Torre di Pietra is one of the newest vinyards and wineries in the Fredericksburg area. Owners Ken and Jenice Maxwell believe that wine brings out the best in people. Photo by Phil Houseal
Details:
Torre di Pietra is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. They feature live music in the covered pavilion Fridays and Saturdays through Labor Day, with no cover charge. To find out more about the wine, shopping, and music at Torre di Pietra, call 830-644-2829, email tdp@beecreek.net, or visit www.texashillcountrywine.com.
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Tower of Stone
by Phil Houseal
June 7, 2006
The grape vines have been growing for three years. Two buildings are up and live music plays every weekend. But many folks are still curious about what lies beyond the sandstone gates of Torre di Pietra.
The tongue twister name doesn't clear up much of the mystery. And owners Ken and Jenice Maxwell didn't even have a sign during the first year.
"We were making wine there more than a year before we even put up a sign that said 'winery,'" Ken Maxwell said. "You can't imagine how many people came in and didn't even realize this was a winery."
That may be due to the fact Torre di Pietra, located on Hwy 290 between Fredericksburg and Stonewall, is a winery with a difference.
That difference is live music.
"Wine brings out the best in people," Maxwell said. "So does music, so the two complement each other. Most wine lovers are also music lovers. We wanted to find a place for people to sit back, enjoy wine and live music, and shop, too. Music helps us become a destination. It is a way to differentiate us from other wineries."
The Maxwells arrived at their concept from Austin via Doss. After 25 years in the semiconductor industry, the Maxwells decided to try planting a vineyard in Doss in 2001.
"After a couple of years, we were convinced we could do viniculture on a large scale," Ken Maxwell said. "But we realized we needed to find a better location. Doss is a beautiful place to grow grapes, but there is no traffic flow."
After a year of searching, they were able to purchase land along Hwy 290, where they set about creating a winery that reflected their taste and philosophy.
Back to that name.
"Torre di Pietra" is Italian for "tower of stone," Maxwell explained. While he does have plans to build an actual 45-foot tower overlooking the vineyard, for now, "Torre di Pietra" is just a metaphor.
"Both the words 'tower' and 'stone' signify strength," he said. "We are very family oriented. This is a tradition we are trying to start and pass on to our four children."
So far they've completed a shop and tasting room, large outdoor patio, and an open-sided pavilion with a stage for live music.
"We have a huge selection of great talent willing to play for our customers," Maxwell said. " We like a variety of music styles - everything from blues to jazz to country. Almost Patsy Cline has a strong following from Bandera. Thomas Michael Riley and Bart Trotter have large local followings. We also have artists who pull people from Austin. We want this to be a destination for out-of-town visitors as well as for locals."
What draws people to Torre di Pietra is no mystery.
"People come, bring lunches, sit back, and listen to music," he said. "That's what I love about this area. Music is a part of the Texas Hill Country as much as the wildflowers and wineries."
"We have a great music venue. Just come out and relax, enjoy the music, try the wine, and do a little shopping, too."
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