Wines of Dotson-Cervantes in Voca south of Brady has been on my bucket list for some time. I’ve wanted to meet Alphonse Dotson, and during a drive around Mason County, I finally had my chance.
Since Alphonse and his wife, Martha Cervantes, opened their winery in 2014, there has been a steady stream of articles featuring them.
The couple makes a good story: Alphonse was a former professional defensive tackle, and Martha was once a top real estate agent in Acapulco, Mexico. Theirs is an inspiring story of hard work and perseverance.
Alphonse met my wife and me in the metal building at the edge of the vineyard for our wine tasting. At 80 he’s still an imposing figure, though a little bent over from the years. His smile glows from under his cowboy hat.
A graduate of Yates High School in Houston, Alphonse went on to be an All-American at Grambling State University. His football career spanned 1965 to 1970, mostly with the Oakland Raiders. This was in the days before big-money sports contracts.
After football, Alphonse went through a series of jobs, from the oil fields to searching for diamonds in Sierra Leone. He met Martha when she sold him a house.
Soft-spoken, but with a command of the conversation like the former high school guidance counselor that he is, we talked about football, wine, and life as he poured us samples of his wine.
He and Martha started in the wine business in 1997 by growing grapes for Ed and Susan Auler‘s Fall Creek Vineyards. Then, using the Aulers’ equipment and advice, Alphonse began developing his own unique blends. The result is complex wines and a pleasant afternoon of conversation.
Wines of Dotson-Cervantes is a short distance off Texas Highway 71, about 41 miles northwest of Llano. Personalized wine tastings are available Thursday through Sunday by appointment at dotsoncervanteswines.com.
1,684th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
This article appears in December 29 • 2023.
