Five Trees Winery: Rooted in Family

Just outside the storied town of Kilgore, Texas, where pine trees give way to open fields and gentle hills, there’s a small winery and vineyard that’s growing something special. Five Trees Winery is more than just a name—it’s a tribute, a promise, and a living reminder of what matters most: Family.

We traveled to Five Trees Winery just before their grand opening. When we arrived, we were greeted at the tasting room by the owners, Karl and Kerry Riley. They grew up as military brats, traveling over much of the world and the USA. Currently, Karl is a business professor at Kilgore College. While traveling around the USA in their travel trailer, they frequented many Harvest Hosts locations and learned to love the wine industry. They decided it was time to settle down so they could call one place “home” for themselves and their four sons. They purchased 13 acres just outside of Kilgore and have currently dedicated 10 acres to growing grapevines.

The name “Five Trees” pays homage to a unique feature on their property, five majestic catalpa trees, each tree dedicated to a member of the family: one for the owners and one for each of their four sons. Planted as a symbol of legacy and rootedness, the catalpa trees grow right alongside the vineyard—strong, steady, and full of life, just like the family they honor.

Five Trees Winery is about to make its mark on the East Texas wine scene. They are members of the Piney Woods Wine Trail. Currently, all the wines offered are made with 100% Texas grapes. Their plan is to plant 10 acres of grapevines that, within five years, will produce their own estate wines. Currently, they have planted around 1,000 vines that were planted in 2024. For winery owners in East Texas, especially those building new tasting rooms or distributing their wines, logistics can present unique challenges. Understanding regulations—including obtaining the proper Texas shipping permits for any oversized or overweight loads involved in vineyard expansion or equipment deliveries—is essential to keeping operations running smoothly and compliantly.

With careful attention to the unique soil and climate of the area, the family chose grape varietals for their unique flavor profiles and suitability to East Texas terroir.

Grapevines

• Opportunity – one of two Arkansas varietals. Disease resistant and noted for producing wines with distinct fruit flavors, honey aroma, and a light gold color with a spice like Semillon and the bouquet of Cayuga White. Disease-resistant variety.
• Enchantment – another Arkansas varietal that is disease resistant and known for producing wines that are deep red in color, with cherry and citrus flavors.
• Golden Muscat – known for its sweet, intensely aromatic, and fruity flavor profile. Notes of honey, apricot, peach, and floral. Produces very large, well-filled clusters of large, oval, amber-colored berries. When fully ripe, the flavor is rich. When not fully ripe, it has a tangy citrus-like flavor.
• Vincent – known for producing wines with an Italian Chianti-like characteristic, often exhibiting cherry and citrus flavors and a complex lingering finish.
• Niagara – known for its large, juicy, greenish-white berries with a sweet and tangy flavor. A great grape for making white wines.
• Concord – Large blue fruit that is great for juice, jelly, and pies.

While visiting with Karl and Kerry, we tasted all the wines that were available that day. They offer a selection of wines for a set price. You get to select the wines to taste.

Wines

• Roja Catalpa – Dry red blend
• Catalpa – Dry white blend
• Boyz – Sweet rosé
• Moscato Sparkling Pink Rosé – Semi-sweet rosé
• Sweet Water – White wine with watermelon flavors.
• Peach Haven – Sweet peach-flavored white wine.

They also plan on offering wine slushies.

We enjoyed all of the wines we tasted and took home a bottle of Moscato Sparkling Rosé and Roja Catalpa.

While charcuterie boards and pizzas were available for purchase, we did not eat anything on this visit, since we had a dinner reservation later that afternoon at a nearby winery.

In a world that often moves too fast, Five Trees Winery is about slowing down, enjoying a glass of wine, watching the wind move through the catalpa trees, and appreciating that some of life’s things are the simplest. As those five catalpa trees continue to grow, so does the vision of the family behind them: one newly planted vine, one bottle or glass of wine, and one visitor at a time.

If you’re touring the wineries on the Piney Woods Wine Trail or just looking for another of East Texas’s undiscovered wineries, Five Trees Winery is a place worth discovering, rooted in love, growing in promise, and raising a glass to things that really matter.

1055 Watson Rd, Kilgore, TX 75662