History of Camp County Viticulture
Running Head: HISTORY OF CAMP COUNTY VITICULTURE
History of the
Viticulture Industry in Camp County,
Texas
Phillip A. Jones
Texas A&M University
Texarkana
1
History of Camp County Viticulture
2
Texan’s have many reasons to be proud of their state. One source of pride is the
viticulture industry. Texas wines win awards and compete with the best the world offers,
such as Jacob’s Creek from southern Australia, winner of three Silver Medals in 2007, or
Barefoot Cellars of Napa, California which proudly mention on their bottles, that they
won twenty plus awards since 2005. Table grapes are also continually being studied and
tested for viability as a production crop for Texas. Another reason of pride is the ability
of some Texans to buck trends, go against the grain and succeed when conventional
wisdom says it cannot be done. Camp County, located in the northern half of east Texas,
has three such entities, producing grapes. Their historic contributions to an increasing
Texas viticulture industry are waiting to be told. This is a modest attempt to do just that.
East Texas as a region is considered “grape disease territory,” and Camp County
is located wholly within this region (McEachern, 2003). Diseases fatal or near fatal to
grapes prevalent in Camp County are Black Rot, a fungal disease, and Pierce’s Disease,
which is bacterial in nature (McEachern, 2003, Burns, 2004). Because of the prevalence
of these diseases, the common practice for wineries located in the east Texas region is to
bottle wine from grapes grown in other regions of the state or nation. A good example of
this is another recent startup in East Texas, LouViney Vineyard and Winery located in
Wood County (Marshall, 2007, pp.203-205). One vineyard, Headwaters Farm and two
wineries, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards and St. Rose Vineyard & Winery are attempting to
reverse that trend.
Los Pinos Ranch has created a “Texas Niche” in Camp County (East Texas
Journal, 2005). The vineyard grows varieties of vinifera grapes, and produces and
bottles its own wine, with a present production level of 5,000 cases annually (Lankford,
History of Camp County Viticulture
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2007). The self-promotion efforts of this vineyard have been noted and are creating
increasing interest about viticulture in East Texas. There are many varieties of vinifera
grapes and these cultivars are what the majority of the Texas viticulture industry
concentrates on growing. This fact is shown by the time and effort spent on cultivar trial
plantings and constant testing (Lipe, Davenport, 2004). These continual trials support an
industry response guided towards wine production as opposed to table grapes. St. Rose
Vineyard & Winery, nee Guerra Vineyard & Winery has taken a completely different
track, with increasing recognition outside of self-promotion. They are producing awardwinning wine from the Muscadine grape (Siegel, 2007).
A word about Muscadine grapes. Long considered unsuitable for wine
production, Muscadine grapes have been modernized and improved through extensive
breeding programs located at Universities in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South
Carolina (Hoffman, 2005). Hoffman also mentions they are resistant to many of the
diseases that affect vinifera cultivars, and have great potential in the Texas Market
(2005). These two wineries are ignoring conventional wisdom that grapes, which will
make quality wines, cannot grow in East Texas. Each one is contributing to Texas
viticulture using two of the six “types” of grape grown in Texas. These types are Vitis
vinifera, French X American hybrids, American varieties, Muscadines [Vitis
rotundifolia], rootstocks, and natives (McEachern, 2003). Native varieties and American
varieties may be considered the same thing to laymen’, however, the two are as distinctly
different as a housecat and a tiger, same Genus, different species. These differences
include fruit size, skin thickness, bunching characteristics, and leaf shape. In order to
give the story of Los Pinos, St. Rose, and Headwaters Farm vineyards their true
History of Camp County Viticulture
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perspective, a general overview of the viticulture industry’s checkered past in Texas is
needed.
