Guest Spotlight: Naca Valley Vineyards by Wanda Mouton
Nestled deep in the heart of the East Texas piney woods lies Naca Valley Vineyard, small, family-owned and committed to quality. While relatively young in years, its family tradition goes back for generations.
Located on 65 acres in Nacogdoches County, the winery is owned and operated solely by the Mouton family who is focused on making fine wine with 100 percent Texas grapes.
“Our roots are deep here in East Texas,” said Wanda Mouton, whose grandfather Seborn Greer worked the land as a young farmer and passed on his love and knowledge of the land to his daughter Juanita and son-in-law T.M., Wanda’s parents. “I have loved this little rural area called Pisgah since I was a little girl,” she said, “and I like to think my grandfather would be happy to see our business operating today on the land he loved so much.”
The business began in 2013 with the establishment of a vineyard planted entirely by many family members. “We wanted to reflect the unique flavor of East Texas and Nacogdoches County history in all aspects of the winery and property design,” Wanda said. Located at 9897 Fm Rd 1878 about nine miles from downtown Nacogdoches, which is the oldest town in Texas, the winery/tasting room opened in 2016 on the vineyard property surrounded by native trees, plants, flowers and vines.
You can find the Mouton family members Buzz and Wanda, with their son Scott and his wife Chelsea working every day realizing their dream. Whether it’s bottling their wines in the full production facility on site, planning extra touches to make each guest’s experience special, or working the gardens, the work never stops.
Buzz, the vintner, has made wine since he was a teenager and has won many awards as both an amateur and a professional, including recent top wins from the statewide Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association (TWGGA) competition, the Houston Livestock Show winery competition and the San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge in California.
His first wine as a professional, the award-winning Vermentino, was an acknowledged masterpiece. He has consistently won for his Blanc du Bois, made from a white grape varietal that enjoys quality production throughout Texas. “It is popular because of its resistance to disease and pests,” he explained. Most of Naca Valley’s wines are obtained from grapes grown in vineyards in the High Plains area of Texas though many are from grapes also grown in East Texas.
His most popular wine and one for which he is most famous, is the Berry Blue for You blueberry wine. “We had originally intended to make only grape wine,” Scott said, “but because of the Texas Blueberry Festival held annually in Nacogdoches, we felt it only natural to offer a blueberry wine made from a great blueberry farm nearby. We were delighted with the wine’s immediate popularity, so much that we have trouble producing enough to last from harvest to harvest.”
It’s community connections such as this that show the Mouton family’s commitment to the historical area and their family heritage. The tasting room is a modified version of the decorated pioneer style, encompassing a rustic design. “The bar in the tasting room was constructed from the wood of an antique oak desk complete with a large ink stain that sat in my grandparents’ antique store in Jefferson, Texas, for decades,” Buzz said. The style is replicated with dramatic vintage wrought iron fixtures and a wood deck for viewing comfort under the large Sweetgum shade tree.
Even the gardens surrounding the winery were planted with native East Texas plants in mind. Chelsea, who earned a master’s degree in horticulture from nearby Stephen F. Austin State University, spent hours researching the best plants conducive to growing well. The result is a colorful butterfly garden that is the envy of many, accented with an authentic windmill that came down through the family and a sparkling water feature. After the vineyard suffered through a few seasons of early freezes and decimation due to disease and pests, Chelsea’s goal now is to replant with the newest grape varieties that research shows has even better resistance to the challenges of the East Texas climate.
The family’s goal to stay connected to the community is reflected through attendance at the local farmer’s market and at wine festivals from Texarkana to Houston. “Because we appreciate the support that Nacogdoches and East Texas has given to us as a small business, we also try to give back to local causes when we can”, said Chelsea, events director.
Changes are in store for the winery with the expansion of widely spaced outdoor seating to accommodate guests who want to enjoy the woods and nature. The area is a natural attraction for travelers wanting a getaway in the peaceful woods; for bird watchers who follow the migratory paths; or just for visitors who want to stretch their legs. Construction is expected to be complete in mid-June with the winery’s re-opening. Favorite wines will return, such as the sweet and jammy Brick Street Red named after the historic brick streets of Nacogdoches; and the gold medal sweet Stellar. New offerings will also be available, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Semillon and Viognier.
The family also will begin the building process of a few cabin rentals and also to add a few RV spaces. With that in mind, plans are ongoing to join Harvest Hosts, a group of winemakers, farmers, museums and attractions who invite Harvest Hosts RV members to visit and park for 24 hours in exchange for supporting the business.“The changes, additions and expansion are just an extension of our goal to focus on the long term,” Scott said. The family roots are deep, but branches are growing with the addition to the family of baby Jules, born in 2019 to Chelsea and Scott and already a regular part of the workday scene at the winery.
You can learn more about the Mouton family and Naca Valley Vineyards on their website https://www.nacavalley.com/