GO TEXAN Truly Significant Texans in Agriculture honors Messina Hof Winery's Paul (the 7th) Bonarrigo

GO TEXAN honors Paul Bonarrigo, co leader with Karen, at Messina Hof winery, an extraordinary grape growing and winery with multiple locations in Texas. Karen is the President of the Texas Wine and Grape Growing Association that oversees an important, multi billion sector. Paul is super passionate, visionary, faith led and eyes wide open on all factors facing this rewarding journey.Visit www.messinahof.com for information on their winery. Visit www.txwines.org for details on the association. Read about Merrill and Paul, founders and visionary.....people of deep faith.Hear about Paul's lineage and the future generations to make wine in Texas. About the industry: The Texas wine industry is dynamic, economically significant, and growing quickly — blending rich history, diverse climates, expanding vineyards, and tourism-driven cultural appeal. It faces challenges like production scaling and climate pressures but continues to carve out a distinct place in the U.S. wine landscape.Big-Picture Economic ContributionThe Texas wine industry has a huge economic footprint, with recent studies estimating its total impact at about $24.39 billion statewide. This includes direct sales, tourism, jobs, and tax revenue.It supports over 136,000 jobs and contributes billions in wages and tax revenue.Wine tourism draws millions of visitors annually to regions like the Texas Hill Country, generating hundreds of millions in local spending.Production vs. ConsumptionTexans drink more than 60 million gallons of wine annually, but only a small fraction (2–4 million gallons) is made from Texas-grown grapes — meaning roughly 94–97 % of wine consumed in Texas is imported from other states or countries.2. History & Growth Early RootsWine production in Texas dates back to at least the 1650s, when Spanish missionaries planted the first vines for sacramental wine near what’s now El Paso.Modern ExpansionThe commercial wine industry was modest until the late 20th century. Vineyard licenses grew significantly in recent decades as Texas embraced viticulture more fully.Today, Texas ranks as one of the largest wine-producing states in the U.S. by number of wineries and economic impact.3. Wine Regions & Terroir Texas has multiple American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) — designated grape-growing regions recognized for their unique climates and soils. Key AVAsTexas Hill Country AVA – Central Texas region and one of the largest AVAs in the nation. Known for diverse varietals and strong tourism appeal.Texas High Plains AVA – Cooler climate and higher elevation make it the largest source of wine grape acreage in the state.Texoma AVA – Northern region near Lake Texoma with several vineyards and wineries.Texas Davis Mountains AVA – Small, high-elevation area with unique terroir in West Texas.Escondido Valley AVA and others represent smaller, specialized regions.