Beyond the Standard, High End Wine Tastings in Texas

As the Texas wine industry continues to flourish, so do the options for patrons regarding the type of experiences they can choose from at a given winery. We all know there is nothing at all wrong with standing at the tasting bar, sipping on wine while sharing the tasting guide with other people in the tasting room. However, as the industry grows, the demand for high end experiences such as stunning, reserve style tastings is growing, and so are the opportunities at many of your favorite wineries. Whether it is a personal one on one tasting, a flight of reserve wines, a wine and cheese pairing, or an all-out personal experience with a trained sommelier, there is a special place waiting for you to show up and have a seat. Grab on and hang on tight guys and gals, first class tasting experiences are available for your enjoyment! Listed below are several known reserve-style tastings now available at Texas wineries.

Becker Vineyards:

Anyone who has been drinking Texas wine for any amount of time might recognize Becker Vineyards as being one of the top wineries in the state, and one of the early pioneers in our modern wine movement. The grounds are beautiful, and the wines broad and flavorful, but Becker wanted to take the normal tasting, and build upon it for a special experience called the Reserve Wine Library. This stellar tasting begins by taking you through the production facility to taste wines from tanks and barrels. As you move through the experience, the tasting brings you back to the Reserve Wine Library in the barrel cellar to partake in a unique wine and cheese pairing. This tasting includes held back, older library vintages of Becker wines to boot.

This high end experience is available every Saturday at 1 p.m. by appointment. The cost is $60.00 per person.

Inwood Estates Vineyards:

Dan Gatlin has been perfecting the art of Texas winemaking for several decades now, and each vintage seems to produce something unique and of high caliber. As with many wineries in Texas, regular tastings can be enjoyed in the tasting room several days a week, however, there are not just one, but three other options for the wine aficionado available here. There is a reserve tasting available Saturdays and Sundays, which includes an educational tasting of seven wines. The Taste with the Winemaker experience is available on Saturdays only, which is a personal tasting with the winemaker in which you will have a one on one personal tasting with the man himself, who made the wines you will be enjoying. Finally, there is a Super Flight available, which is a private, seated tasting with the winemaker in which you will sample Inwood wines up against other similar wines from around the globe, many of which garner a very high price tag.

The Reserve tasting is offered on Saturdays and Sundays only, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $15.00 per person for a flight of seven wines.

Taste with the Winemaker is a seated tasting in the winery which is available on Saturdays on the hour, from noon to 5 p.m. The cost is $25.00 per person, reservations are recommended.

The Super Flights experience is available on Saturdays only, from noon to 5 p.m. The cost is $45.00 per person. Reservations are required for this tasting.

***All high end tastings listed above are at the Fredericksburg location only.

Kuhlman Cellars:

This winery was founded upon the principle that family, friends, food, and fellowship all go hand in hand. This, along with wine, offer the perfect recipe for a breathtaking moment! There are two tastings available by appointment at Kuhlman Cellars, and each offers its own unique perspective. First, is the Signature tasting. This is the tasting experience that was born with the winery. Guests sit down with a trained sommelier for an hour long, educational wine and food pairing. This includes five wines, and five chef-designed bites. This is the core tasting experience available, and is highly recommended. Second is the Standard tasting, which allows guests to enjoy a personal, yet casual, tasting experience that includes four wines and four chef-designed bites. No matter which tasting you choose, you are sure to leave with a smile on your face and a bit more knowledge in that wine-loving brain of yours.

The Signature tasting is available by appointment, on and off the hour, Thursday through Sunday. The cost is $27.50 per person.

The Standard tasting is available by appointment, on and off the hour, Thursday through Sunday. The cost is $20.00 per person.

Lost Draw Cellars:

I have always referred to Lost Draw Cellars as the place to visit that offers West Texas hospitality, and a world class wine experience. This winery offers standard tastings available to walk-ins any time they are open, but just recently they began to offer an elevated tasting experience. You now have the opportunity to experience a sit-down, wine and food pairing with CJ Evans, who not only charms with her pretty smile, but blankets you with her knowledge of Texas wine and showcases her talent as a culinary professional. You will be able to take your time and enjoy everything Lost Draw Cellars has to offer, in a more intimate, seated format.

This Private Tasting is available by appointment, for $25.00 per person.

Pedernales Cellars:

Known far and wide for world class, award winning Texas Tempranillo, Pedernales Cellars continues to plow into each vintage head first, striving to continue its path of quality. The patio here is simply divine, and one must experience the relaxing view for themselves to understand the true beauty of this fabulous glimpse of the Hill Country. Aside from the standard tasting at the main bar, there is also a Reserve Tasting in which you can sit down, relax, and taste through several wines from the program. These aren’t just any wines, they include wine club only, exclusive library releases you would not be able to sample in the regular tasting. Here, you will experience a seated tasting with a knowledgeable guide to take you through the wine portfolio, and tell the story of the winery and its wines. You get to sip from and take home a Riedel wine glass as well.

The cost of the Reserve tasting is $25.00 per person, and is available by appointment on Saturdays and Sundays. Booking ahead of time is strongly encouraged.

4.0 Cellars:

There are not many tasting rooms in Texas where you can taste wine from not just one, but three different wineries! 4.0 Cellars does indeed offer this experience to guests, providing friendly tastings from Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars. The ambience of the tasting room for regular tastings is relaxing and impressive as you stand at their large tasting bar. Aside from the regular tastings available, they also offer a very impressive wine and cheese pairing, which highlights Texas wines and Texas cheeses. Here, you will be led through a flight of five wines, paired alongside five cheeses from Veldhuizen Cheese by a knowledgeable tasting guide.

The cost is $20.00 per person, and reservations are required.

There are so many people who absolutely love the easy going mentality of the Texas wine industry, where you can pop into any winery and enjoy a tasting without an appointment. For those of you who are seeking something a little different, and much more elevated, now is the opportunity to call ahead and make those appointments for the “extra-step” experiences now happening at several wineries.

Cheers, y’all!