Texas wine grape growers report strong quality despite tough 2026 season

Widespread spring frost, heavy disease pressure and a long stretch of summer heat and drought made for another challenging season, but growers who kept ahead of the problems produced high-quality fruit, said Justin Scheiner, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension statewide viticulture specialist and professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Bryan-College Station.

The seasonal challenges were not as unusual as they were widespread. In most years, Texas typically loses part of its crop to a late freeze somewhere in the state but frost in 2026 touched more ground than normal.

“We normally have some sort of late spring freeze event every year, and disease, heat and moisture challenges pop up, but they’re typically regional or in localized areas,” Scheiner said. “This season, those challenges tended to be a little more widespread.”

Frost, disease, then drought

Michael Cook, AgriLife Extension viticulture program specialist and graduate student in the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Denton, said a hard freeze on St. Patrick’s Day hit Hill Country and North Texas vineyards hardest, cutting the potential crop by at least half for early budding varieties such as blanc du bois and many of the newer University of California, Davis, Pierce’s disease-resistant varieties.

The Gulf Coast largely escaped the freeze, and in the High Plains, where most of the state’s wine grapes grow, only the earliest-breaking varieties were affected because most vines were still dormant.

Rain and unusually mild temperatures followed through the spring, fueling heavy vegetative growth and disease pressure from powdery mildew, downy mildew, black rot and botrytis, Scheiner said.

Then conditions flipped. Extreme heat set in in June and held, and many vineyards went a month and a half to two months with little to no rainfall. Managing the canopy, vineyard floor and irrigation was critical to limiting vine stress, Scheiner said.

Grapes also ripened quickly, and harvest wrapped up two to three weeks earlier than usual for most growers under the hot, dry conditions, he said.

“Texas vineyards face challenges every year, but the trick is adapting and applying regimens according to the conditions the season presents,” Scheiner said. “Growers who were able to control disease and other problems had great fruit. Everything we heard, quality-wise, was great.”

Yields, quality vary widely by region

Cook said the High Plains, home to most of the state’s European wine grape acreage, saw yields range from poor to moderate because of multiple frost events. Despite the impact on yields, fruit quality remained high in most vineyards, and many growers there reported their earliest harvest in recent memory, with much of the region finishing by mid-August instead of September.

Hill Country vineyards took the brunt of the St. Patrick’s Day frost, Cook said. Combined with heavy rainfall and historic flooding, disease pressure ran extremely high there, with downy mildew especially persistent. The crop ranged from very poor to average, though quality was good to excellent.

North Texas weathered many of the same swings but came out with some of its best fruit in years, with heavy crop loads for varieties such as picpoul blanc, dolcetto, tannat, grenache, mourvèdre and tempranillo, and exceptional quality.

“This will be a great vintage for North Texas,” Scheiner said.

Reduced yields in some regions could help balance a market still working through softening demand, Scheiner said. National wine consumption has trended downward for four straight years, a slide driven partly by fewer wine-drinkers in the market and broader economic pressures that appear to be cutting into winery visits and broader agritourism impacts.

Wineries with strong wine club sales fared better than those relying on tasting-room traffic. The coming holiday season is typically the industry’s biggest stretch for sales, he said.

Most Texas grape contracts are locked in during the fall and the following spring, before that year’s supply is known, so prices tend to be stable year to year regardless of yield, Scheiner said. Some grape growers left certain blocks unfarmed this year, shifting to other crops or holding off on replacing older vines needed to return to full production.

Pierce’s disease-resistant varieties show promise

Seven years after their release, Pierce’s disease-resistant varieties are starting to show their individual strengths and weaknesses, Scheiner said. Planted in 2019 with first crops in 2022-2023, the varieties are nearing finished wines to taste.

Pierce’s disease is a bacterial pathogen that impacts grapevines and can inflict large-scale damage to vineyards, resulting in significant economic losses to growers. Interest has centered mostly on red wine releases — camminare noir, paseante noir and errante noir. Two white varieties, ambulo blanc and caminante blanc, are also producing with wines processed and casked.