McEachern contends “Grapes have grown naturally along rivers and streams in
Texas for thousands of years” (2003). While others claim that viticulture in Texas is only
three centuries old and was introduced by European settlers, especially Franciscan monks
(Handbook of Texas, 2001). Anthropologists and Historians can conceive that the earliest
tribes of man in Texas did realize grapes were, at the least a food source, and took steps
to protect the vines.* This, in the purest theoretical sense of viticulture constitutes
viticulture by this author’s standard. However the traditional cultivated vineyard must be
credited to “Franciscans who in 1682 established a mission at Ysleta … near El Paso”
(Handbook, 2001, McEachern, 2003). Texas Wine Ambassador Program, or T.W.A.P.,
helps those interested in Texas viticulture history by dividing it into five “eras” the time
before prohibition (pre 1919), the time following prohibition (post 1933), and the final
three eras beginning in the early 1970’s (T.W.A.P., 2007). These final three eras break
down to approximately the early 1970’s, when interest was expanding, the rapid
expansion of the 1980’s where production increased exponentially, and post 1980’s
(Handbook, 2001).
The time before prohibition gave viticulture one of its greatest minds. Thomas V.
Munson of Denison Texas catalogued the 1,000 varieties of grape native to North
America and Texas between 1880 and 1910 (Handbook, 2001 McEachern, 2003). He
*
Explanatory note: Michael C. Meyer, William L. Sherman, and Susan M. Deeds authors of The Course of
Mexican History, 7th ed. (New York: Oxford Press, 2003) on page 4 provide a chart listing the evolution
periods of humans in Mexican areas of North America. On this chart the time frame of 8000-2000 B.C.
show the “Slowly evolving domestication of food plants.” Thomas A. Bailey, David M. Kennedy, and
Lizabeth Cohen authors of The American Pageant, 11th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998) on page 9,
note the role that increasing agriculture had on Native American lives and where the settlements would
“periodically gather into encampments along a riverbank.” While these gatherings were mainly for fishing,
agriculture in the form of gathering edible plants occurred by the women of hunter-gatherer tribes.
History of Camp County Viticulture
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established a nursery in Denison, which allowed him to propagate and ship grapevines
throughout the South (McEachern, 2003). It was at this nursery where Wagner credits
him with the discovery of one of the best “native” species for wine making, the Catawba
(1933, p. 50). Chemistry of Winemaking even cites him in many chapters determining
which grapes make good “native American” wines (Webb, et al, 1974). Muscadines
were not considered as suitable for wine production. Wagner also notes that Munson
himself “admitted that out of the 75,000 seedlings which he grew, not more than 100
could be looked upon as worth perpetuating” (1933, p. 67).
It was during the early 1900’s some progress in the viticulture industry was made
as small wineries were sprinkled around Texas, such as Fredericksburg, Brenham, and El
Paso (Handbook, 2001). Munson undoubtedly helped these wineries either through the
provision of stock, or the knowledge gleaned from his research. Prohibition effectively
ended commercial viticulture in Texas with only Val Verde Winery surviving
(McEachern, 2003). Between the end of Prohibition in 1933 and the late 1960’s there
was little interest in commercial viticulture.
The general public’s revived interest in wine starting in the late 1960’s ended the
practice of viticulture mainly conducted by small growers for home or local consumption
(Handbook, 2001). The tale of Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards, St. Rose Vineyards, and
Headwaters Farm starts in the later half of this revival, in fact not until after the turn of
the century. However, disease and climate are such limiting factors for viticulture in
Texas that one more aside from their story is required to explain the effects of both and
provide some insight into why Los Pinos, St. Rose, and Headwaters Farm are defying
historical norms.
History of Camp County Viticulture
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It was during the time of little interest in viticulture that extensive trial plantings
conducted by the Texas A&M University Extension service helped to delineate regions
and viability of grape species for commercial production (McEachern, 2003). The Texas
Winery Guide or T.W.G. divides the state into four distinct regions: central, north,
southeast, and west (2007). McEachern further divides the regions into the South Plains,
Far west, Hill country, West Cross timber, East, and South (2003). These trials identified
the prevalent climate and disease issues that have to be addressed by viticulturists
throughout Texas. East Texas, where Camp County is located, is in the North region or
the East region depending on which authority cited (T.W.G., 2007, McEachern, 2003).
Specific disease’s affecting Camp County have already been addressed, those being
Black Rot and Pierces Disease, which makes cold hardiness a major climatic concern, of
many for both of these two vineyards in Camp County. Cold hardiness is an issue
because some varieties of grapes do not do well when the temperature goes below
freezing.
