HOUSTON – Life didn’t hand Stephanie Franklin lemons; it handed her grapes, and she turned them into gold-medal wine.
After losing her job during the pandemic, this Houston native didn’t just bounce back; she poured herself into something new… literally.
Franklin is now the proud founder of Franklin Vines, a boutique wine label rooted in her family’s ancestral land in Shankleville, Texas, an East Texas historic freedom colony founded by her ancestors.
Now Franklin has turned to her roots and found a path forward by following a passion she’d long kept on the back burner: winemaking.
“I was unemployed with millions of other people, but it also gave me an opportunity to redefine my life — like, what can I do that would make me happy? And… It’s wine,” Franklin said.
A passion decanted
She trained under top producers from Napa to Texas, earned industry certifications, and got her hands grape-stained in real-deal internships.
“During my second or third certification, I knew I wanted to become a winemaker and plant a vineyard,” she said.
Then came her first vintage: a Texas-grown Tannat (wine grape) that’s already sipping up the spotlight. We’re talking Gold at the 2025 International Women’s Wine Competition and Silver at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Digging into history
On December 7, 2024, Franklin broke ground on the first-ever vineyard in Shankleville land passed down from her grandfather, Guyler Shankle, who probably never imagined his granddaughter would turn the family plot into a grape-growing legacy.
“My cousin planted the idea to plant the vineyard in Shankleville. My ancestors founded the town. They built schools, churches… and my grandfather had the land,” Franklin said.
But this isn’t just about vines. It’s about vision.
Franklin’s goal? Revitalize the rural economy, celebrate Black agricultural legacy, and empower women in wine and farming, she will soon launch the “Adopt a Vine” campaign, inviting others to take part in Franklin Vines’ legacy.
“It’s a celebration of legacy, rebirth, and the power of dreaming boldly, especially as a woman of color carving out space in an industry where we are still underrepresented,” Franklin said.
Her upcoming “Adopt a Vine” campaign will let people literally put down roots and be part of the story, no pruning shears required.
“I’m not really following the rules. I’m creating something different, planting a vineyard in Shankleville, creating jobs, boosting the economy, and encouraging women to dream big,” Franklin said.
Shankleville to the spotlight
The story’s already making waves. Franklin sat down with Michael Strahan, former NFL star and TV host, where they reflected on their shared roots, both are descendants of the founders of Shankleville.
And now, Houston gets to raise a glass to her milestone. Franklin’s debut wine event, Legacy in Bloom, is happening on July 27. The celebration will be hosted at the Texas Wine School, located at 2301 Portsmouth St, Houston, TX 77098. The event starts at 4 PM.
“I thought I’d bring it back full circle and have my wine launch (at the Texas Wine School) because this is where it started,” she said.
Franklin is already being celebrated as a 2025 Future Leader by the Veraison Project, a national program pushing for equity and access in wine. But for her, the work is just beginning.
“People are surprised when they hear you can grow grapes in Texas, but we’re the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the country,” Franklin said.
She’s dreaming bigger about jobs, scholarships, agritourism, all rooted in Shankleville soil, where her ancestors once tilled and toiled in freedom.
Franklin also had a bit of advice for anyone starting something new:
“Do a little every day. Find a mentor. Don’t let age discourage you,” she concluded. “This is the second half of my life, and I want to do something I truly love.”
To stay updated on Franklin Vines, follow them on social media.