Scheiner hasn’t heard of any outright failures of Pierce’s-resistant vines, but each variety brings its own challenges. Resistance to Pierce’s disease doesn’t mean resistance to other diseases, and most break bud early, which is why the frost hit them hard this year.

“We’re starting to see some separation between the varieties when it comes to production and performance in Texas,” Scheiner said. “But the next couple of years is really when we’ll be able to determine their winemaking quality.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Panhandle

Temperatures cooled across parts of the district, while other areas reported another hot week. Spotty rains fell in some counties, but moisture was still needed throughout. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Corn was in very poor to poor condition. Grain corn harvest continued, and yields ran about 25% of normal production in some areas. Sorghum stands were sparse. Sorghum and cotton were both in very poor to fair condition. Winter wheat planting was underway. Pasture and rangeland conditions were in very poor to good condition. Livestock conditions were very poor to good, and producers fed hay and cubes.

South Plains

Daytime temperatures stayed well above normal and pushed into triple digits, and any moisture that fell evaporated quickly. Rainfall was spotty, with about 0.5 inch in some areas, 1-2 inches in others and as much as 4 inches in a few others. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to short. Forecasts called for cooler temperatures and more rain in the coming week. Producers leaned heavily on wells, and some weighed abandoning acres. Cotton was in very poor to good condition. Dryland cotton browned down completely under the heat and drought, though some irrigated fields held in fair condition. Bolls set and began opening across the district. A few acres were sprayed with boll opener and defoliant, and early harvest got underway in some areas. Corn was in very poor to fair condition. Grain corn harvest continued and stalks were baled for hay. Sorghum was in very poor to fair condition, and several producers baled fields because of low quality or the lack of a seed head. Winter small grains were planted. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair with little to no new growth in drier areas. Livestock conditions were very poor to fair, and producers fed hay and supplemental nutrition.

Rolling Plains

Extreme heat and dry south winds held for another week, with temperatures at or around 100 degrees in some areas. Rain was limited to about 0.5 inch over the weekend in some counties and as much as 1.2 inches from late-week showers in others. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate, though subsoil moisture ran very low where wheat ground was worked. Forecasts called for the extreme heat to moderate as rain chances improved. Ponds went dry and wildfire danger was a concern. Cotton was in very poor to poor condition. The crop browned down across much of the district and producers began destroying fields. Wheat ground was plowed and prepared. Winter wheat planting inched forward, with some growers dry sowing in hopes of rain and others waiting on moisture. Recent rains were expected to improve crops and range conditions slightly. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair, and finding pasture with green vegetation was difficult. Livestock conditions were very poor to good. Producers fed cake and hay, but hay quality was poor and the shortage showed in cattle condition. Some producers weaned early and shipped calves while others held on. Deer food plots were planted in hopes of rain.

North

Another hot, dry week gripped the district. Rain fell in some areas Sunday night, ranging from trace amounts to 4.26 inches depending on location. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate, and topsoil was completely depleted in some counties. Pond levels and water quality continued to decline. Trees dropped leaves prematurely. Corn was in good to excellent condition and harvest was complete. Cotton was in fair to good condition and harvest was underway. Sorghum was in fair to good condition, and what remained was likely to be cut for hay. Soybeans were in fair to excellent condition, though late-planted fields failed or showed poor pod set. Extreme heat and drought kept fall vegetable planting on hold, with soil temperatures too high even under irrigation. Wheat ground was being prepared, and forage winter wheat was being planted, though soil moisture was not enough to germinate stands in some areas. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair. Hay baling continued, though much of the grass was already burned up. Livestock conditions were fair to good despite the forage situation, and some producers were feeding hay. Feral hogs were active.

