. We love what we do and if you come on the weekends to do a tasting usually Elisa or Chris will be there to do the tasting for you.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We believe that Texas can do amazing things and that includes growing some fantastic fruit to make into fantastic wine. We invite you to come our and drink local, support small business and taste wines that will inspire and delight you.
Pricing:
- Sparkling Trebbiano $42
- Sparkling Grenache $45
- Cabernet $52
- Malbec $48
- Sangiovese $48
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elisachristopherwines.com
- Instagram: elisa_christopher_wines
