Published: November 09, 2009 07:23 am      

Winery owner Flies parlayed hobby into second career

When one thinks of wine-producing regions int he United States, Texas might not usually come to mind. However, there are over 150 wineries spread across the Lone Star State, with one being located right here in Orange.

Alfred Flies, the owner of Piney Woods Country Wines, has been making and selling wine for nearly a quarter of a century; initially licensed downtown in 1985, Flies' winery has been at its current location just northeast of Interstate 10 and Martin Luther King Drive since 1987. Flies got the idea to start the winery when he was getting ready to retire in the early 1980s; he said he has been making his own wine as a hobby while still operating 'Alfreds Interiors,' which he owned and operated for over 29 years. Piney Woods Country Wines is one of the pioneer wineries in Texas.

"We now have a distributor that sells to our 18 Texas tasting rooms as well as Spec's," Flies said, referring to the South Texas chain of wine, spirit and cigar stores, “which has increased our business considerably. The winery has been thriving despite drought as well as muscadine crops being short since the destruction of most of our producing vines during Hurricane Rita.” Flies pointed out that unlike many vintners, he grows all of his own grapes; what fruit he can't grow, Flies buys from other growers.

Flies' wines are made from grapes from his own vineyards as well as several different fruits, including peaches, plums, blackberries, and blueberries.

The winery also sells two flavored wines; the cherry chocolate wine is currently the largest seller.

According to Flies, the wine ages for varying amounts of time depending on the type of wine.

"I never let the wine age less than three months; that's how long the white muscadine ages," Flies said. "We try to have enough on hand for one year. We try to let the red wines age for a couple of years."

Piney Woods Country Wines has won over 80 medals and awards and most recently has paid off big by winning a double gold medal for top Texas Wine, 3 silver buckles and a handtooled saddle for Flies’ "Texas Moon Magnolia", and a gold medal for the cherry chocolate and other medals for wine entered in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.

"This year we've been hit with the worst drought since my vineyard was planted in 1984," Flies said. "I hope we will be back in about two months with normal selection of 10 to 12 different wines."