Land of Promise is a family-owned winery that has established itself as a producer of exceptional, estate-grown wines in Sonoma County with its Terra de Promissio vineyard. Owners Charles and Diana Karren started their Sonoma County vineyard in 1999, and recently in April 2021, they bought a 20-acre property in Fredericksburg for a second vineyard and winery.
The vineyard name Terra de Promissio translates to “Land of Promise” in Latin. “We chose the name Terra de Promissio because as farmers, the land is about the ‘promise.’ The promise that every new season brings the possibility and the hope of a bountiful harvest.” The name also recognizes the American Dream and what this country represents.
The vineyard was first planted in 2002 over the course of three years and today it is a 50-acre vineyard with five different clones of Pinot Noir. The vineyard’s first harvest was in 2005, and they sold to three wineries. Today Terra de Promissio is the most vineyard-designated Pinot Noir in Sonoma County with over ten wineries using the Terra de Promissio name on their label including Kosta Browne, Kistler, Gary Farrell, and Williams Selyem. With the 2013 harvest, Diana Karren started to make her own wine from Terra de Promissio and the wine brand would become Land of Promise. Besides being the winery’s winemaker, Diana is also instrumental in the vineyard operations.
Diana was born in the Soviet Union and Charles grew up in Houston, Texas, with Diana arriving in Houston in 1998. They left Texas to plant the Terra de Promissio vineyard, but the Karrens have now returned to Texas. A family history search was done, and they discovered that Charles is an eight-generation Texan. Together, the Karrens have a family history that embodies 200 years of Texans and 200 years of Texas immigrants.
When discussing their return to Texas, the Karrens felt there was only one choice to move to and that was the Hill Country. Their passion for viticulture and their deep-rooted connection to the land led them to establish their second vineyard in the Texas Hill Country. This vineyard, named Lux Libertas, translates to “Light of Liberty,” symbolizing both their family’s rich 200-year history in Texas and their appreciation for the opportunities provided by the land. The vineyard also happens to be located in the Llano Uplift.
Reservations must be made with Land of Promise for an exclusive private tasting. The desire is to give a more personal educational experience with one or both of the owners. We recently visited Land of Promise to learn the story of Charles and Diana Karren and to taste their wines.
The winery is located at their home which is also the reason for tasting reservations. We met Charles Karren first who greeted us and led us to the back patio seating area which was perfect for a beautiful weather day in the Hill Country. A wine was ready to be poured, and it was the Land of Promise Lux Libertas Texas wine. The wine was made by Diana Karren at the former Slate Mill Wine Collective while working with other Texas winemakers such as Josh Fritsche.
The Texas wine is a 2020 dry white blend of 67% Roussanne, 21% Muscat Canelli, and 12% Orange Muscat. We then met Diana who had been preparing a wonderful charcuterie tray to enjoy during the tasting. We learned about the vineyard’s history, the winemaking process, and the Karrens’ personal journey in the wine industry.
We moved to their indoor tasting room for the rest of the tasting which included four of their Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs. The wines were made from their Terra de Promissio vineyard and are of the same 2018 vintage. My curiosity was piqued to learn how differently the four wines could taste.
These are the four Pinot Noirs we tasted:
2018 Deo Favente, Sonoma Coast. Deo Favente means “With God’s Favor” in Latin. This was done similarly to high-end Burgundy in style and was lighter. 13.2% ABV.
2018 E Pluribus Unum, Sonoma Coast. Captures the distinct expression of the five different Pinot Noir clones used. (There are 43 different certified clones of Pinot Noir.) 13.6% ABV.
2018 Terra de Promissio, Sonoma Coast. A blend of two Pinot Noir clones. 14.2% ABV.
2018 Patriae Fidelitas, Sonoma Coast. Patriae Fidelitas means “Loyalty to Country” in Latin and the wine honors the armed forces. This wine is harvested last. 14.8% ABV.
I learned that the winemaking style of the wine does make a big difference, and the four wines got bolder as the tasting went along. I kept revisiting the wines to determine if I had a favorite but could not determine a favorite since they were all excellent.
During the tasting we learned when the Karrens work with a winery for their Terra de Promissio vineyard, in order for that winery to list Terra de Promissio on their label, the Karrens need to approve barrel samples and pay them one dollar a year in royalty. Not a dollar per bottle, but a dollar per year.
When asked what is next in their Texas wine production, they explained they want to replant their property’s five-acre Tempranillo vineyard with white grapes and are looking for suggestions on what varieties should be planted. Since they have experience with making wines from their own vineyard, they want to do it right with their Texas vineyard. They are working with a Sonoma viticultural advisor and plan on researching the soil, determining the best grapes for the soil, and then planting it. They are fine with skipping a few vintages of white wines and they simply say, “Watch this space.”
Diana and Charles Karren
Charles and Diana Karren like to think they are “Texans that have come home” and with their 25 years of experience in the wine industry, they are here for the long haul.
The winery is located just seven minutes north of Fredericksburg’s Main Street and is adjacent to Boot Ranch. Reservations must be made for tastings.
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