Jeff Cope
Carleton & Cindy Turner
This month’s Grower Profile features my favorite vineyard name: Gotneaux Creek Vineyard. If you don’t know how to say it, try “Got No Creek Vineyard.” There are many vineyard names that include the word Creek. Looking at the Texas Wine Lover vineyard list, there are 20 other different vineyards with the word Creek and there are probably more.
Carleton and Cindy Turner have their vineyard in London, Texas, which is northwest of Fredericksburg. I had the pleasure of running into Carleton Turner back in 2016 at Pontotoc Vineyard for which Gotneaux Creek Vineyard supplied Tannat. We are pleased to present Gotneaux Creek Vineyard as this month’s Grower Profile.
- What did you do before growing grapes?
I had a rewarding career in state government, culminating in Retirement as the Texas Senate Sgt-at-Arms in 2006.
- When did you first plant your vineyard, and how many acres did you start with?
I planted my first two acres in April 2006.
- How many acres do you have today, and what grapes are planted?
We planted three more acres in 2012 of Tannat and Alicante Bouchet.
- Do you farm any other crops? And if so, what?
No other crops planted.
- What first attracted you to growing grapes?
I visited a vineyard in West Texas and was intrigued by the whole process.
- What is the toughest challenge about being a grape grower in Texas?
For a small-time grower, the biggest challenge is finding help during the active parts of the season. There doesn’t seem to be enough support workers available when you need them for pruning, thinning, and picking,
- If you didn’t grow grapes, what would you do?
Never really thought about it. Growing grapes was my retirement project, and I’ve enjoyed it for 18 years.
- After a long day in the vineyard, what do you like to do?
Kick back with a glass of wine and think about all the additional vineyard items that need to be done
- What’s the best part about being a grape grower?
My favorite part is the day after we get everything picked, we head to the mountains of New Mexico.
- What advice would you give someone wanting to start a vineyard today?
Do your advance planning. Visit with current growers to get a firm grip on what the whole process entails. And realize that at the end of the day, you’re just a farmer.