Pierces’s Disease, a major factor in Camp County, is extremely hazardous to
vinifera cultivars. The disease can completely destroy a vineyard causing “grape clusters
to shrivel and the stem of the vine to grow stunted and misshapen” (Burns, 2004). It is
such a problem and threat to the viticulture industry that numerous “multi-institution
interdisciplinary” programs are working on ways to manage Pierce’s (Hellman, 2006).
One of these is a DNA study conducted to fight Pierce’s in the Texas hill country region
(Burns 2004). Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards is involved in assisting researchers of this
disease (Sneed, 2008). Armed with this necessary information, Camp County Texas
viticultural history can now be told.
History of Camp County Viticulture
7
N
Pct 2
Dry
Pct 3
Wet
Pct 4
Dry
Pct 1
Dry
Camp County and Precinct’s with Alcohol sale’s Status
Camp County Texas was formed out of Upshur County on April 6, 1874 by an act
of the Texas Legislature. (Spencer, 1974, p. ix) For all of its existence it has been
primarily agrarian and largely rural. The county is best known as the birthplace and
headquarters of Pilgrim’s Pride, the largest poultry producer in the United States. It has
also been a “DRY” county, meaning a total ban on alcohol, until the voters of the third
precinct voted themselves “WET” in 1978 (CNTY CT Minutes Vol. 10, p. 602). This
distinction is important as all the vineyards and wineries are located in the remaining
three “DRY” precincts.
The growing of sustenance crops for their own families and a very few cash crops
was the focus of agriculture in the early years of the county. These early cash crops were
cotton, sweet potatoes, and pecans (Spencer, 1974, 135-137). The copy of the United
States Agriculture Census for 1880, stored in the records of Camp County’s Faye
History of Camp County Viticulture
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McMinn Genealogical Research Center, lists by precinct the farmers and ranchers of
Camp County.
Vineyard Locations
N
St. Rose
Vineyard &
Winery
Headwaters
Farm
Pittsburg
Wet
Precinct
Los Pinos
Vineyards
Los Pinos Vineyards
St. Rose Vineyard & Winery
Headwaters Farm
On this form there is a column for listing the number of acres planted in vineyard.
While most sections are illegible, the ones clear enough to read show that no vineyards,
commercial or private, were noted then. Evidence of viticulture activity is not found in
the United States Agricultural Census until the year 1987 (Ag Census, 1987). In that year
there is recorded a total of three farms in Camp County with a total of seventy-two vines
of bearing age. In 1997 the number of farms had increased by one, Guerra Vineyard, to
four and the data on number of bearing plants is withheld to protect individual farms.
This is not an auspicious start. The growing of grapes for other than home consumption
was likely not considered by farmers busy working to feed themselves and their families.
History of Camp County Viticulture
9
Viticulture as a business was non-existent. Still, attempts at winemaking of a sort went
on as the following recollection shows.
One of the earliest memories of Kitty Bynum, born and raised in Camp County, is
of traipsing after her older brothers and sisters during the late 1930’s, early 40’s as they
harvested the wild Muscadines that grew along the creeks of her family’s farm in the
southern part of the county (2007). She remembers that once they had enough to fill a
“big ol’ [sic] jug” about three-fourths full, they would crush the gathered grapes, put
them in the jar, seal it, and then bury it in the woods for six to eight months (Bynum,
2007). This concoction would ferment into a primitive sort of wine, which her older
siblings would mix with water and add sugar if needed, then drink. This process was far
from the refined methods and product being produced from genetically the same grape
today at the St. Rose Vineyard and Winery.
St. Rose Vineyard and Winery began life in 1994, with initial plantings, a deep
well, and installation of irrigation, which makes it the oldest verifiable existing vineyard
in Camp County. The winery is the project of the late Rosemary Guerra and is presently
owned by her daughter and son-in-law Mark and Ann Arra. Business started as Guerra
Vineyard and Winery in 2005 with the name being changed to St. Rose in late 2007 to
honor the late founder (Arra, 2007). A short version of how Mrs. Guerra started the
winery can be found in The Wine Roads of Texas, by Wes Marshall.
