Today we’d like to introduce you to Carole Horne.
Hi Carole, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our story is a family one. There has always been a solid entrepreneurial drive in our family. The four of us who own our winery have been a CPA with his own business who also owned his own construction company that built million-dollar homes in Lakeway; a woman who has owned multiple businesses, has been a life/fitness coach and planned and developed entire suburban neighborhoods; a successful data center engineer who is always looking for the next complex project to tackle; and a woman who left the tech industry in Austin to focus her attention on her passion for pairing all types of food with wine and to cultivate an inviting and warm experience for every customer who steps foot through her door. We all share a deep love of wine and have taken many trips worldwide to taste and explore local cuisine and fully immerse ourselves in the grape-growing and winemaking processes of all the places we have visited. Our journey began when we visited many Texas wineries, got to know the owners/winemakers, and realized that the Texas terroir and climate produced some astoundingly delicious wines. In 2015, we started seriously discussing becoming part of what we knew would become an explosive market for Texas. We bought our land in Burnet (always up for a challenge; we strayed from Fredericksburg, where the majority of wineries in our area are concentrated), planted our first 3,500 vines in 2018, and built and opened our tasting room in 2019. We have five varietals planted on approximately nine of our fifteen acres (more to come in 2024). First planted in 2018, our philosophy was to plant and grow vines that best reflect Texas terroir. From Tannat, Mourvèdre, and Alicante Bouschet (Southern France) to Souzão (Portugal) to Vermentino (Italy), these varietals were chosen because they thrive in the similar warm climate that we share. Not shy to taking risks and being mavericks, we chose these (for the most part uncommon varieties) with a passion for making award-winning wines that best showcase Texas Hill Country terroir. We didn’t want to settle on household name varieties. From grape to bottle, we strive to provide an inviting, delicious, and Texas-style experience to everyone who visits us.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Covid happened 6 months after we opened, which was difficult for the Texas wine industry as a whole, but we navigated it with the help of our fabulous customers and quick thinking. Our expansive grounds and majestic centuries-old oak grove provided a socially distanced spot for people to get out of the house and into the vines to enjoy wine without consequence.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a family-owned vineyard and winery. We focus on making and providing amazingly crafted top-tier boutique wines and a warm family atmosphere in our tasting room every time you visit. We’re known for elevated experiences that transcend typical tastings. Wine, to us, is best when shared with family and friends and, of course, with food! We offer food and wine pairings numerous times yearly to help develop your evolving taste in wine.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The Texas wine industry continues to explode, expand, and evolve. While we’re still in the “Wild West” of winemaking and grape growing, we feel incredibly optimistic about where this industry is today and where it’s headed as we finally begin to identify what grows best in Texas and what best expresses our terroir.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.7creeksvineyard.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7creeksvineyard
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/7creeksvineyard
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7-creeks-vineyard-llc/about/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/7-creeks-vineyard-burnet
Image Credits
7 Creeks Vineyard/Carole Horne
