Sweet Dreams Winery

By Dana Goolsby

Elmwood- Just off the beaten path of the Texas Forest Trail, along Anderson County Road 441, Sweet Dreams Winery rests in Elmwood. Long, long ago this area was known for moonshine making along the spring-fed creek but today award winning sweet spirits flow out of Elmwood.

Mike and Sandra Pell got into the wine-making business over a set of sore knees and neighbors who had fallen in love with Mike’s wine.

Mike’s bad knees had inhibited him from a good night’s sleep for many years, until he discovered a bottle of wine he purchased at an auction. The wine was sweet and made Mike feel warm all over, allowing him to have sweet dreams for the first time in a long time.

Unfortunately, Mike’s favorite vintner stopped bottling the wine. This led to Mike experimenting with wine making in his back yard, which in turn led to an explosion of sweet spirits that friends and neighbors couldn’t get enough of. People enjoyed Mike’s back yard wine so much that they brought empty bottles over to be filled, and even refilled.

Mike’s backyard operation eventually became so demanding that he asked his fellow wine lovers if they would buy the wine if he bottled and corked it. Everyone agreed.

Mike and Sandra decided to use the property they had in Elmwood for the winery. Today the property has been transformed into an inviting country atmosphere where people can go to enjoy the fruits of the Pineywoods. Sweet Dreams is also part of the Pineywoods Wine Trail. Pell has created a line of true East Texas wines, as all of his ingredients are gathered from within seven counties.

According to employees at Sweet Dreams it is hard to keep up with the demand for Mike’s wine. Every moment of down time is spent down stairs bottling wine. Sweet Dreams employees have a finely tuned system in place to assist them with production.

Treat your taste buds to some wine tasting at Sweet Dreams Winery. Sample award winning, East Texas made wines and take some home! With 19 award winning wines on tap, Sweet Dreams is sure to have a wine that will tickle your taste buds and suit your fancy.

MYETX.com recommends Outlaw Red and Sweet Heat. Outlaw red is a smooth red wine made from mustangs and muscadines. Sweat Heat will light you up with its jalapeno flavored punch. Sweat Heat is perfect for sipping on cold nights and cooking. Add Sweat heat to tomato juice and you have an instant bloody mary! Either of these two wines are sure to leave an impression and wet your whistle.

Pell is preparing to unveil a new flavor to his sweet wines this summer! He gave MYETX.com a taste of Summer Tea recently, and we know you’re going to love it! Summer Tea is made from East Texas watermelons. “Ain’t but three things in life that’s worth a solitary dime. That’s old dogs and children, and watermelon wine,” as Tom T. Hall might say.

Sweet Dreams Winery is an inviting place to kick back and relax with family and friends. The winery is also available for birthday parties, bridal showers, small parties, and board or club meetings. The winery offers a covered patio and large covered porch, along with a tasting room. Guests are also encouraged to bring their own meals and prepare them on the grill themselves, free of charge.

The winery is open Fridays from 3:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. and Saturdays from 11a.m. to 8p.m.

Sweet Dreams Winery is located approximately 10 miles north of Palestine. To get to Sweet Dreams, take FM 315 north past FM 321 and turn right on CR 444. When CR 444 ends at CR 441, turn right on CR 441 and the winery is a few hundred yards down on the left.

For more information, call 903-549-2027.