Briar Creek Vineyards Grower Profile

This month’s Grower Profile features Don and Donna Freeman, the proprietors of Briar Creek Vineyards in Whitehouse, Texas. Don, a gastroenterologist, and his wife, Donna, fell in love with wine when Don was working at a military hospital in San Diego. The pair would drive up to Santa Barbara wine country, where they caught the bug in Sonoma’s rolling hills.

Since then, they’ve returned to their home in East Texas, put down roots (literally) and expanded a tasting room on their own property where they pour wines teeming with Spanish and Italian influences. Briar Creek Vineyards produces eight wines, plus an occasional sparkling wine if the Sweetbriar Blanc goes awry. Today, Don and Donna grow all but one varietal that they use on their property in Whitehouse (their Chardonnay comes in as juice from Sonoma), and they’re content to keep pouring as long as people keep coming. We are happy to feature Don and Donna Freeman of Briar Creek Vineyards as this month’s Grower Profile.

1. What did you do before growing grapes?

Donna: Before growing grapes—growing children!

Don: I’m still a practicing physician in gastroenterology in Tyler.

2. When did you first plant your vineyard, and how many acres did you start with?

We first planted in 2008, and we started with Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet.

3. How many acres do you have today, and what grapes are planted?

Now we have three acres, and we’re planting Camminare Noir, Errante Noir, and Passante Noir. Those grapes are Pierce’s Disease-resistant and were developed by UC Davis.

4. Do you farm any other crops? And if so, what?

No other crops.

5. What first attracted you to growing grapes?

We enjoyed wine and liked being out in nature; it seemed like a perfect fit! We were visiting the vineyards in Sonoma when Don was stationed in California, and we loved drinking wine and figured we would like making it!

6. What is the toughest challenge about being a grape grower in Texas?

The weather is the hardest part. We struggle with heat, frost, and hail, especially in East Texas.

7. If you didn’t grow grapes, what would you do?

We’d do the same things we already do: travel and spend time with family. We just wouldn’t have a vineyard on the property.

8. After a long day in the vineyard, what do you like to do?

We like a nice dinner with wine at home.

9. What’s the best part about being a grape grower?

The best part is seeing the fruition of something you’ve nurtured all year. We spend so much time growing and blending the wine, and seeing the finished result makes it all worth it.

10. What advice would you give someone wanting to start a vineyard today?

It’s not a hobby! Be prepared for any and all challenges in growing grapes if possible.

If you are a wine grower or winemaker, and have not been featured yet in a Grower Profile or Winemaker Profile, please contact us!