Specialties
In 1973, a trip to France's wine country changed the landscape of Texas wines forever. That was the year native Texans Susan and Ed Auler discovered a love for the rich tradition and complexity of wine. Just a few years later, they opened Fall Creek Vineyards at Tow, the Texas Hill Country's first winery. Many years later, in 2013, they opened Fall Creek Vineyards at Driftwood. As fifth-generation ranchers, the Aulers are committed to good stewardship of the land they love. That's why Fall Creek crafts wines that are 100% terroir-driven -- that is, comprising the land, its clime, and the passion of the winemaker. And the Aulers are indeed passionate about their work, having traveled around the globe to expand their knowledge and perfect their craft. As a result, Texans will find world-class wines right here in the Lone Star State.
History
Established in 1979.
With deep Texas roots, a passion for quality, and an appreciation for the future, our winery embraces the best of tradition and legacy while coursing toward globally competitive, modern wine.
After an inspiring (and, ultimately, life-changing) tour of the French wine country, Ed and Susan Auler put in a test plot on a corner of their Fall Creek Ranch in 1975. That plot grew from ¼ acre to 7 1/2 acres in 1979, and Ed decided to give up his law practice. They formally established the winery facilities in 1980 -- the first Texas Hill Country winery.
In the mid-1980s the Aulers looked to Napa and Sonoma for wine expertise, consulting with U.C. Davis professors, California and French winemakers, and Andre Tchelistcheff. The Aulers founded the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival in 1986. Ed's application to the U.S. government for the Texas Hill Country appellation was granted in 1990, identifying the region as a recognized, respected viticultural region.
Meet the Business Owner: Ed A.
Ed and Susan Auler took a trip to France in 1973 to look at some of the French breed of cattle for potentially crossing with their Angus herd in the Hill Country. Ed was practicing law and had taken over the operation of his family's Hill Country ranch, and he wanted to consider ways to upgrade his ranching operation to enhance its profitability. Susan was interested in seeing the major wine regions in France, as they had developed an interest in wines. They did visit a French cattle operation, but the bottom line was that they spent 19 days of that trip enjoying the French wine country... and only two days looking at cattle! Both Ed and Susan both rapidly gained an education and appreciation of French wines, foods, and culture. A few years and a lot of hard work later, the pair established Fall Creek Vineyards and have been working on creating an impeccable product and experience for their customers ever since.