Texas Hill Country…..Texas Wine Country

by Russ Kane

published in the September/October 2004 issue of
Culinary Thymes

 

 

 

link to view full size image of map

FOR ALL IT'S UNDENIABLE CHARM, the Texas Hill Country is a “slice” of heaven just on the outskirts of Austin and San Antonio, and a just bit over 3 hours from either Houston or Dallas. In a blink of time, just over a decade, it has been transformed into the Texas Wine Country, the epicenter of the 5th largest wine producing state in the USA.

Texas grape growers and winemakers have learned to use our temperamental climate to produce quality, award winning wines and, in the process have created a major new tourist and culinary destination that rivals the ambiance and draw to California. The Hill Country includes an ample variety of old and new vineyards and wineries implementing new growing and winemaking techniques to fit the Texas terroir. There have been new plantings of Mediterranean varietals such as Viognier, Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo and Sangiovese, warm weather hybrids like Blanc DuBois, Black Spanish and Ruby Cabernet, and nurtured classics such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot and the quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines have depth and variety that can titillate anybody’s taste buds.

The Texas wine heritage is something in which we can all be proud and need to experience first hand.  It was born over 400 years when Tejas was part of Mexico where the Franciscans produced sacramental wines from local “mission” grapes. Later, in the mid-1800’s, German immigrants came to the Texas Hill Country bringing with them their winemaking birthright using wild grapes in settlements with names like Grapetown and Grape Creek, which were naturally favorable for grape growing. This was the nucleus of a Texas wine industry that numbered over 20 wineries by the 1920’s. However, it all ended with Prohibition. Only one winery – Val Verde Winery – survived. It took over 50 years to find and re-establish the Texas grape growing tradition and its winemaking heritage. Texas currently has over 50 active wineries all around the state and nearly half of them are in and around the Texas Hill Country.

The Texas Hill Country is much more than wine…..it is the complete wine country experience that, in its own way, rivals much more common names like Napa and Sonoma. You can experience the way it was in Napa when you could actually meet and share a taste with the winemakers in their tasting rooms. Our Hill Country is joining other new wine producing regions such as Paso Robles, and Long Island offering fine wine country experiences fused with regional cuisines and historical venues.  Whether it’s a short weekend getaway or an extended week long vacation, you can find an ample supply of wineries, fine dinning, down-home cafés, quaint B&B’s, historical sites, state parks and wildlife areas, bike and limo tours, and generally a slower, laidback approach to life that can soothe your psyche and stir up your senses.

Use the map to pick a Hill Country wine trail. Fall is a spectacular season in the Texas Hill Country and October is Texas Wine Month. Celebrate!

Dr. Russell D. Kane has traveled extensively and has serious interests in culinary arts, regional cuisines, and wine and food pairing. He is currently Executive Director of the Wine Society of Texas. For a complete list of Texas wineries go to: www.winesocietyoftexas.org

 

