Coordinates Vineyards was featured in this article by Sommly. By Erik Wagner, Co-Founder of Sommly, May 5, 2022
An interview with Coordinates Vineyards co-owner, Austin Kerr
Nestled at 417 E Main Street Fredericksburg, TX, you’ll find a historic blacksmith building, home to the beautiful tasting room of Coordinates Vineyards. Founded in 2021, Coordinates Vineyards is new to Texas, but the co-owners and brothers, Austin and Mahlon Kerr, are wine industry veterans. Austin and Mahlon have been traveling internationally for more than 20 years. Their off-the-beaten-track style has taken them to some remarkable vineyards. With a palate for fine wines, they have always looked for quality that outperforms the price.
Austin’s experience in wine dates back over 10 years. Austin was teaching in Taiwan when he started a company that imported South African wines into the booming Chinese wine market. For the next seven years, the company grew until COVID hit and importing wines to China came to a screeching halt.
Meanwhile, Austin’s brother Mahlon had been exploring Texas wines and was captivated by the amount of innovation and growth that he was seeing. “My brother went to Signor Vineyards for his birthday last year and wanted to get a bottle of white wine but was told they were out for the rest of the year. And his birthday was in June!” Austin said. Soon afterwards, the two brothers began discussing the possibility of a joint venture in wine.
“A lot of people compare the Texas wine industry in Fredericksburg right now to Sonoma in the 80s. There’s a lot of growth, so much potential, and it just made sense to bring everything here. So, we’re all-in on Texas,” said Austin.
Fast forward to February, 2022 and Coordinates Vineyards opened the doors of their new tasting room in historical downtown Fredericksburg.
Coordinates Vineyards is unique in that they have both wines that are made from 100% Texas grapes, and from other regions around the world. “We’re all about expanding people’s knowledge of wine through partnering with small producers. So right now we have wines from South Africa and Texas. We might get a California wine in the next few months, and we’re even looking beyond that. I’ve been talking to vineyards in New Zealand and Australia. I would love to get some Mexican sparkling wines as well.”
