I came across a memorial post for Del Taebel by Les Constable. Del Taebel passed away August 31, 2012. He was from Eastern Europe, and taught at UTA. In 1985 he planted a one acre vineyard in Wise County near Sunset, TX. He grew Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and tried very hard to grow Chardonnay. Vineyard was called Cross Timbers.
Sunset is about a 2 hour drive north of here.. He
called it Cross Timbers which is also the name of this area.
In 1991, he and Les Constable made wine from Cross Timbers grapes. Les was so impressed he went on to start the remarkable Brushy Creek Vineyards.
Prior to the ban on commercial wine making during the Prohibition era (1920-1933), there was interest in grape growing and wine making, but the 'majority' culture was oddly puritanical. Based on comments by Munson around 1910, North Texas teetotalers were already making wine makers hide their activities. North Texas seems to have taken the lead in advocating Teetotalism between 1880 and 1910. Between 1933 and 1985, 52 years, few in North Texas tried to do much with wine grapes.
Del Taebel, thank you!
references:
K. Austin Kerr,
"PROHIBITION," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/vap01), accessed November 25, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
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