Interview with Landon Miller and Jeff Shatto of Signor Vineyards
Signor Vineyards prides itself as a vineyard, tasting room, harvest room, retail shop, and community Where Soul Meets Soil. Located in Fredericksburg, the 17-acre vineyard is landscaped with a diversity of plants, foliage, and even Manzanilla olive trees to curate an environment that matches your tasting experience.
The Signor family has always had a deep rooted history in horticulture and farming. Clay Signor planted his first grapevines in 2015, which sparked a dream of creating his own winery. Clay decided to partner with his close friend, Eric Weisinger, from Oregon to lead winemaking. The winery quickly became more than just a dream for Clay. Three years later, Signor harvested the first vintage where their estate wines were born and a tasting room came into fruition. When deciding to build out their gardens and area, Signor wanted each distinct detail to represent who he is and how he believes their world-class wine can bring us all together.
Johanna’s Market at Signor Vineyards
To match the beauty of the vineyard and its wines, Signor created a team made up of a shared set of values and diverse backgrounds. In 2020, Signor recruited a close friend, Jeff Shatto, with a background in fly fishing and writing, and supported his transition into an onsite winery project manager and content writer.
The ethos of Signor Vineyards exudes pride in Texas. Shatto described how the physical environment speaks for itself, from the longhorn landmark on the front pasture, to the live band on the south side, and even the elevated charcuterie board on the tasting tables.
The wine tasting room at Signor Vineyards
Another key member of Signor’s team came from a background in coffee production. Landon Miller, the production manager at Signor Vineyards, had previously applied his hand in working with espresso beans from bean to cup, and now is fully processing grape to glass. Signor Vineyards introduced him to what is now a deep and personal connection with the land, and the Texas fruit, that makes harvesting and showcasing their wines so special.
I feel like we’re connected. We take a lot of care to source where our fruit comes from. And we’re proud of the Texas Hill Country fruit. All of our vineyards are important to us, from West Texas, the high plains, and Oregon,” said Miller. Oregon will always be a big element of their wines that makes the family and friend business special.
The soul of the Signor family extends to yours. Whether you’re celebrating a family event or a casual get together, all guests convene at Signor Vineyards as a place to “to remind themselves that they’re still in love,” as Miller states. The vineyard’s ultimate purpose is to help people slow down, sit for a bit, and celebrate the beauty that Signor Vineyards showcases for the Texas Hill Country.
This place has an aesthetic that is so warm, embracing and beautiful. You shouldn’t just walk through and look at it, you should find a comfortable spot and sit down and get quiet. Let it just be around you to experience what it feels like to just sit quietly enough to hear the birds and be in this beautiful place. I mean, what could be better than that?” said Shatto.
Each guest is able to craft their own experience, whether that be bringing the kids or fur babies along to listen to live music, or having a sit-down tasting experience with table service in the gardens. It’s an open invitation to what wine culture means for each of its guests.
Our slogan of ‘where soul meets soil’ is essentially saying we’re family, we love our agriculture, and that’s where the grapes and connections grow,” said Miller