East

Hot conditions and steady winds dried soils across most of the district, with lows in the 70s and highs in the 90s. Trace amounts of rainfall were reported in some areas. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Ponds, lakes and rivers dropped, and some producers hauled water to livestock. Cyanobacteria blooms were reported in farm ponds. Burn bans remained in effect in several counties, though one was lifted. Corn, sorghum, cotton, rice, peanuts and soybeans were in good to excellent condition. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Recent rainfall improved pastures and hay meadows in some areas, while forage elsewhere went dormant and pastures turned brown and ran short of grass. Hay cutting continued where conditions allowed. Producers held off planting winter pastures. Heavy fall armyworm infestations were reported widely in parts of the district. Livestock conditions were poor to excellent, and producers supplemented livestock diets with hay. Cattle markets were steady, though the market softened and prices continued a downward trend at some sale barns.

Far West

Conditions varied sharply across the district. Temperatures ran well above normal in eastern areas, while the Big Bend saw highs in the upper 80s to low 90s at the higher elevations and other areas held in the 90s with higher humidity. Scattered showers and thunderstorms were widespread in some areas, trace amounts fell in others and some parts of the district recorded no measurable rainfall. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Irrigation water was becoming scarce in the El Paso area. Cotton was in very poor to good condition. Whitefly was found in cotton and could become a problem if not controlled. Harvest began in a couple fields, though most growers did not expect to start on irrigated cotton until the first part of October and on dryland until after a hard freeze. Plants in some areas carried small bolls that may not open at maturity, and water was turned off elsewhere so the crop could finish out. In the El Paso area, cotton was on its last irrigation. Both cotton and pecans carried a load that could produce very well, while alfalfa could take another couple of irrigations. Sorghum was in very poor to fair condition and harvest was mostly complete, with poor yields as expected. Some sorghum and haygrazer was rolled up into hay. Winter wheat planting was underway, helped by light showers in some areas, and more planting was expected to follow cotton. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Light rain gave range grasses a small boost in some areas, while pastures slipped elsewhere and rangeland showed signs of stress. Livestock conditions were poor to good. Extreme heat and the lack of green forage increased supplemental feeding, and producers watched water supplies closely. Fall shipping continued for beef cattle producers. Wildlife populations were steady; producers fed wildlife, and hunting season activities began to pick up.

West Central

Hot, dry conditions continued across the district, with daily highs around 100 degrees in some areas and no relief from 90-degree days in others. A couple of rains of more than 1 inch improved topsoil moisture in some areas, but most of the district received little or no rainfall. Topsoil moisture levels were very short to short while subsoil conditions were very short to adequate. Stock tanks and other livestock water sources dropped and needed heavy rainfall runoff to refill. Wildfire danger was high and many fires were reported. Trees turned brown and dropped leaves. Cotton was in poor to fair condition. The crop was done and suffering in some areas, and below average yields were expected. Corn was in poor to fair condition, and sorghum was very poor to fair. Winter wheat and oats were being dry planted in anticipation of rain. Other producers waited for rain to plant, and some ranchers said diesel prices could keep them from planting wheat at all. Pecan trees dropped leaves and nuts prematurely in some areas. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Grass dried out and forage growth was limited. Round forage bales were being moved around the district, early in the season. Livestock conditions were poor to good, and supplemental feeding continued. Prices were steady to lower depending on class and weight. Stocker steers sold steady to higher and lightweight stocker heifers sold $3 to $4 higher per hundredweight while heavier stocker heifers were steady to $3 lower per hundredweight.

Central

Hot and extremely dry conditions dominated the district. One area received a good rain, but most counties reported none. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to surplus. Stock tank and lake levels dropped to concerning levels, and fires were reported in some areas. Corn was in poor to excellent condition and harvest was ongoing, while second-crop corn under irrigation looked good. Cotton was in poor to excellent condition, with harvest nearing completion in some areas and in full swing in others. Sorghum was in fair to good condition. Soybean harvest was also underway. Fieldwork, tillage and plowing with fertilizer continued ahead of cool-season crop sowing. Rain was needed to establish cool-season grasses for the winter. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair. Grass went dormant as improved pasture and native forage stayed stressed, and dryland forage production was particularly limited. Non-irrigated hay fields turned brown. Pasture mealybug pressure continued, including in Bahia grass, and producers were initiating control sprays. Livestock conditions were very poor to excellent. Producers fed hay and supplements in abundance and monitored water supplies and body condition, and cattle lost some condition in places. Prussic acid poisoning was reported in the district.

