Kiepersol Winery wins medals at international wine tasting competition

By Coshandra Dillard

Receiving accolades at a world-class wine tasting event has proven to have a positive effect for the Texas wine industry. East Texas’ own Kiepersol Estates Winery brought home a silver medal for their 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and a bronze medal for their 2003 Texas Port at the 2006 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s wine tasting competition.

“If you want to get some recognition in this industry, that’s where you want to enter,” said Kiepersol winemaker Marnelle Durrett. “It’s a growing industry. When I started in 2000, there were 36 (wineries). Six years later, there are 128 in the state.”

The winning wines were auctioned March 4 to benefit agriculture education and exhibits in the Houston area. Kiepersol wines brought in more than $34,000, including a custom 6-liter bottle of Cabernet that sold for $22,000.

Nestled on a 33-acre vineyard off F.M. 344, Kiepersol Winery has provided Texas with a variety of wines since the first vintage was introduced in 2000. Durrett brings expertise to the winery, having completed an apprenticeship at the Trefethen Vineyards in Napa Valley.....for more of the story from Jacksonville Press