As Marshall states in his opening paragraph on Guerra Vineyard, Rosemary and
her husband Dr. Manuel Guerra had spent the last forty years in Pittsburg TX (2007,
200). Marshall was able to speak with Mrs. Guerra prior to her passing on February 3,
2007. Her husband, who still practices medicine in Pittsburg, survives her. Dr. Guerra
History of Camp County Viticulture 10
established his practice in Camp County in January of 1966 and Rosemary worked with
him for the remainder of her life, both in the office and as a lab technician (Pittsburg
Gazette, 2007; Camp County Customs & Characters, 1986).
Rosemary Guerra, who graduated with a B.S. degree in Microbiology from Iowa
State, went to Grayson County College in Denison and studied viticulture and enology at
the school established there in honor of T.V. Munson. Her degree and work as a lab
technician for her husband’s practice gave her a good grounding in the chemistry needed
to eventually produce quality wine. Testament is the numerous awards handed out by
appreciative judges when judged at wine tasting events like GrapeFest, mentioned further
below (Siegel, 2007).
Ann, present owner and Rose’s daughter, second generation viticulturist explains
that when her mother initially planted the vineyard on the family property northwest of
town, it was to indulge her love of farming, as well as provide both her and Dr. Guerra
“something to do” when they retired (Arra, 2007). That was the plan, but her untimely
passage and his continued practicing of medicine is allowing Ann and her husband Mark
to finish Rose’s dream. The winery and tasting room sit on approximately 50 acres of
gently sloping land in the lower half of the northwest corner of Camp County. There are
approximately 4 acres under vine with 800 plants in cultivation (Arra, 2007, Marshall,
2007, p.201). These are divided into sections based on type of Muscadine. ISON, a
patented dark variety, and Carlos a bronze variety, are just two of the types she planted.
As a daughter of a farm family growing up, and with a love for the land, Rose understood
that farmers have to work with the land not against it. This was the driving reason she
chose to plant Muscadine varieties of grape instead of vinifera types to grow. The natural
History of Camp County Viticulture 11
hardiness of the Muscadine and a sensible pest control plan are the only concessions
made by the vineyard to the prevalent disease and climate issues that would be so
damaging. Her common sense can be seen throughout the vineyard. The supports for the
wires are recycled railroad ties, and the wire for the vines to trail on is plain barbed wire,
which is less expensive and readily available in Texas displaying her foresight and thrift.
The tasting room itself is also recycled, as a promotional flyer states. It is believed to be
one hundred years old, and was a sweet potato smoke house (Arra, 2007).
The initial planting of grapevines was in 1994 and is located closest to the road
and next to the wood frame building that is now the office of Joe Carattini, a family
friend from Ecuador who Ann has employed to manage the day-to-day operations of the
vineyard. At the time the Guerra’s purchased the property it was the farmhouse. As
Marshall quotes and Carattini explains with Ann filling in any missing information, the
initial offerings from the vineyard were jams, jellies, syrups, and preserves (2007). The
large number and sheer vitality of the plant, as Rose was quoted explaining to Marshall
“In our ground, Muscadine grows so fast that the shoots will touch each other…within
days” (2007, p. 200), soon had Rose trying to find ways to use the grapes. Grapes were
initially advertised as a “U-pick” operation to anyone who wanted to come and pick.
Things then progressed to selling grapes and all the above-mentioned types of grape
products at local and regional farmers markets (Arra, 2007). Eventually even these efforts
were not enough to handle the amounts of grapes grown and the winery was created.
Opening for business as a winery in 2005, St. Rose continued to make the fruit
wine she had been producing and used her skill with chemistry to start making award
winning Muscadine wine. Rose’s handwritten notebook, or diary, still in use by Ann
History of Camp County Viticulture 12
with chemical models of the ingredients, lists of how much of each ingredient to add and
other vitally important information is amazing to read. There is no doubt after examining
this book and tasting the results of such meticulous care as to why St. Rose Signature Red
won a Silver medal at the 2006 Lone Star Wine Competition and a Gold medal in 2007 at
the same competition. These competitions are tasting’s where connoisseurs, Enologists
(wine scientists), and critics judge samples of wine by drinking them and comparing them
against their peer wines. The same wine was the 2007 People’s Choice award winner at
the 2007 GrapeFest, a trade show, or celebration sponsored by the city of Grapevine
Texas annually, to celebrate Texas viticulture. FoxyBlue and FoxyPeach two other
varieties of Muscadine/fruit proprietary blends won 3rd and 2nd place respectively at the
very same GrapeFest. This is an amazing accomplishment for a winery in its first two
years of production and bodes well for the future.
