Wining and Dining
A visit to the Texas Hill Country wouldn’t be complete without enjoying the abundance of wine that draws visitors from around the world. Wine production in the Hill Country has blossomed into a booming industry. There are more than 45 wineries and vineyards in the Hill Country, and Gillespie County wineries have produced many award-winning wines. Fredericksburg is at the center of it all, with more than 20 wineries of its own, and is full of tasting rooms, vineyards, and wine bars.
On Fredericksburg’s historic Main Street, you’ll find the Narrow Path Winery tasting room, where you can try the Turbeville family’s exceptional small-batch wines that feature fruit from their estate vineyard as well as grapes from select Texas and California vineyards. At Grape Creek Vineyards, visitors feel transported to Napa Valley or Tuscany as they explore this breathtaking 100-acre property. Their Taste and Tour package takes guests on a tour through the vineyards to see the state-of-the-art production complex, sample wines directly from oak barrels, and finish in the tasting room. Also on the grounds is the fine-dining restaurant Stout’s Trattoria at Grape Creek, where guests can dine with a view of the vines.
Nestled amid Cotton Gin Village, which is made up of bed & breakfast cabins built as early as the 1850s, Cabernet Grill Texas Wine Country Restaurant has a true Hill Country atmosphere. Executive Chef Ross Burtwell, owner of Cotton Gin Village and Cabernet Grill, creates exquisite dishes inspired by local and Texas-sourced ingredients that complement the extensive list of Texas wines.
Despite the fabulous wine options in the Hill Country, Fredericksburg wouldn’t be a true German community without beer. Located in a restored 1890s building on historic Main Street, Fredericksburg Brewing Co. offers fresh ales and lagers brewed on-site, seasonal specialty brews, and German-style lagers in addition to hearty German-influenced menu items. A visit to this restaurant and biergarten is a must, as it has all the elements that make Fredericksburg so special: German roots and Texas charm.
Photos courtesy of J. Fox., Grape Creek Vineyards, Steve Rawls, and Marc Bennett.
This content originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen magazine. ©2017 Hoffman Media
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