One popular vineyard in the Texas High Plains is Friesen Vineyards led by John Friesen. John has been growing award-winning grapes for wineries such as Ron Yates and Bending Branch Winery. If you get the chance, have Ron Yates tell you how he found Friesen Vineyards. Recently, John announced his own private label Friesen Cellars. We are happy to present Freisen Vineyards as this month’s Grower Profile!
What did you do before growing grapes?
We have farmed row crops since 2006.
When did you first plant your vineyard, and how many acres did you start with?
In 2014 we planted our first five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.
How many acres do you have today, and what grapes are planted?
We have a total of 33 acres that consist of 7 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 acres of Tempranillo, 3 acres of Merlot, 2 acres of Tannat, 2 acres of Alicante Bouschet, 4 acres of Petite Manseng, 4 acres of Petite Sirah, 4 acres of Petit Verdot, and 4 acres of Cabernet Franc.
Do you farm any other crops? And if so, what?
Yes, we have farmed cotton, peanuts, wheat, milo, sunflowers, and several different hay species, and we own and operate a small cow-calf operation.
What first attracted you to growing grapes?
We felt we needed to grow something of higher value and less water consumption. Grapes seemed to be the perfect fit.
This Article was originally published on Texas Wine Lover