Another aspect of growth is the increasing expansion of the distribution network.
The high quality of the wine has overcome some initial unease by connoisseurs who
would snub their nose at Muscadine wine (Arra, 2007). The wine is found in many
package stores throughout east Texas and in the DFW Metro-area. Carrattini mentions
that demand for St. Rose wine in the Tyler area is such that a partnership with another
east Texas winery licensed to conduct wine sales in that community was forged and the
sales are so brisk, wine cannot be kept in stock at the Tyler location. With this rosy
future, Rosemary Guerra must truly be smiling about how the results of her “finding
something to do” have turned out and appear to be developing (Arra, 2007).
Headwaters Farm started as a dream in 1999. Graduating from Trinity Valley
Community College in December of that year, with a degree in Horticulture, Phillip
History of Camp County Viticulture 13
Jones looked to expand the landscape maintenance company he owned into the nursery
business and started looking for land away from the DFW metroplex. Jones and family,
along with his brother Brent Jones’ family, began to remove themselves from Dallas
Texas and found their quiet spot in the country. This was achieved in July 2000 as a 24acre tract of heavily wooded and neglected property, located in the western side of Camp
County, was won in a bidding process through the Texas Veterans Commission Land
Board (Jones, 2008).
Starting to clear swathes of trees and brush in an agonizingly slow process of
slash and burn, an area for Phillip’s home was cleared and initial nursery infrastructure
was installed. Every spare weekend and vacation in 2000 and 2001 was used and the
final occupation of home and farm occurred in late September 2001. On September 11,
2001 a water well for the irrigation system was dug (Jones, 2008). Initial elements of the
vineyard to come were discussed as a viable alternative to the landscape maintenance
business at this time. Discussion was prompted by discovery of the remains of an
abandoned homestead with four grapevines planted in a semblance of rows.
Continuing the above mentioned landscape maintenance business, and returning
all capital to the improvement of the farm, the decision was made to cease landscape
maintenance and concentrate on viticulture as the primary source of income. Headwaters
Farm started business in January of 2002 growing Muscadine Grapes (Jones, 2008).
Jones was completely unaware of the previously mentioned efforts of the Guerra’s, at this
time. Only later upon his return from service in Iraq in 2004-05, as a combat engineer,
and the subsequent opening of St. Rose Vineyard &Winery did he discover his idea of
History of Camp County Viticulture 14
growing Muscadines in Camp County commercially was not unique and had begun years
earlier.
The initial planting of twenty Muscadines happened in December of 2001. Five
rows of four vines each containing the varieties Noble, Carlos, Scuppernong, and Hunt
were put in on the southerly facing slope of the high north side of the property in what
had been a grown over pasture. Further clearing, again by hand using slash and burn,
resulted in the area being ready for expansion by another sixty vines in January of 2004.
Jones’ wife Shelley and two sons Jacob and Jeremiah built all the trellis and supports, as
well as planted the new vines by themselves. Jones was mobilized for Operation Iraqi
Freedom in December 2003 and unable to participate.
It was during the fall of 2003 the initial planting of twenty vines produced their
first crop. Shelley quickly turned this into jelly and sold out all twenty cases by
December. Returning to Headwaters in March of 2005, Jones and family worked on
finding an outlet for literally the fruits of their labor. This was realized with a partnership
between Jones and Brent to utilize a store- front on highway 80 in Mineola, Texas selling
Headwaters Farm jams and jellies, and produce grown by Brent’s family in Mineola.
Sales have increased almost yearly and the future appears good for continued growth
(Jones, 2008).
In 2005 the drought almost claimed the vineyard at Headwaters Farm. It was in
the fall the water in the well put in on September 11th had fallen to a level the pump could
not reach. Fortunately some quick financial restructuring allowed for a short-term
solution of connecting to the community water supply and a long-term fix by the
construction of a pond in January 2006 to hold water as a supplement to the well.
