SAN ANTONIO — Intense sun has forced winemakers to harvest early. So grapes can still create Texas wine.

“Perfect day for picking grapes,” said a local winemaker.

There’s plenty of grapes ready to be hand-picked at Bending Branch Winery.

“They are looking great,” said Dr. Bob Young, the executive winemaker and CEO of Bending Branch Winery.

Dr. Bob Young practiced family medicine for 35 years, but at age 60, he transitioned into winemaking with his family in Comfort, Texas.

“I’d always loved wine, particularly red wines,” Dr. Young said. “It’s always really fun picking the grapes. It’s a lot of camaraderie. Friends and family.”

That fun in the sun comes at a cost. Dr. Young says heat makes fruit grow faster. So, they’re having to harvest the grapes weeks earlier.

“If we waited another week of 10 days, these would be shriveled and dried out,” Dr. Young said.

Temperatures in Texas are exceeding 100 degrees weekly, causing some grapes to shrivel, which isn’t good for wine production.

“The original plan was to make red wine out of this one,” Dr. Young said. “But when the intense heat came, we changed plans.”

At Bending Branch, the grapevines are positioned higher to create more shade. But Dr. Young says intense heat causes grapes to lose flavor and acidity.

“They’re starting to have just a touch of drying a little bit,” Dr. Young said. “So instead of letting them dry more in this intense heat, we’re going to pick them and make a sparkling rose’.”

Texas is the 5th largest wine producer in the country. Contributing $20 billion to the state’s economy annually. In 2022, more than 2 million tourists visited wineries across the state.

And after four hours of picking nearly two tons of grapes, everyone toasts to the wineries’ biggest harvest.

“Here’s to the best team in Hill Country,” Dr. Young said during the toast.

Dr. Young says heat is the biggest factor affecting growth and quality of grapes. But as the grapes are sorted and pressed, he’s more concerned about how the Texas heat could affect his staff.

“So many people getting injured and dying of heat stress,” Dr. Young said. “Climate change is happening all around us. So, you got to accommodate to Mother Nature.”