It’s been so hot and dry in Texas that you may want to do something fun, festive and indoors. Why not take a Fredericksburg winery road trip this weekend?
The cool tasting rooms in Fredricksburg’s many wineries make a great way to beat this scorching Texas heat.
The only problem is there are so many wineries to choose from that it can be overwhelming. Whether you want to go for a quick Fredericksburg day trip or a fun 2-3 day mini-vacation you may look at the list and wonder where to even start.
Fredericksburg is one of my favorite places for a quick trip. Just last weekend, I made a quick two-day trip with some good friends, where we checked out six different wineries and local restaurants.
All of these wineries will be open for the Fourth of July weekend, but be sure to call ahead to double check and make reservations–it’s sure to be crowded on a holiday weekend.
If you’re taking a quick trip this weekend, Day 1 would start off on Sunday, July 3rd, and Day 2 would be July 4th. This is a great Fredericksburg weekend winery trip itinerary for any weekend, though, so even if you can’t make it out for the fourth, be sure to save this page for your next trip!
Fredericksburg Weekend Winery Trip Itinerary
Day 1
Winery #1 – Untamed Wine Estates
Start the day off at Untamed Wine Estates right at 11:00 AM as the winery opens, and enjoy an early lunch from their Italian wood-fired pizza or try some of the small bites on their menu. They even offer gluten-free options. Untamed Winery is a perfect starting location to enjoy a hearty brunch before a full day of wine tasting.
Their seating is limited, so reservations are recommended. You can reserve a table online.
Winery #2 – Pedernales Cellars
After you finish at Untamed, my next stop would be Pedernales Cellars. They have a scenic venue that is unmatched in Fredericksburg that makes their wines all the better. You’d be hard pressed to find a better view in all of Fredericksburg. You can make a reservation on their website as well.
Winery #3 – Foyt Winery and Museum
For the last stop of the day, I would go to Foyt Winery and Museum. There you can enjoy a little museum that showcases highlights from retired racecar driver AJ Foyt’s career. My husband was just as thrilled by this part as he was the wines, so it’s a great place to take the guys. Plus, the wines were so great that we joined the wine club!
Foyt Wine Collective has locations in Indiana and California in addition to Texas, so make sure you’re on their Texas page when you make reservations online.
Dinner
After a full day of wine tastings, you’ll be ready for something to eat. Fredericksburg has quite a few restaurants to choose from in town, that you can’t go wrong with, but here’s a little insider’s secret I’ll let you in on…
About ten minutes away from Foyt Winery is a little town so small that if you blink, you’ll miss it. Albert, Texas is a tiny town with not much more than an historic ice house and dance hall, a food truck, and best of all–live music. It was the perfect place to enjoy a burger and beer to finish off the evening.
Day 2
Winery #4 – Heath Sparkling Wines at Grape Creek Vineyards
Start the day off at 11:00 again, this time at Heath Sparkling Wines at Grape Creek Vineyards. They are the first winery in Texas dedicated to fine sparkling winemaking. I highly recommend their sparkling wine and food pairing.
They note on their website that they can’t accommodate groups larger than four, so if you have a large party, you may need to split into separate groups.
Heath Sparkling Wines is owned by Grape Creek Vineyards, and in fact, they have their own tasting room on the property within walking distance. You can easily fit in two wine tastings at the same place.
Plus, if you’re a member of Grape Creek’s wine club, you can eat lunch at Stouts Signature at the winery. If you’re not a wine club member, don’t worry! You can either sign up while you’re there or eat at our next stop.
Winery #5 – Augusta Vin
Augusta Vin is a stunning winery with delicious food and wine. Their gourmet sandwiches make them a great place to stop for lunch, but be sure to save room for dessert! Their handmade dark chocolate truffles are out of this world and pair beautifully with their red wines.
The winery is approximately 30 minutes from Heath, so allow yourself enough time to get there when making reservations. If you’re starting off the day at Heath at 11:00, I’d recommend making reservations at Augusta Vin for 1:00 or 1:30. This will give you enough time at Heath and Augusta Vin before making it to the final stop.
Winery #6 – Slate Theory Winery & Vineyards
Finish off a wonderful weekend of wine and food with Slate Theory’s Cave Tasting experience at 4:00 PM. In this tasting, you’ll try the winery’s current releases in their underground barrel cellar. You can reserve your cave tasting experience online.
You may notice that Slate Theory is actually closer to Heath, but they don’t serve lunch, which is why Augusta comes before it. Everything is centralized to Fredericksburg, though, so it’s easy to pop into town for a quick bite to eat or some shopping if you find yourself with too much time between reservations.
Alternatives
If you’re having a hard time making reservations for any of these wineries this weekend, you could also check out Safari Winery and Bingham Family Vineyards–both are open on the Fourth of July and offer great wine. Safari Winery also serves food and has some fantastic pizza, including gluten friendly.
If you want to stay closer to Austin this weekend, Burnet also has some great wineries that will be open on the Fourth–7 Creeks Vineyard and Perissos Vineyards.
Have a fun and safe 4th and remember to have a designated driver!!