History of Camp County Viticulture 15
Climatic and disease issues have been addressed, as well as can be, by planting
Muscadine grapes. Doing so shows Headwaters Farm conceding, as has St. Rose
Vineyard &Winery, to nature by choosing the hardier species of grapevine. A few other
varieties of Muscadine were planted and they are Higgins, ISON, and Dixieland added to
the previously mentioned varieties. The years 2006 and 2007 saw the latest expansion by
another two sections to bring the total acreage “under vine” up to two and a half and a
total of 152 vines in the ground by the start of 2008. An Internet website was started to
market jellies in 2007 with the first sales coming early in the first months of 2008. At
this time there are no plans to enter the winemaking side of viticulture. There exists
however, the possibility of providing grapes to others for winemaking.
Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards is the end result of a desire to make quality wine. Jeff
Sneed, a native Californian trained as an architectural engineer, moved to Camp County
Texas on December 4, 2000, to begin to make wine (Lankford, 2007; Marshall, 2007, p.
202; Sneed, 2008). Sneed searched for his property carefully and thoroughly (Marshall,
p. 202, 2007). Sneed had done enough research into the process of growing grapes in
Texas that he was aware of the disease issues he faced in East Texas. Undaunted by the
challenge he deliberately chose the Camp County property for three reasons: a.) he
wanted to live “in the country”, b.) West Texas may be the place to grow grapes, but east
Texas is the place to sell wine, and c.) he simply liked the way the property looked
(Sneed, 2008).
As Marshall notes, four months after purchase Sneed was installing his vineyard
(2007, p.202). Aware that he was bucking the trend mentioned earlier, of bottling wine
in east Texas from grapes grown in other regions of the state, Sneed diligently planted
History of Camp County Viticulture 16
vinifera species of grape and put ten acres of his forty acres ‘under vine’ (Lankford,
2007; 2008). Planting the vinifera varieties of Blanc du Bois, Black Spanish, Cynthiana,
Cabernet Sauvignon, one row of Champanelle for jelly, and an experimental lot of
Carbonara grapes, he did make concessions to the disease factor (Lankford, 2007; Sneed,
2008). Blanc du Bois and Black Spanish are the varieties that have proven to be Pierce’s
disease resistant. Sneed has one other concession to disease: a long-term contract for
grapes with a property in west Texas to help ensure steady production levels (2008).
Lankford cites and Sneed confirmed that the Carbonara lot is the only planting of this
type outside of the nation of Chile (2007; Sneed, 2008).
Sneed’s success with these varieties of vinifera has attracted the attention of the
Texas Agriculture Department. He is presently on the state advisory board for viticulture
for this region. The state will even be conducting research studies for improved disease
resistant varieties at Los Pinos (Sneed, 2008). These research studies guarantee
viticulture in Camp County must be mentioned in years to come when Texas viticulture is
discussed. This places Camp County in a position much like the early 1900 test
vineyards, which cannot be left out of a history of Texas viticulture if thoroughness is the
objective. Sneed’s position on the advisory board and the investment in Camp County
research has occurred since 2005, when state involvement in the viticulture industry
increased.
The years of 2001 and 2002 were spent laying the groundwork for what are
presently four businesses, if considered separately, and starting them from nothing. The
four distinct sectors of the vineyard operation as Sneed explains are the farming of the
History of Camp County Viticulture 17
vineyard, manufacturing of the wine, retailing of his finished product, and finally the
onsite restaurant where cuisine complimenting his wines is served (2008).
Sneed knew very early he had made the right choice in location. During
conversion of the old barn on the property into the tasting room/retail area/restaurant
Sneed ran into trouble. Pouring concrete for a floor in the barn he had to get the concrete
poured into the bucket of his tractor and then carried it to the part of the barn he was
pouring the concrete in. Due to the temperature and distance between the truck and the
pour rate into the bucket, the concrete was starting to harden before Sneed could get to
spreading the growing approximately three and one half foot tall pile. When he jumped
off the tractor to begin spreading concrete he was fighting a losing battle. The driver of
the concrete truck saw his predicament and climbed down to assist him. In his own
words “In California the guy would have sat in the A.C. of the cab and ate a sandwich.
