Homestead Winery

http://www.homesteadwinery.com

Homestead Winery has three locations in Texas: Ivanhoe, Denison, and Grapevine. Homestead Winery is owned by Gabe and Barb Parker who started it to continue the Parker family farming tradition begun by Gabe’s grandfather more than 100 years ago. The main location in Ivanhoe is the oldest continually operated winery located in the Red River Valley of North Texas. Winemaking is under the direction of Dr. Roy Mitchell.

I have had the opportunity to visit all three locations. Each location is a little bit different but the main production for the winery happens in Ivanhoe, although some production happens in Denison.

Common among all three locations is personalized private labels available for you to use on their wines. Homestead Winery has also created two wines, a Rosé and Zinfandel, with a Don Gabriel label which celebrates the Latino culture. A wine club is available at Homestead Winery.

Ivanhoe

Homestead Winery opened in 1989 at the original location in Ivanhoe. This location is in a 100 year old house. Besides being a winery, this location also rents out the bedrooms in the house for up to 10 people.

The first room you encounter when entering the house is the tasting room. You stand at the tasting bar and there is a tasting fee for a selection of four wines. Tasting Sherry and Port does cost more. Tasting is complimentary though with a purchase of wine. The tastings are poured from the bottle and water is served during the tasting.

Homestead Winery uses 100% Texas grapes except the Champagne which uses grapes from New Mexico. The grapes from Texas come from Levelland in the High Plains. They use both corks and screw caps on their Texas wines.

Homestead Winery also does the major crush, winemaking operations, and bottling of wines for approximately six other wineries. I was told the bottling process is expensive so the other wineries lease out space in the Homestead Winery production facility so they can make their wines.

There is a small gift shop available for the sale of wine racks, accessories, and wine related items. Tours are available if someone is there to give one. Unfortunately when I visited, there was nobody available to give a tour.

Denison

When we were doing the Munson Wine Trail, it was near the end of a Saturday and we unfortunately learned the Ivanhoe location closes early on Saturdays so we were unable to visit that location. However, since the Denison location is inside Devolli’s Italian restaurant which is open later, we were able to visit there.

We arrived at the restaurant and since it was dinner time, we went immediately to the restaurant to eat dinner and do a wine tasting later. After dinner, the wine tasting was held at the front of the restaurant. Some wine accessories and related items are also available for purchase.

Music events also happen at the restaurant. The Homestead Winery production facility for Denison is located in the old Star Movie Theater which bottles Sherry, Port, and Red wine.

Grapevine

The Grapevine location for Homestead Winery is also in an old house which first opened in 1997. The old house is an 1890’s Texas Victorian home just off historic Main Street and features porch details, old hardwood floors, and a fireplace mantel.

When you enter the house/tasting room, the tasting bar is to the right. You stand at the tasting bar to do your tasting. It is a relaxing atmosphere in the old house to do a tasting. You can also purchase wine related items and accessories in the tasting room.

Homestead Winery at Denison and Ivanhoe is on the Munson Wine Trail. The Grapevine location is on the Grapevine Wine Trail.