Chris Cox was attending the University of Miami, pursuing her undergraduate degree in geoscience and supporting herself by working at a catering company, when she discovered her love for wine and the wine industry. Her academic path eventually took her to the Houston campus of Texas A&M University, where she earned her master’s degree and began working in the oil and gas industry.

The storm caused catastrophic flooding, taking homes, lives, and any lingering sense of safety. The couple stayed in Houston through the aftermath, using a duck boat to help neighbors recover keepsakes and salvage what clothing remained. When the waters finally receded and the full scope of the destruction became clear, Chris and Jordan remained to help with cleanup efforts. The experience left both them and their community deeply shaken.

“Jordan decided, and I was with him on this—we were like, Houston is going to flood again,” Chris said. “Like, there is no way a hurricane is not going to come again. It might be 10 years, it might be 25 years, it might be 50.”

That realization led to a life-changing decision: they were leaving Houston. When Jordan suggested moving back to his hometown of Hemphill in far East Texas and buying half of his parents’ five-acre property, Chris didn’t hesitate.

An avid gardener, Chris quickly put the land to use, planting grapes. She began with a few test vines to see if they could withstand the East Texas climate.

By 2018, the land was prepared, and the supplies were ordered to start a 500-vine vineyard. In spring 2019, the vines were in the ground — officially marking the beginning of Pineywoods Vineyard. The grapes flourished, and Chris credits her scientific background for some of the success. “The fun thing about geoscience is that you can figure out how to grow anything,” she said.

The idea of winemaking came about unexpectedly — during a bachelor party trip to Nashville that Jordan attended. One of the attendees, who worked in distribution, told him, “If you’ve got a vineyard, you’ve got to start a winery. That’s how you actually make a return on grapes.” Jordan brought the advice home to Chris, and the two began exploring the idea. After much consideration, they took the leap in 2022 and purchased a historic building in downtown Hemphill. Built in 1903 and located just five minutes from the vineyard, it was the perfect location.

The brick exterior was sturdy, but the interior wood had been ravaged by termites, and both the electrical and plumbing systems were severely outdated. Over the next two years, Chris and Jordan poured their energy into gutting and rebuilding the structure, transforming it into the winery they envisioned.

Today, Pineywoods Winery invites guests to sample handcrafted local wines in its tasting room, browse merchandise, attend community events like dance nights and workshops, and even book private gatherings. In the summer, the winery offers vineyard tours that end with a tasting. Pineywoods also runs a wine club, offering members access to exclusive events, special discounts, and quarterly wine shipments.

As the business grew, Chris and Jordan looked to expand — adding a shaded back porch and purchasing steel tanks to begin processing wine on-site.

Chris remembered attending a Sabine County Chamber of Commerce meeting two years earlier, where she heard Chris Ranniger from Communities Unlimited (CU) speak about CU’s lending services. Ranniger is a Senior Economic Development Loan Officer who works in the East Texas region.

“I’ll just reach out to (CU) and see what the process is,” Chris recalled telling Jordan.

She contacted Ranniger, who walked her through CU’s loan options and guided her through the application. She was approved, and the loan closed on April 23, 2025. With funding from CU and its partner, the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Chris and Jordan moved forward with the porch buildout and the purchase of wine processing tanks for their downtown location.

“Chris was very helpful,” Chris Cox said.

The wine tanks are now being installed, and the porch is under construction — set to be completed in time for the town’s annual Homecoming Parade, which passes right by the winery. Chris hopes the new porch will provide a front-row view for paradegoers and a chance to enjoy a glass of wine while taking in the festivities.

For Chris, the loan meant more than expanding a business — it aligned with her mission to uplift her community.

“There aren’t a lot of good, safe job opportunities for women — especially in small, rural, poverty-stricken areas,” she said.

Chris takes pride in creating a supportive work environment that helps her team improve their financial standing. She recalled one employee who, after a difficult divorce, was working full time but still struggling. Since joining Pineywoods, working just two to three days per week, that employee has been able to purchase a car and is now on track to buy her own home and move out of subsidized housing.

With the expansion and new offerings like porch events and pop-up cigar sales, Chris hopes to increase revenue and, in turn, raise wages.

She also encourages personal growth, even when it means helping staff transition to other opportunities. “I’m currently helping one of my employees find a better job than the one she has with me,” she said. “I’d love for her to stay part time, but the goal is for her to move forward. Use us, build your skill set, help us succeed — and then let us help you succeed.”

That’s exactly what she’s doing at Pineywoods — building a community hub, creating jobs, and sparking local inspiration. And it all began with a few vines, a dream, and a little help from CU.

As Chris put it:

“It’s really exciting what you can do with some grapes. You can build a whole economy around some grapes.”