Owners Tyler and Amy Bowers share their incredible "bootstrap" journey—from fermenting wine in their bedroom closet to building a beautiful estate vineyard and tasting room with their own hands. Discover why this 100% Texas winery is a "hidden gem" of the DFW Metroplex, featuring award-winning Sangiovese, unique Madeira-style dessert wines, and a DIY spirit that puts the quality of the wine above all else.
In this episode:
The "hobby gone wild" origins of Wintergrass.
Building a winery from a 20ft shipping container.
100% Texas-grown fruit and unique varietals like Lenoir and Madeira-style wines.
Why Tyler focuses on "Wine First" in their DIY tasting room.
Visit *Episode 68: Wintergrass Vineyard & Winery*
Get ready for an incredible story of passion and perseverance! In Episode 68 of the Texas Under Vine podcast, we travel north of the Texas Hill Country to visit Wintergrass Vineyard & Winery in Cleburne, TX. We sit down with owner and winemaker Tyler Bower for a fascinating conversation about his journey. Prepare to be inspired as Tyler shares how he transformed a personal hobby into a full-fledged, award-winning winery and production facility.
You'll get an exclusive look at this true do-it-yourself operation. Tyler has personally built almost every part of the winery, from the ground up, showcasing a dedication and hands-on approach that is truly unique. Discover the hard work behind his acclaimed wines, hear about the challenges he's overcome, and learn what makes Wintergrass Vineyard & Winery a testament to the power of fulfilling your dreams.
*Wintergrass Vineyard & Winery (https://www.wintergrasswine.com/)*
0:00 Fredericksburg Food and Wine Festival 2025 Preview
1:52 Introduction by Wine Guide Scott
2:47 Welcome to Wintergrass Vineyard and Winery
4:25 The Shipping Container Beginnings
6:10 Madeira-Style Wines and the Texas Heat
8:00 Tasting Fees and Choose Your Own Adventure
9:20 Interview with Owner/Winemaker Tyler Bowers
10:00 The Hobby that Got Out of Control
12:21 Transitioning from a 20-Year Career to Winemaking
17:00 Bootstrapping a Winery Without Loans
19:43 Vineyard Varietals and Pierce's Disease Resistance
22:30 The Meaning Behind the Name Wintergrass
26:30 A "Happy Accident" with Rosé and Gewürztraminer
31:40 The Infinitas Madeira Process
34:50 Award-Winning Sangiovese and Field Blends
41:53 Wine Club and Community Focus
48:42 Wine Library Selection: The Dry Lenoir (Black Spanish)
51:00 Closing Thoughts and How to Support the Show
Become a Patreon of Texas Under Vine and get access to bonus content, like photo galleries from the episode, video walkthroughs of the location, and sneak peek videos of where I'm headed next for future episodes! (https://www.patreon.com/texasundervine)
*Locations mentioned in this episode:*
Lost Oak Winery (https://lostoakwinery.com/) - Also check out TUV Episode 21 (https://texasundervine.com/video/episode-021-nt-lost-oak-winery)
Texas International Wine Competition (https://txiwc.com/)
*Texas Regions Guide (see the Texas Under Vine website for map):*
(https://texasundervine.com/episode-region-map)
*CT* - Central Texas
*ET* - East Texas
*GC* - Gulf Coast
*HC* - Texas Hill Country
*HP* - Texas High Plains
*NT* - North Texas
*ST* - South Texas
*WT* - West Texas
Be sure to check out https://www.TxWineLover.com!
Merchandise Store (https://texasundervine.company.site)
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/texasundervine)
http://www.texasundervine.com
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