It was previously reported that the new tasting room Halter Ranch Texas had achieved organic certification for its vineyard making it the first vineyard to be certified organic in Fredericksburg, TX. There were numerous questions posed by Texas Wine Lover’s Facebook group Texas Wine Friends members. We consolidated the questions and asked Halter Ranch Texas if they could answer them. Below is the Q&A completed by Bryce Mullins, VP of Halter Ranch, and Kevin Sass, Winemaker at Halter Ranch.
Q: What was entailed with the CCOF process to determine the certification? Were they physically on the property?
A: The USDA/CCOF certification is detailed and thorough. Since we are certified at the Estate in California, the Texas location is considered an “add-on.” The audit for Texas took place in person with a representative from CCOF going through an 80+ page booklet to verify all the details.
Q: Some people consider the USDA organic certification the definitive certification but yet that takes three years to get. What are your plans to get that?
A: The CCOF is a subset of the USDA. Essentially, the USDA uses the CCOF to verify compliance since the USDA does not have the personnel to do the work. So, once you are CCOF certified, you are USDA certified. Our Halter Ranch Texas property is USDA Certified Organic.
Q: How does getting a certified organic vineyard that isn’t planted yet benefit you?
A: The certification sets the groundwork for the future. We are audited every year at the Estate and there is no reason to wait until vines are in the ground. We farm organically, period. We have sheep grazing the vineyard and property now to prepare the land for the vines. It’s also a commitment beyond the actual vineyard. We don’t use any non-organic chemicals for pest management anywhere on the 32-acre property.
Q: Why did you choose Blanc du Bois to plant? What kind of trellis system are you planning to use?
We chose Blanc du Bois due to its resistance to Pierce’s Disease. Farming organically with Glassy Wing Sharpshooter present is dangerous (and it’s found throughout Fredericksburg). The sharpshooters transmit Pierce’s Disease which will kill your vineyard, The only way to deal with the pest is a non-organic application. We won’t deviate from our organic model. The trellis system in Texas will be the same as the trellis system at Halter Ranch’s Paso Robles Estate. That system is showcased in a video here.
Q: Are the Blanc du Bois vines being planted certified organic?
A: Yes
Q: With Texas wine growers having difficulty selling their fruit in recent years and Texas wineries seeing fewer customers, what plans does Halter Ranch have for supporting the Texas wine industry and the local community?
A: Halter Ranch supports the Texas wine industry by supporting the local economy. Halter Ranch buys certified organic grapes from the High Plains region of Texas. These grapes are trucked and made at Bending Branch Winery in Comfort, Texas. The wines are stored, our web sales are shipped, and our wine club is fulfilled at Wine Cub in Stonewall, Texas. Our tasting room was built by Texas construction companies and their Texas-based subs. The winery-tasting employees are all from Texas.