The friendly helpfulness of him and others I have come in contact with here is what I
love about Texas” (Sneed, 2008).
Sneed opened for business in 2002 to mixed reviews. As mentioned previously
his tasting room and vineyard are located in one of the three “DRY” precincts of Camp
County (refer to map). There is a palpable love/hate relationship with a significant
portion of residents according to Sneed. The residents appear to be in one of two camps:
they are either happy that the winery is bringing different cultural influences to Camp
County, through marketing and themed events; or, they think that alcohol in any fashion
is evil (Sneed, 2008). Marshall notes the opening day in 2002 when “more than a
thousand people showed up” (2007, p.203). Sneed had told Lankford, and confirmed
when spoken with, the information of the winery turning into “a nightspot” when
History of Camp County Viticulture 18
mentioning that there is standing room only on most Friday evenings (2007, 2008). This
is popular with a few locals though Sneed confirms the majority of customers are the
thousands of tourists who have heard about the winery through his marketing efforts. The
success of his vineyard marketing has drawn recognition of various levels. From the
previously mentioned position on the regional advisory board, to providing the
photograph used for the cover of Marshall’s The Wine Roads of Texas (2007). Sneed
became politically active in the county soon after the opening of the winery due to a
dramatic increase in his vineyard’s property taxes.
In May 2005 the winery was the site of the organization S.T.O.P’s (stop taxing
oppressing people) brainchild of Sneed and Pat Smith another local business owner,
original meeting to protest exorbitant increases in property taxes (Gay, 2005, p.1-2).
Sneed organized a petition drive which let local officials hear from disaffected taxpayers
in Camp County. Meetings for this organization were held at the winery, drawing
significant crowds to visit the operation (Sneed, 2008). An increased awareness by
citizens of Camp County of Los Pinos and the products it offered was one result of this
exposure. The organization’s efforts resulted in a review by the county tax assessor of
property tax valuations for residents of the county.
All three of these vineyards, and most importantly the two wineries, have made
and will continue to make significant impact on the economy of Camp County as will be
shown below with some statistical data. The impact of their efforts also affects the state
agricultural economy as well in a positive manner.
None of the three vineyards listed in the Ag Census of 1987 were found to have
an economic impact on the economy of Camp County after an extensive search of Ag
History of Camp County Viticulture 19
census and county records. The Guerra Vineyard, as it was known in 1997, is the only
named vineyard found out of the four shown to exist on that year’s Ag Census. It is
apparently the only one still conducting business in Camp County. The figures cited in
the following paragraphs are estimations based on calculations of figures available. The
property tax rate is the actual combined rate for all Camp County taxing entities the three
vineyards have in common. As for property taxes, different exemptions are available to
the owners so the actual amounts paid could be considerably less. Actual sales tax
amounts collected have been suppressed by state law because of a statute to protect the
businesses due to the fact that less than four entities are doing business in the county
(Guajardo, 2008). All figures for sales tax revenue are calculated at the state of Texas
maximum 8.25% per 100% evaluation (Comptroller, 2008). Starting with the most
commercial vineyard, Los Pinos, and dealing solely with items produced from the grape,
either wine or jelly, the following totals show a historic view of the economic impact
these three vineyards have had for Camp County.
Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards wines cost on average between $12.50 and $23 per
bottle depending on purchase site and type of wine purchased (Sneed, 2008). Using an
average price of 15 dollars a bottle and the figure mentioned in the introduction of 5,000
cases annually, it is easy to calculate sales and sales tax income created. The estimated
sales generated by this vineyard alone equal approximately $900,000 per year. The
conservative amount of sales tax revenue generated by these sales figures is $74, 250
annually at the maximum state tax rate of 8.25% (Comptroller, 2008). Factor in the 2007
appraised value of the facilities and equipment of $318,310 if taxed at the combined max
rate of 1.597509%, equals $5,085.03 of property tax; Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards
History of Camp County Viticulture 20
contributes approximately $80,000 annually as of 2007 to Camp County’s Economy.
