Imagine suddenly changing your career at the peak of it. That’s what Bill Sutherland of Andreucci Wines did. He ended up in the Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg, where he now runs Andreucci Wines with his wife. His fascinating journey took him from Texas to Tuscany and back again, with many adventures along the way.
Lifestyle
Bill Sutherland’s Journey from Tuscany to Texas
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The Beginning
Bill Sutherland started out in the real estate business. He had his own company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and ranked at #2 in the world for Century 21. However, the business felt too large with 150 employees, so he sold everything and left for Italy with his wife. He’d always wanted to live in Tuscany, and bought a house there as a second home. After giving up his real estate business, he and his wife lived there full-time.
A Long-Awaited Love
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Bill was not always married to his current wife, Patty. They were high-school sweethearts who parted ways for two decades. But, they reconnected, and have been together for the last 30 years, supporting each other all the way. Patty supported Bill’s move to Italy, and he supported her while she earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in art at TSU, where she also taught for a while. Even today, their love remains strong, as Bill waits for a new heart to replace the exterior device he carries to help his own failing heart operate.
The Tuscany Years
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
For 15 years, Bill and his wife, Patty, lived in Tuscany. At first, he joked about becoming farmers, but instead, they opened a cooking school with many of the grandmothers in the village teaching authentic recipes. The cooking school proved to be a tremendous success, appearing on the Food Network, “The Today Show,” and on Fine Living TV.
Coming to Texas
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Bill had a sister in Texas and decided to visit her in Fredericksburg. After discussing with local economic committees about business prospects, he purchased some land along 290 for what would become Andreucci Wines. Currently, Bill and his wife have a crop of grapes planted, but they will not be ready until next year. They’ve been running Andreucci Wines as a unique venture in the Texas Hill Country since it opened September 1, 2016.
How Andreucci Wines Stands Out
Photo: Facebook/Andreucci Wines Fredericksburg
Unlike other Texas wineries, Andreucci Wines does not grow and produce Texas wines. It introduces Texans to genuine Italian wines. Some of the Sutherlands’ best customers have come from other Texas wineries looking for a different taste. Favio Andreucci, from a long-standing Italian wine-making family, makes the wines sold at Andreucci Wines. Drop by the tasting room in Fredericksburg to sample the wares in the tasting room and take some home for yourself. Open Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 308 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
