The Texas High Plains AVA is an American Viticultural Area

American Viticultural Area

An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....

 located in the Texas panhandle

Texas Panhandle

The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...

. The appellation

Appellation

An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...

 is the second largest American Viticultural Area in Texas, and covers an area of over 8000000 acres (32,375 km²). Most of the vineyards are on flat terrain at elevations between 3000 feet (914 m) and 4000 feet (1,219 m) above sea level. The Texas plains can be very dry, so most vineyards are irrigated

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

 with water from the Ogallala Aquifer

Ogallala Aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States...

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Wineries

There are at least six wineries located within the Texas High Plains AVA, although many wineries outside of the AVA source grapes from the high plains including Llano Estacado Winery

Llano Estacado Winery

Llano Estacado Winery is a winery located in Lubbock, Texas. Llano Estacado planted its first vineyard in 1978....

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