This amount is up from the starting numbers of $116,930 for facilities and equipment in
2003 and $0 sales at the start of 2002 (Camp Central Appraisal District, 2008). The
property tax paid in 2003 for Los Pinos equaled $2640.38 if taxed at the max rate of
2.25809%. It is easy to see why Sneed was adamant and vocal in leading the charge for
property tax reform as noted earlier (Gay, 2005, p. 1-2). Headwaters Farm had as its
appraised value for 2007 the figure of $56,380, leading to a figure of $900.67 when taxed
at the max rate for 2007. This is up from $42,160 in its beginning year of 2002 when
taxed at a max rate of 1.914576% equaling $807.18 (Camp Central Appraisal District,
2008). Jams and jellies are considered food and as such are not subject to sales tax in the
state of Texas (TX Admin. Code, 2007). The sale price of a jar of jelly is $4 each with
2007 sales equaling approximately $850 with excess inventory to carry into 2008 for the
first time in existence. This is up from initial production and sales in 2003 of
approximately $372 (Jones, 2008).
St. Rose Vineyard & Winery showed a decline in its appraised values from 2006
to 2007. The appraisal for buildings and equipment in 2006 was $101, 960 and $58,320
in 2007. At the max rate for tax year 2007 the winery would have paid $931.67 in
property taxes. The 2006 amount would have been $1816.21 at a max tax rate of
1.781294%. The average price for St. Rose Vineyard &Winery wine is $10.00 (Arra,
2007). With an estimated annual case sales count of approximately 250 cases, this equals
estimated annual sales of approximately $30,000. Taxed at the state maximum of 8.25%
per 100% this equals approximately $2,475 in annual sales tax revenue (Comptroller,
2008). This equates to an annual combined total tax contribution to Camp County of
History of Camp County Viticulture 21
approximately $84,307 for all three entities. As a percentage of total income into the tax
coffers of Camp County in 2007, this is quite an increase over 2000 when none of these
three vineyards were doing business. These figures equal approximately .06% of the
income credited to the county in the 2002 Economic Census figures, the latest data
available. These are respectable figures for entities in their first five years of existence as
further explained on the following charts.
Property Taxes
6000
5000
4000
Los Pinos
St. Rose
Headwaters
3000
2000
1000
0
2002
2003
2006
2007
History of Camp County Viticulture 22
Sales
1000000
800000
600000
Los Pinos
St. Rose
400000
200000
0
2002
2003
2005
2007
Sales
1000
800
600
Headwaters
400
200
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
History of Camp County Viticulture 23
Sales Tax
80000
70000
60000
50000
Los Pinos
St. Rose
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
2002
2003
2006
2007
Camp County Texas’ contributions to the varied history of Texas viticulture are
shown to be fairly recent. All identified vineyards/wineries having been shown to exist
for only the last two decades (Ag Census, 1987). However, this does not negate the
history making impact these three vineyards are having on Texas viticulture as well as the
economy of Camp County. The increased tourism from visitors visiting tasting rooms or
Los Pinos’ restaurant benefits other businesses as well by bringing people and their
dollars into the county. Sneed’s efforts have caused the State department of Agriculture
to continue to discourage vinifera viticulture in east Texas because of disease prevalence.
Because many think they can copy Sneed’s success against disease, the Texas
Department of Agriculture simply has to rethink its position and invest research and
money into viticulture in east Texas. In the heart of “chicken” country, Camp County is
where Pilgrim’s Pride was founded and is headquartered; an industry that is in the
process of growing statewide has taken root. Viticulture, especially the winemaking side,
appears to have a bright future in the history of Texas as a whole, and Camp County in
History of Camp County Viticulture 24
particular. Increased monitoring and attempts to improve the viticulture industry by
local, regional, as well as State agencies is gaining momentum. Further study into the
vineyards of Camp County contributions to viticulture in Texas will be warranted in the
future. At this time the future appears promising. As shown, three pioneering vineyards
located in one of Texas’ smallest counties, are in the process of putting Camp County on
the viticulture map, ensuring that future discussions of Texas viticulture in a historical
sense cannot be complete without discussion of their contributions.
History of Camp County Viticulture 25
History of Camp County Viticulture
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History of Camp County Viticulture 27
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