Texas boasts the first vineyards planted in what is now the United States, in 1662 near El Paso by Franciscan priests. European settlers, especially Germans, followed with more plantings and wine production in the 1880’s, which of course was wiped out by Prohibition, though Val Verde Winery (est. 1883) somehow managed to survive. The modern … Read more

Shutdown Showdown (Again) “CR?” That abbreviated question is common on Capitol Hill each fall, when the government is about to run out of money and there’s no new budget in sight. The initials stand for Continuing Resolution, a.k.a. Kicking the Can Down the Road. In other words, we’ll continue spending the same amounts until we … Read more

The Volunteer State first had grapes and wine in the 1800’s, but as elsewhere the industry was wiped out by Prohibition. Today the wineries are spread across the state, with one statewide Wine Trail having Eastern, Middle, and Western sections for wine lovers to visit. That trail was formed just a year ago, and this … Read more

Label Approvals: Submit Now Yes, we’ve warned of a potential government shutdown before and it didn’t happen, but this time it’s far more likely due to the ongoing chaos in the House. This would occur on November 17, meaning TTB would close, and label approval turnarounds would go from a couple days to weeks or … Read more

South Dakota Wine Country South Dakota had its first vineyard in the 1800’s, but it wasn’t until the 1990’s that today’s wine industry began to take root. The state’s northern latitude in the middle of the country brings temperature extremes of very hot summers and very cold winters that are not particularly conducive to growing … Read more