Uplift Vineyards: A Legacy of Land and Winemaking
Uplift Vineyards is a single Estate property with 22 planted hectares of vines and 13 different grape varieties. Formerly known as Hoover’s Valley Vineyard, the plot of land sits in the unique microclimate of Hoover’s Valley in the alluvial fan of the Colorado River and surrounded by low mountains on all sides to create a dry sun-basket for the grapes to sufficiently concentrate for quality wine. All of this, and the vineyard is ultimately situated on a massive ancient granite dome called the Llano Uplift, which the vineyard was renamed for in 2021. Today, Uplift Vineyards produces wine from the top 10% of grapes, hand-selected by winemaker Claire Richardson and vineyard manager Rob Strain.
The Legacy of Lou Adah Wells
This Marsanne and Roussanne blend is named for Lou Adah Wells, whose family has lived in Burnet County for five generations. Lou Adah is the unmatched historical record keeper of the area, tending to the story of Hoover’s Valley and what makes the land so special. She and generations of her family have nurtured and cultivated this land for decades, and she now tends the cemetery close by the Estate vineyard. Humble and forgotten before she set her talents on it, Lou Adah cleaned the property, saw that a cathedral was built, and instigated the process of tracking down the family members of unmarked gravestones using old records of the area. Today, Lou Adah is in her 90’s and has a bridge and a wine named after her for the contributions she has made to Hoover’s Valley.
Uplift Vineyards and the History of Hoover’s Valley
The Uplift Vineyards team has been honored to learn the rich history of the area that deepens our connection to the land through Lou Adah. Now that her living family has relocated to California, she is passing the torch of the Hoover’s Valley history to the passionate members of our team who have been only the most recent part of the land’s cultivation. The vineyard team who currently farms the Uplift Vineyard is also the team who originally planted the vineyard in 2013.
The Transition to William Chris Vineyards
In 2021, the aging owner of the vineyard, Reed Williams, sought a buyer who would carry on the careful work of tending his meticulously selected varieties and vines. The reputation for vineyard care led him to the William Chris Vineyards team, who took over the site that same year. The original vineyard team was retained to continue the passionate care of the vines they had established, and it is our pleasure to craft thoughtful wines that express the historic land’s character.
