Wine Enthusiast magazine recently presented their list of “America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants for 2018” and restaurants from around Texas were included on the list, including Cabernet Grill in Fredericksburg. It should come as no surprise for those who have visited Cabernet Grill as it is one of the first restaurants to feature a 100 percent Texas wine list, and currently has the nation’s largest selection of Texas wines. The list of “America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants for 2018” will appear in the August print issue of Wine Enthusiast.
As long-time readers know, Texas Wine Lover wrote about Cabernet Grill before in 2015 after talking to owner Chef Ross Burtwell. Back then, the restaurant featured around 90 Texas wines on their wine list from over 30 different wineries. Today, that number has grown to 115 different Texas wines while working with over 40 different wineries.
Chef Ross Burtwell
The wines are carefully paired with Texas Hill Country cuisine on a seasonal and locally sourced menu. Burtwell partners not only with local vintners, but also grape growers, farmers, and craft beer and spirits entrepreneurs to showcase the best food and wine that Texas has to offer. His favorite recipes, including some recipes served at the restaurant, are featured in Texas Hill Country Cuisine: Flavors of the Cabernet Grill Texas Wine Country Restaurant which is Burtwell’s first cookbook published in 2014.
“We are honored to be named one of America’s top wine restaurants given our focus on being truly local in every sense of the word,” says Burtwell. “We strive to capture imaginative flavors and innovative wine and food pairings to create an exceptional Texas wine experience for our guests who visit the Texas Hill Country.”
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Elizabeth Rodriguez, Cabernet Grill Wine Director, joined Cabernet Grill in 2005 and has been responsible for developing the wine list and training the staff. As part of the staff training, she conducts weekly blind tastings, aroma workshops, Texas vs. the world tastings, winery field trips, food and wine pairings, and in-house “meet the winemaker” sessions.
“From the get-go, we wanted to be ‘all in’ and support this fast-growing, young industry,” said Rodriguez. “Our customers have proven time and time again that they enjoy Texas wines – in our first year offering an all-Texas wine list, we saw wine sales increase by 28 percent. We have never looked back.”
Cabernet Grill opened in 2002, and the restaurant is part of the Cotton Gin Village, a truly unique bed and breakfast lodging facility. Texas Wine Lover recently wrote about the Cotton Gin Village lodging and since that time, plans are in the works for expanding the lodging by building more cabins.
Cabernet Grill is open only for dinner service, Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are accepted for the dining room and outdoor dining is on a first-come, first-served basis. For reservations, call 830-990-5734.
Leave a Reply