Today we’d like to introduce you to Nolan Newsom.
Hi Nolan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Newsom Family has been dedicated to growing high quality wine grapes on the Texas High Plains for over 30 years. Starting with 2 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon in the spring of 1986, Newsom Vineyards now grows a total of 160 acres, 19 varietals and supplies fruit to 20 wineries in the state. The farm is located on the Texas High Plains AVA (American Viticulture Area) near the New Mexico state line. The elevation is 3,700 feet, which is higher than most viticulture areas in California. The land has shallow, low-vigor soil, which forces the vines to struggle a little bit and produce better fruit.
We currently contract grow for many wineries, some of these since we started. Our grapes have almost always wound up in every winery reserve program with vineyard designation. We have won several international medals (Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego & Switzerland), and gold and silver medals in most regional events that we have been entered into by our wineries. Visit the wineries using our grapes, and see what’s been In the News about our vineyards.
Visit these wineries to enjoy wines created with Newsom grapes by some very talented winemakers… Texas Hills Vineyard * Inwood Estates Vineyard * LLano Estacado * Bending Branch Winery * Slate Mill Wine Collective * Calais Winery * Kerrville Hills Winery * Pedernales Cellers * Saint Tryphon Farm & Vineyards * Driftwood Estate * Flat Creek Estate * Siboney Cellars * Hawk’s Shadow Winery * Adega Vinho Winery * Ab Astris * Rancho Loma Vineyards * Valley Mills Vineyards * Bar Z Winery * Kuhlman Cellers * Longhorn Cellers.
Working with our great winery friends for decades, Newsom Vineyards has become the symbol of quality fruits and quality wine.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Given our semi-arid climate, there are almost no disease issues like cotton growers have. Although we do have weather challenges. In Texas its either too wet, too dry, too hot, or too cold. Hail storms during the harvest season can be disastrous.
The typical day working on the vineyards varies based on the season. In the spring, its vine management season. We have 25 seasonal field workers, and my son, Nolan, is my right-hand man all year. We prune and train the vines and kill the rye cover crop we planted during the winter so that there’s no competition for moisture.
We harvest during the late summer. Harvest is a crazy time. Because of our altitude, it is very hot during the day, but it can cool off to well in the 60F by the early morning hours, which is when we pick the grapes. We start around midnight, and will often work through sunrise. In one night, we are able to fill one or two refrigerated semitrailer trucks with grapes. We bring them to our large barn, and Janice Newsom organizes the different bins on the trucks according to which winery gets certain grapes and which delivery will be first. From there, things happen pretty quickly. You usually have six to eight hours after harvesting to make the deliveries before the heat starts changing the grape chemistry.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Newsom Vineyards label is 100% single vineyard designated wine. All the fruit is harvested from our own family vineyards in Plains, Texas. Following the quality oriented farming tradition in our vineyards, we ferment wines in small lots and take care of every individual lot carefully. We believe the more we give love to our wines, the better taste they will return to us.
I am also a Chef, which makes me dangerous as a winemaker. There is as much art as there is science in both winemaking and cooking. It takes a special kind of person that can say, “Hold my beer and watch this.” and come out the other side with something that is unique and palatable. You may have a recipe, but it takes wisdom and experience to know when to change it. In Texas, the weather is different every year, and therefore so is the fruit. We can make the same wine twice in Texas in ten years. Most other wine regions in the world have 1 off year in 20.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Newsom Vineyards wines are only available in our tasting room in Comfort, TX and several Hill Country restaurants, due to our limited production scale. For more information, please contact us or visit us at 717 Front Street in Comfort Texas.
Pricing:
- Tasting $20 for 5 wines
- Wines $20-$100/bottle
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newsomvineyards.com
