Pedernales Cellars
Pedernales Cellars began with Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken, who planted their first vineyard near Fredericksburg in the early 1990s. During this time Texas wine pioneers worked with different grape varietals and viticulture practices, to help master winemaking in the Texas terroir; and over time the Kuhlken vineyard started producing consistently high quality fruit with bold, intense flavors.
In 2005, Larry and Jeanine’s children, David and Julie began plans for what would become Pedernales Cellars. Grown from the success of Kuhlken Vineyards, they developed the concept for a boutique winery focused on handcrafted, small-lot wines, and working with varietals that thrive in the rugged Texas Hill Country terrain.
Pedernales Cellars continues to be a family affair, with David as winemaker and Julie overseeing hospitality, marketing, and design -- while Larry and Jeanine continue to oversee the family vineyards.
Pedernales Cellars draws its name from geography and history – the Pedernales River runs through the Texas Hill Country, and “pedernales” means flint in Spanish. The inspiration came when David found an old flint Indian arrowhead in the vineyard, while Fredrik found part of an Indian flint stone ax on the winery site. The serendipity of these two finds connected the vineyard, winery, the region, and its history.
Philosophy
-Sustainability-
We not only strive to make the highest quality wines in Texas, but we are equally committed do so in a sustainable way. We are proud of what we’ve done to exercise stewardship and realize this vision.
-In the Winery-
Sustainability starts with our winemaking facilities, which were designed to take advantage of the natural insulation of limestone and the humidifying and cooling Hill Country soil for barrel storage of wines. Our cellar and case storage facility are cooled via a geothermal cooling system reduced cooling energy by half.
We utilize open bin fermentation and compost by-products of the winemaking process. We use “re-coopered” refurbished barrels, to reduce the need for sourcing new wood. We also sell used barrels, available in our tasting room.
-In the Vineyard-
In our vineyard we minimize water use through good ground cover management, and promote natural pest management through the use of local species (such as Purple Martins for insects). Compost from the winery is also recycled back into the vineyard.
-In the Tasting Room-
Our tasting room features a number of local and sustainable products. These include delectable Pedernales Vineyard to Table salsas and sauces and oils by The Spicewood Food Company. We work to recycle the majority of our tasting room cardboard waste. Our winery building also uses CFL and solar lighting, rather than incandescent lighting.
-On the Grounds-
The Texas Hill Country enables us to make incredible wines, and we feel a responsibility to be good stewards of the land. Through removing cedar overgrowth and invasive plant species around our winery, we’ve been able to re-establish seeps and springs that had previously been lost, making a better habitat for the native Hill Country wildlife on our property.
Biography
Pedernales Cellars is a family owned and operated winery. The sixth generation Texas family feels a deep connection to the landscape and values of the area. The team that makes up the staff of Pedernales Cellars collectively has decades of experience of the wine industry in Texas.
David Kuhlken
David Kuhlken is co-founder, President, and Winemaker of Pedernales Cellars. He is a sixth generation Texan and graduate of Rice University and the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. He studied oenology and viticulture at the University of California at Davis. His involvement in the Texas wine industry goes back to the early 1990s, when he and his family first planted the vineyard carrying his family name, Kuhlken Vineyards. Follow Dave on Instagram at @winemakerdave.
Julie Kuhlken
Julie Kuhlken, co-founder and Chief Marketing and Hospitality Officer, oversees the marketing and hospitality operations and is artistically responsible for the Pedernales Cellars brand. A graduate of Stanford University, Julie received a doctorate in Philosophy and has taught at universities in Europe and North America. She holds the WSET III certification, which she received with distinction. She is a regularly published author, passionate about wine, art, and philanthropy – those loves have come together in Pedernales Cellars’ partnership with the Hill Country Film Festival. Follow Dr. Julie's wine reviews on Instagram @winesbydrjulie.
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