How the Winery Came About
In 1997, Ben became interested in wine making and tried his hand with a few wine making kits. However, the results were not quite what he had expected; Ben had received some wine from his uncle Helmuth Droemer and this was the type he was trying to copy. At this time, his father Carl, having helped his own father make wine, suggested that they try the old family recipe. In 1998, Carl and Ben picked wild grapes and made 42 gallons of mustang grape wine. They also made a raisin wine and some other fruit wines.

When the wine was complete, it was served at numerous gatherings in the area. Local residents asked us to consider builing a winery in Giddings and marketing our wine. Most of the local residents were familiar with our wine. Most of the local residents were familiar with this type of wine because it was the type they remembered having at "grandpa's house."

As Ben and Carl visited different wineries and grape growers in the area to gain information, they made many new friends and met many wonderful people who were eager to share their knowledge of viniculture and winemaking. They joined the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and attended enology classes at Grayson County College in Dennison, Texas, to learn more about the wine making process.

Carl and Ben discussed contructing a small building on the old home place property to house the new winery. As they considered a possible site, it suddenly dawned on them that the perfect setting for the winery already existed...the Droemer family brick home that had stood vacant for over 20 years!

In 2001, Carl acquired a commercial wine making license and began making wine in a room adjoined to his home. With this license, he started experimenting with different grape varieties and the blending of wines while plans for the restoration and conversion of the old family brick home into a winery were completed.