Our Vineyard
A beautiful hill country escape.
At Hilmy, we believe through and through that wine is made in the vineyard. We strive for quality in farming and work to achieve harmony among the factors contributing to the quality of our vines and their grapes. We nurture our soil and vines to naturally produce the best quality grapes. We personally hand harvest our Estate Vineyard at dawn and bring the grapes in small containers directly to the winery in order to preserve the fruit in optimal condition, which allows the vineyard to truly shine. The result is a wine that emphasizes the pure expression of our land.
We are currently growing varietals, including Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, and Malbec.
The Hilmy Vineyard is one of the largest in Fredericksburg. Erik Hilmy started the Vineyard with the "Home Block" of Sangiovese vines. Our Winemaker today is Michael Barton and he strives for the highest levels of excellance. Today we grow Malbec, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Durif.
The Origin
Our founder, Erik Hilmy, has always been inquisitive. Since childhood, he expressed an interest in science and especially in biology and chemistry. In early adulthood, on a whim, he got an at-home beer brewing kit. He followed the steps and made his first beer. And it was good. He was immediately and irrevocably hooked. He got another, different brewing kit. And then another. It wasn’t long before he started experimenting with fermenting drinks of his own design.
He would buy fruit and yeast from the grocery store and make his own wines from peaches, apricots, and of course, grapes. His house was littered with enormous glass jars filled with batches of bubbling brews. Naturally, some of these experiments were more palatable than others. If you asked him, he would tell you that grocery store grapes do not tend to make world class wines.
Throughout the process, he became more and more enamored with the idea of making wine, and so, one day, he ordered a batch of wine grapes from California, some yeast to do his fermenting, and some barrels to put it in. He invited family and friends over and hosted his first “crush” party where host and guest alike stomped on wine grapes with (washed) bare feet, and with a glass of wine in hand. Some months later, the moment of truth arrived, and it was time to taste the product. He took a sample and found that it was good. With that, he decided that he would open his own winery in the burgeoning, but not-yet-famous wine-growing region of Central Texas, his home state.
He selected a site in Fredericksburg, Texas. The land had previously been used for farming and had heavy clay soil. With the help of family, friends, a ridiculous number of books, and no small amount of sweat, he prepared the land and got irrigation installed. He built a cellar and a tasting room. He again called on family and friends to help plant the first estate vineyards.
The vineyards, the cellars, the tasting room, and the team have all expanded enormously since the early days of Hilmy Cellars. But the passion for making outstanding wine has never left.
“What I appreciate most about Texas is the generosity of people in this business. Many experienced hands have come before us, have shared their guidance, and it has already made a difference. Making good wine is a lifelong challenge. It’s never boring and is often very humbling. There is a poetic beauty to this artisan product that brings joy to the lives of so many people. It also appeals to the scientist in me. I find it all immensely challenging and very gratifying.”
-Erik Hilmy