List of Texas Hill Country Wineries

  1. Alamosa Wine Cellars (325) 628-3313, Wines of Italy, Spain and Rhone. 1st weekend of month, holidays or by appt.
  2. Becker Vineyards (830) 644-2681, Patio and great wines. 1880’s cabin B&B onsite.  M-Th 10-5; F-S 10-6; Su 12-6
  3. Chisholm Trail Winery (830) 990-CORK, New tasting room with Longhorns roaming outside.  Th-M 12-6.
  4. Comfort Cellars (830) 995-3274, Tasting & gift shop in century home. Su-W 12-6; Th-S 11-6.
  5. Driftwood Vineyards (512) 858-4508, Hilltop winery, tours, picnics. M-S 10-6; Su 12-6.
  6. Dry Comal Creek Vineyard (830) 885-4076, Bold “Texas-Style” wines and tasting room. W-Su 12-5.
  7. Fall Creek Vineyards (325) 379-5361, Picnic on the shores of Lake Buchanan. They started Hill Country winemaking. M-F 11-4; S 12-5; Su 12-4
  8. Flat Creek Estate (512) 267-6310, Australian winemaker and Italian grapes. T-F 10-5; S 10-5; Su 12-5.
  9. Fredericksburg Winery (830) 990-8747;  The “Winemeisters” in city center Fredericksburg. M-Th 10-6; F-S 10-8; Su 12-6.
  10. Grape Creek Vineyards (830) 644-2710; French-style wines. Across from Wildseed Farms. M-S 10-5; Su 12-5
  11. Lost Creek Vineyard (325) 338-3753, "Wines of the Texas Terroir", an 1800's Brunswick bar. M-S 10-5; Su 12-5
  12. McReynolds Wines (830) 825-3544, Family winery with picnic facilities. F-S 10-6 & Su 12-6
  13. Pillar Bluff Vineyards (512) 556-4078, Share a taste under live oaks. Sat 12-5
  14. Sister Creek Vineyards (830) 324-6704; Taste in an historic 1885 cotton gin and sample cheeses. M-S 11-5; Su 12-5
  15. Spicewood Vineyard (830) 693-5328, Bring lunch on veranda overlooking estate vineyard. W-F 12-5; S 10-5;
    Su 12-5
  16. Texas Hills Vineyard (830) 868-2321, Wines in an Italian Style. M-S 10-5; Su 12-5

Events

  • October 8-10 – 18th Annual Gruene Music and Wine Fest. (830) 629-5077
  • October 23 - 14th Annual Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest. (830) 997-8515
  • October 29 - November 7, 2004 - New Braunfels: Wurstfest. A ten-day "Salute to Sausage". (830) 625-9167.
  • November 20-21 – Texas Hill Country Art & Wine Trial, 830-693-5328.

Culinary Venues & Accommodations

  • Rose Hill Manor, B&B, wine dinners, cooking classes and fine dinning, 2614 Upper Albert Road, Stonewall, Texas. (830) 644-2247
  • Full Moon Inn, rustic getaway catering for groups, parties and weddings, 3234 Luckenbach Road Fredericksburg, TX  (800) 997-1124
  • Blair House Inn, B&B, fine dinning and cooking school, 100 Spoke Hill Wimberley, TX. (877) 549-5450
  • Mansion in Bandera, B&B and fine dining in a Century mansion, 1005 Hackberry, Bandera, Texas. (830) 796-4590
  • Canyon of the Eagles - Lodge & Restaurant. A unique European twist on Texas Cuisine FM 2341 & Lake Buchanan near Fall Creek Winery. (512) 756-8787
  • Navajo Grill, gourmet southwestern cuisine and Texas wines, 209 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX (830) 990-8289
  • Alamo Springs General Store & Café, 107 Alamo Road. Home cookin’ & Texas wine. Watch 3 million bats at dusk next door at the Old Tunnel Wildlife Area (10 mi. south of Fredericksburg on Old San Antonio Road). 830-990-8004
  • The Blue Bonnet Café, 211 Hwy 281 Marble Falls, TX. A 72 year Hill Country eating tradition. (830) 693-2344
  • Guadalajara’s Diner, Boerne, TX. Across from Town Square; family run Mexican restaurant with homemade tortillas. (830) 249-0900.

BYOB – Many restaurants in the Hill Country will, for a modest corkage fee, let you imbibe your bottle of Texas wine with your meal.

Historic and Other Attractions:

  • The Antlers Hotel - A Turn of the Century Railroad Resort, Kingsland Texas. (800) 383-0007         
  • Texas Wine Country Bike Tour from Planet Earth Adventures – Sample Texas wineries and B&B’s on a bike. (800) 923-4453
  • Texas Wine Tours.com. Half & full day tours, dinner in the vineyard, B&B’s etc.  (800) 940-7007
  • Rolls-Royce Hill Country Wine Tour - Tour wineries in style in a chauffeured classic 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. (210) 632-2625
  • Wildseed Farms – 7 mi east of Fredericksburg, TX on Rt 290. Working seed farm, plants, butterfly house, restaurant and market, Texas wines and specialty foods. (800) 848-0078