One popular Texas vineyard recently is Dell Valley Vineyards in west Texas, and their grapes are being used by some of the top wineries in Texas to make their award-winning wines. The team at Dell Valley Vineyards is Danny Heredia, MJ Alvord, and Philippe Littot. Philippe is the vineyard manager and has many years of experience farming grapes. Dr. Colleen C. Myles previously wrote an excellent article about Dell Valley Vineyards.
Over the weekend before this article was published, I coincidentally met Philippe, along with MJ and his wife, Kelli, at Bending Branch Winery when Dr. Bob Young was giving them a tour.
I come from three generations of grape growers and winemakers, and I followed the family tradition.
When did you first plant your vineyard, and how many acres did you start with?
When I came to work in Dell City in 2013, some vineyards were already established and I planted 100 more acres.
How many acres do you have today, and what grapes are planted?
Today, we have a total of 150 acres with the following varieties. In white grapes, we have Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscat Giallo, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Alexandria, and Riesling. In red grapes, we have Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tempranillo, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, and Petit Verdot.
Do you farm any other crops? And if so, what?
I just manage the vineyard and do not grow any other crops.
What first attracted you to growing grapes?
I was very young when I followed my dad to the vineyard, and I think I got attached to it with time. I already knew my future for my life.
What is the toughest challenge about being a grape grower in Texas?
It’s a very complex question, but I think the toughest challenge being a grape grower in Texas is to learn about climate and microclimate. A 10-mile radius could be completely different from different zones.
If you didn’t grow grapes, what would you do?
If I didn’t grow grapes, I would have gone into the oil and gas profession.
After a long day in the vineyard, what do you like to do?
I usually go back home, rest, and go back to the vineyard to walk in different blocks to look at details. Or I stay home and read, cook, and enjoy watching documentaries, sciences, agriculture, and winemaking.
What’s the best part about being a grape grower?
In my case, as also being a winemaker, the best part to grow grapes is to get the best quality grapes, and sometimes it can take a few years to get to this point. You can’t expect to make outstanding wine without quality and chemistry balance.
What advice would you give someone wanting to start a vineyard today?
Establish a marketing plan before you plant a vineyard.
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