Texas Winery on the Auction Block

(Wines&Vines) - One of the oldest wineries in Texas, Pheasant Ridge Winery in Lubbock, will be sold at auction Nov. 6. The winery, located in the Texas High Plains AVA, was an early pioneer in commercial winemaking in the state, and the vineyard was one of the first to be planted with vinifera grapes. According to the auction house Williams & Williams, the property includes 122 acres of land with approximately 35 vineyard acres planted, a 5,800-square-foot winery building with the capacity to produce up to 15,000 cases per year and winery equipment as well as bulk and bottled wine.

Pheasant Ridge has been producing 5,000 cases annually, making it 40th in size of Texas’ 207 wineries, according to Wines Vines Analytics. Its average retail bottle price is $10.

The property has been divided into four parcels for the sale, with the vineyard acreage divided between two parcels. The first parcel consists of 11 acres, including some Cabernet Sauvignon and Sémillon grapes; the winery building, which has a tasting room, showroom, office, barrel room and wine production area; the winery equipment and wine inventory. The wine equipment includes Mueller stainless steel tanks, an Amos destemmer/crusher and must pump, a GAI bottling line, a Velo DE filter and pump, a Kosme glue labeler and a Landa gold series steamer. The wine inventory consists of 31,661 gallons of bulk wine and 3,545 cases of bottled wine.

The second parcel is comprised of 49 acres, some of which is planted with the balance of the vineyard, and the vineyard equipment. Grape cultivars in this section include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Two water wells, both approximately 250 feet deep, are located on this parcel. The third parcel of 32 acres and the fourth with 30 acres have no water source (the buyers must drill their own wells) and the land is either tilled or unimproved.