Texas Hill Country Winery Fall Creek Vineyards Founder Ed Auler Dies | Eater Austin

"Founded after Ed and Susan Auler discovered a love of wine and food on a 1973 trip to France, Fall Creek Vineyards began when they planted their first vines in 1975 on 400 acres near Lake Buchanan; Ed gave up his law practice in 1980 to run the vineyard full-time and the couple opened a second location in Driftwood in 2014. As a Texas wine leader and founder of the winery, Ed Auler was instrumental in building the state's wine scene—he started the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival in 1986 (which transitioned into the Austin Food & Wine Festival in 2012) and helped secure the Texas Hill Country’s official wine-region designation in 1991. With deep Texas roots and a passion for quality, the winery embraces its legacy while crafting globally competitive, terroir-driven wines. Ed Auler died on Saturday, October 14 at the age of 78." - Erin Russell