Del Rio, Texas · Founded 1883 · Building: 1883 (original adobe winery building still in use; later property additions not individually dated)
An 1883 Del Rio family winery and Texas's oldest bonded winery, still operating from its original adobe building under fourth-generation Michael Qualia.
Val Verde Winery was founded in Del Rio in 1883 by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia, who planted Lenoir—also called Black Spanish—grapes on land near the Rio Grande. Its original thick-walled adobe winery remains in use, and the Texas Historical Commission identifies it as Texas's oldest bonded winery. The Qualia family carried the vineyard through Prohibition, later passed it from Frank to Louis to Thomas, and today Michael Qualia operates the active winery as its fourth-generation vintner.
Frank Qualia arrived in Del Rio from Milan, Italy, according to the Texas Historical Commission marker.
Source: Texas Historical Commission Marker 5627, "Val Verde Winery"
Frank Qualia established Val Verde Winery in Del Rio, planting Lenoir (Black Spanish) grapes and beginning the family wine enterprise.
Source: Texas State Historical Association, "Val Verde Winery"; Texas Historical Commission Marker 5627; Val Verde Winery official history
National Prohibition began. The Texas State Historical Association says Val Verde's wine operations ended and the family survived by tending vines and selling table grapes. A later family account says Francisco Qualia also obtained a permit for sacramental wine; original permit records have not been reviewed.
Source: Texas State Historical Association, "Val Verde Winery"; Texas Highways, "Val Verde Winery, the Oldest in Texas," May 16, 2025
Frank Qualia died, and his youngest son Louis Qualia took over the vineyards and winery.
Source: Val Verde Winery official website; Texas Wine Lover, "Val Verde Winery," updated January 27, 2018
The State Historical Survey Committee erected Texas Historical Marker 5627, identifying Val Verde as Texas's oldest bonded winery and the only survivor of about twenty-five once operating in the state.
Source: Texas Historical Commission Marker 5627; Texas Historical Commission Atlas, Val Verde Winery
Louis Qualia passed the winery to his youngest son Thomas Qualia.
Source: Val Verde Winery official website; Texas Wine Lover, updated January 27, 2018
Michael Qualia, Thomas's son, owns and operates Val Verde Winery as the fourth-generation family vintner, with current tastings and wine sales at 100 Qualia Drive.
Source: Val Verde Winery official website and history pages, accessed September 1, 2026; Texas Highways, May 16, 2025
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
The Texas Historical Commission's Marker 5627 calls Val Verde "Texas' oldest bonded winery" and the only survivor of about twenty-five once operating in the state. This specific historic bonded-winery designation is stronger and more precise than an unqualified claim of uninterrupted wine production.
Val Verde and Texas tourism sources widely describe it as Texas's oldest continuously running winery, with an 1883 founding and long family stewardship. However, the Texas State Historical Association says Prohibition ended the winery's wine operations, while a recent family account says sacramental wine was made under permit. That source conflict prevents a definitive uninterrupted-production finding; the statewide title remains plausible but unresolved.
Texas Highways reports the Qualia family story that Francisco Qualia kept the vineyard going by selling grapes and obtaining a sacramental-wine permit. But the Texas State Historical Association says Prohibition brought an end to the winery's wine operations and describes survival through vine care and table-grape sales. No original permit, production ledger, or Treasury record was reviewed to reconcile the accounts.
Val Verde's current history says its cellar and tasting room are housed in the original 1883 building with thick adobe walls. The Texas historical marker also describes the original winery as still in use.
Val Verde's current website says Michael Qualia owns and operates the winery with family support. Texas Highways identifies Thomas Qualia and his son Michael as the present operators, and the winery's family history identifies Michael as fourth generation.
Val Verde Winery has produced wine continuously without interruption since 1883.
Val Verde retained and tended its vines through Prohibition, but the Texas State Historical Association says Prohibition ended wine operations. A recent family account says sacramental wine continued under permit. The evidence conflict means uninterrupted wine production is not established.
Source: Texas State Historical Association, "Val Verde Winery"; Texas Highways, May 16, 2025
Val Verde's Texas historical marker is number 5628 and was erected in 1978.
The Texas Historical Commission identifies Val Verde's marker as number 5627, erected in 1971. Its text calls the property Texas's oldest bonded winery.
Source: Texas Historical Commission Marker 5627; Texas Historical Commission Atlas, Val Verde Winery
Val Verde Winery is at 100 East Bowen Avenue in Del Rio.
Current official and Texas travel sources list Val Verde Winery at 100 Qualia Drive, Del Rio, Texas 78840.
Source: Val Verde Winery official website, accessed September 1, 2026; Texas Highways, May 16, 2025; Texas Time Travel, "Val Verde Winery"
Frank Qualia arrived in Del Rio from Lombardy, Italy.
Reviewed sources identify Frank Qualia as an Italian immigrant from Milan or simply from Italy. The Lombardy claim was not established in the sources reviewed for this entry.
Source: Texas Historical Commission Marker 5627; Texas State Historical Association, "Val Verde Winery"
Val Verde survived because its family treated vines, land, and winemaking knowledge as assets worth preserving even when the wine business could not operate normally. Prohibition ended or sharply curtailed production, depending on which historical account is accepted, but the Qualias kept vines alive by selling grapes and maintaining the property. Louis, Thomas, and then Michael Qualia each adapted the winery to a changing Texas wine market while keeping the adobe building, Black Spanish grape tradition, and direct family connection at the center of the business.
Val Verde Winery was founded in Del Rio in 1883 by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia, who planted Lenoir, also called Black Spanish, grapes. Frank's son Louis took over after his death in 1936, then passed the winery to Thomas Qualia in 1973; Thomas's son Michael operates it today as the fourth-generation vintner. The original adobe winery building remains in use at 100 Qualia Drive.
Val Verde has a documented 1883 founding and Texas Historical Commission recognition as Texas's oldest bonded winery. It is widely described as the state's oldest continuously running winery, but the strict continuity claim is unresolved: the Texas State Historical Association says Prohibition ended wine operations, while a later family account says sacramental wine continued under permit. The strongest undisputed title is Texas's oldest bonded winery.
Val Verde survived Prohibition by keeping its vineyards alive and selling table grapes, according to the Texas State Historical Association. A recent family account adds that Francisco Qualia obtained a permit to make sacramental wine. Because the reviewed sources conflict and no original federal permit or production records were located, it is not established that wine production continued without interruption through Prohibition.
Val Verde is especially associated with Lenoir, also called Black Spanish, the hardy grape Frank Qualia planted after arriving in Del Rio. Current winery and Texas travel sources also mention Herbemont and Blanc du Bois among the family’s present vineyard grapes.
Michael Qualia owns and operates Val Verde Winery as its fourth-generation vintner, with support from the Qualia family. The official winery history says Michael succeeded his father Thomas, who inherited the business from Louis Qualia.
100 Qualia Dr, Del Rio, TX 78840
(830) 775-9714
Val Verde currently offers tastings and wine sales at its original adobe winery building. Current posted hours are Tuesday–Saturday noon–7 p.m. and Sunday 1–5 p.m.; call ahead for current tours, tasting availability, and seasonal wine inventory.