TCBRTC holds meeting at Lavaca Bluffs Vineyard and Winery

Doug and Beth Reed, owners of Lavaca Bluffs Vineyard and Winery, gave a presentation on wine tourism, then gave wine tastings after the meeting. 

When visiting a winery, tourists will learn about the history of the winery and find out information on wines, grapes and winemaking, Beth said. Tourists may also have the opportunity to taste various wines and purchase wine. 

The Reeds also spoke about the history of the winery. Each of the wines are named after an historical event, place or person.  Both owners aspire to honor Texas Gulf Coast history through story labels. The Reeds have been making wine for seven years and received their license to make wine commercially in December of 2010. They opened the testing room the following May. Doug started making wine as a hobby, then the Reeds realized the vineyard was growing substantially and it cost a considerable amount of money to plant grapes, so they decided to sell the grapes commercially to make a profit.  

The TCBRTC started their meeting shortly after the presentation. TCBRTC’s Tony Morris gave an update on the official 2014 tourism guide. The guide is available at Texas Travel Information Centers in Orange, Texarkana, the Valley, Waskom, Wichita Falls, Amarillo, Anthony, Austin, Denison, Gainesville, Langtry and Laredo. It is also available in Chambers of Commerce, Visitor Centers, hotels, restaurants and businesses throughout the Coastal Bend. There are 40,000 copies distributed. 

Another publication distributed by the TCBRTC is the Coastal Bend Traveler magazine, that comes out bi-monthly and can be found in the following counties: Nueces, Bee, Aransas, Refugio, San Patricio, Kleberg, Kenedy, Brooks, Live Oak, Jim Wells, McMullen, Duval and Victoria. 

“This is the key to get people to go to a location,” Morris said. “You can have all the billboards you want and do other advertising. When people travel they pick up literature. They want to see what you have to offer.” 

If any business in the Texas Coastal Bend region would like to place an advertisement in the tourism guide can do so by calling 361-668-6397 or email to nperez@alice24-7.com.  If any business in the Coastal Bend region would like to advertise in the magazine can do so by calling 361-668-6397 or e-mail to www.coastalbendtraveler.com.