Central Machine Works
Munson a Wine Hero
RECEIVED Tue., Oct. 16, 2012
Dear Editor,
It was good to see the article “Wine of the Week” [Oct. 12] about Texas native grapes that mentioned Munson. It is disappointing that the information had to come to you from California.
T.V. Munson, an educated viticulturist who arrived in Texas in April, 1876, spent the rest of his life identifying and classifying many native grape varieties, as many as 200-300, depending upon which author is read. I did not know who Munson was until we wondered about the French wine-producing areas and found old plaques and statues in almost every town square honoring this guy (T.V. Munson) from Texas. It was Munson who discovered Texas native root stocks were resistant to the grape root disease phylloxera, which was destroying the wine industry in Europe. It was Munson who organized and shipped boxcar loads of Texas root stock to Europe, saving the industry.
An article from The Dallas Morning News in the late 1970s states about Munson, "Few Americans have heard of Munson, who bred and developed more than 200 grape varieties at the end of the 19th century. But in Europe where he is credited with saving the wine industry, he is a hero." To this day, French wines are grown, and grafted, on Texas root stocks.
“Thus vineyards of the El Paso (or Mission) grapes were established in Texas at least one hundred years before vineyards appeared in California.” At the turn of the last century there were more active vineyards in Texas (due in large part to the early Spanish missions) than there were in California. However, all the vineyards, except the Val Verde Winery in Del Rio, died out during Prohibition in the 1930s. Val Verde remained viable by providing holy wine to the Catholics in Texas and Mexico. Incidentally, the Wiederkehr Wine Cellars (est. 1880) in Altus, Ark., made it through Prohibition by selling holy wines to the nearby Subiaco Abbey Benedictines.
It is a shame that Texas has not honored T.V. Munson more as the father of Texas viticulture. We should have a monument to Munson on the state capitol grounds!
“I had found my grape paradise! Surely, now, I thought, this is the place for experimentation with grapes.” T.V. Munson, 1876; from Frank Giordano, Texas Wines and Wineries, Texas Monthly Press, 1984, introduction.
It was good to see the article “Wine of the Week” [Oct. 12] about Texas native grapes that mentioned Munson. It is disappointing that the information had to come to you from California.
T.V. Munson, an educated viticulturist who arrived in Texas in April, 1876, spent the rest of his life identifying and classifying many native grape varieties, as many as 200-300, depending upon which author is read. I did not know who Munson was until we wondered about the French wine-producing areas and found old plaques and statues in almost every town square honoring this guy (T.V. Munson) from Texas. It was Munson who discovered Texas native root stocks were resistant to the grape root disease phylloxera, which was destroying the wine industry in Europe. It was Munson who organized and shipped boxcar loads of Texas root stock to Europe, saving the industry.
An article from The Dallas Morning News in the late 1970s states about Munson, "Few Americans have heard of Munson, who bred and developed more than 200 grape varieties at the end of the 19th century. But in Europe where he is credited with saving the wine industry, he is a hero." To this day, French wines are grown, and grafted, on Texas root stocks.
“Thus vineyards of the El Paso (or Mission) grapes were established in Texas at least one hundred years before vineyards appeared in California.” At the turn of the last century there were more active vineyards in Texas (due in large part to the early Spanish missions) than there were in California. However, all the vineyards, except the Val Verde Winery in Del Rio, died out during Prohibition in the 1930s. Val Verde remained viable by providing holy wine to the Catholics in Texas and Mexico. Incidentally, the Wiederkehr Wine Cellars (est. 1880) in Altus, Ark., made it through Prohibition by selling holy wines to the nearby Subiaco Abbey Benedictines.
It is a shame that Texas has not honored T.V. Munson more as the father of Texas viticulture. We should have a monument to Munson on the state capitol grounds!
“I had found my grape paradise! Surely, now, I thought, this is the place for experimentation with grapes.” T.V. Munson, 1876; from Frank Giordano, Texas Wines and Wineries, Texas Monthly Press, 1984, introduction.
Thanks,
Terry J. DuBose
Terry J. DuBose
[Wes Marshall replies: Thank you for your kind letter. I appreciate you reading the article. I agree that Munson was quite an important figure in saving Europe’s vineyards. I have had sections on Munson in both of my books about Texas wine. I was pleased that Mr. Grahm was going to pay attention to these grapes that Munson loved so much. Most Texas winemakers don’t get a chance to try working with any of the native grapes because there is insufficient research being done in our Texas universities, so they end up using hybrid grapes developed in other states. Hopefully Grahm will discover something. If you are ever in Denison, there is a study program and small museum to Munson at Grayson County Community College. It is called the T.V. Munson School of Viticulture and Enology.]