Mike Nelson

The Path

Early in their career, Mike worked as Corporate Immigration Attorney in Dallas. It was a professional life shaped by structure and responsibility, one that demanded careful judgment and exacting attention. Over time, though, his trajectory shifted toward a different kind of work—one rooted not in contracts and filings, but in the rhythms of land, climate, and season. Today, Mike is winemaker & co-founder of Ab Astris Winery. The transition reads almost like a change in language: from the formal cadence of law to the more tactile vocabulary of wine. At Ab Astris Winery in Stonewall, Texas, USA, his work is tied to a place where each decision carries the imprint of the environment and each vintage reflects the cumulative effect of many choices made quietly over time.

The Work Today

He serves as winemaker and co-founder at Ab Astris Winery in Stonewall, Texas, USA, a position that asks him to balance vision with stewardship. The work is not only about making wine, but about tending to the conditions that allow wine to be made well. His own view of the craft is straightforward and grounded: “All of us agree that we need to be good stewards for the environment.” That sense of stewardship seems to shape the spirit of the role. At Ab Astris Winery, the title of winemaker & co-founder suggests both hands-on making and the broader responsibility of helping guide the winery’s identity. It is a career built on continuity rather than haste, on learning how to listen closely—to the vineyard, to the process, to the larger natural systems that make the work possible. For Mike, the shift from Dallas law practice to Stonewall winemaking is more than a change of profession; it marks a movement toward a life that feels aligned with the long view. The years in corporate immigration law remain part of the story, but they now sit beside the quieter, more seasonal demands of viticulture and cellar work. In that balance, his present work finds its shape.

In Their Words “All of us agree that we need to be good stewards for the environment.” “I practiced as a Corporate Immigration Attorney in Dallas for eight years prior to starting my full-time winemaking career.”

Career - Winemaker & Co-Founder — Ab Astris Winery - Corporate Immigration Attorney — Dallas

FAQ How did Mike Nelson get started? He started as a Corporate Immigration Attorney in Dallas before moving into full-time winemaking. What is Mike Nelson best known for today? He is best known as winemaker and co-founder of Ab Astris Winery in Stonewall, Texas.