In 2023, Uplift Vineyard near Burnet became one of the new tasting rooms in the Hill Country. Not only is the vineyard beautiful and the experience is top-notch, but the wines are well worth the drive. The young and dynamic winemaker, Claire Richardson, is holding the reins to create small-batch wines available only at the tasting room. Take a minute to get to know Claire and read about challenges, loving what you do, and a nearly perfect food and wine pairing.
What did you do before becoming a winemaker?
Before becoming a winemaker, I was a student at Texas A&M. I earned my degree in Food Science and Technology with a minor in Horticulture.
What is the toughest challenge about being a winemaker in Texas?
One of the biggest challenges of making wine in Texas is the weather. High heat, freezes, hailstorms, humidity – you name it – somehow it seems that all of those things can also happen in one year!
Is winemaking an art or a science or both?
Definitely both. I love the science-y part of it and using numbers as a way to guide me throughout the process, but taste ultimately wins in a blending session. I equally love to embrace the artistic side of winemaking through creativity, using different fermentation and aging techniques, and bringing wines to life that start out as ideas in my head.
What is your favorite food and wine
This Article was originally published on Texas Wine Lover