Southeast

Hot and mostly dry conditions held across the district, with temperatures in the low- to mid-90s. Rainfall was limited or absent in most counties, and fields dried out. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to surplus. Drought conditions worsened in some areas. Corn sorghum and rice harvests were complete. Cotton was in good to excellent condition and harvest was nearly complete. Ground was being prepared for ryegrass. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good, and conditions still favored growth in some areas. Pasture mealybug remained a problem in several counties, including in turfgrass, and armyworms and grasshoppers hit hay fields. Livestock conditions were fair to excellent.

Southwest

Hot, dry and windy conditions persisted across the district, with humid days in some areas and strong afternoon winds on several days. Rainfall was absent in most counties, with only trace amounts reported. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Stream flows slowed. Wildfire danger climbed, with numerous small fires reported and one wildfire that burned approximately 9,000 acres of rangeland. Corn was in fair condition and harvest was wrapping up. Cotton was in fair to good condition, with harvest winding up in some areas and expected to begin soon in others. Average cotton yields were expected. Sorghum was in fair to excellent condition. Small-grain fields were plowed, and some fields were planted dry while producers waited on rain. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Forages dried and turned brown, and little active growth was noted. Apart from irrigated fields, conditions for grazing and making good quality hay had passed. Pasture mealybug took a toll on native pastures and hay fields, and insect pressure stayed high as pests searched for forage. Livestock conditions were fair to good, and body condition declined. Producers supplemented livestock and wildlife diets heavily. Cattle prices took a good hit while sheep prices increased.

Coastal Bend

Hot and dry conditions continued across the district, with daily highs in the mid- to upper-90s after a break from 100-degree days. Rainfall was scattered and light, and some counties had no significant rain over the past month. Topsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate while subsoil conditions ranged very short to short. Cotton was in poor to excellent condition. Harvest was complete in some areas, though late-planted fields could push harvest well into late October. Yields ran a little better than expected in some areas and were fair in others. Planting dates had a major influence on fiber quality and yields. Corn and sorghum were both in poor to good condition, and the latest cotton and sorghum plantings were likely to be zeroed out. Tractors ran hard breaking ground, and cotton stalks were being sprayed or plowed out. Winter pastureland preparation and planting were on hold until soil moisture improved, and little cool-season forage planting was expected. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Pastures improved where rain fell but declined across most of the district. Hay growth was slow. Pasture mealybug issues were reported across some counties. Livestock conditions were very poor to excellent. Many cattle producers began feeding hay more than 60 days earlier than in average years. A good number of fall calves hit the ground.

South

Hot, dry and humid conditions persisted across the district, with temperatures above 100 degrees daily in some areas and high winds. Most counties reported no rainfall, though scattered and isolated showers delivered trace amounts in places and parts of the district received up to 1 inch. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Wind and high temperatures dried lakes, ponds and water tanks quickly. Cotton was in very poor to good condition. Harvest was complete in most areas, while late-planted cotton, sunflowers and sesame remained in the field elsewhere. Sesame harvest was nearly complete under favorable dry weather. Corn and sorghum were both in fair to good condition, with late sorghum close to harvest. Peanuts were in fair to good condition and continued to be irrigated. Citrus producers irrigated orchards in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and some producers prepared to begin harvest of certain varieties. Irrigated hay fields were cut, baled and watered. Strawberry producers completed fieldwork. Row-crop producers prepared fields for next year’s crops, though high fuel prices raised land-preparation costs and tractors were left idle in some areas. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Pastures deteriorated across most of the district, with improved pasture acres still grazeable while native brush pasture was not. Range greened up where rain fell last week. Livestock conditions were very poor to good. Producers supplemented livestock diets with hay, protein and concentrates as forage quality declined, and body condition continued to slip. Feed and hay purchases increased. Cattle prices strengthened at some auction barns across all classes, while other markets reported below average offerings with steady prices. Dove season ran well above average, with excellent white-winged dove numbers and high quail populations.