One of Texas Wine Lover’s favorite restaurants in Fredericksburg was recently recognized as one of “America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants” by Wine Enthusiast magazine. This was the second consecutive year that Cabernet Grill has been named a top wine restaurant.
“Winning this award a second year in a row is not a coincidence – it’s a testament to the Texas wine industry that continues to bring to market exceptional wines that our guests embrace,” said Owner and Executive Chef Ross Burtwell. “It also sets the bar for other locally focused restaurants to make local a relevant part of not only their food menu, but their wine lists and cellars.”

Chef Ross Burtwell
Cabernet Grill is the first restaurant to offer an all-Texas wine list and feature the state’s largest selection of Texas wines. Since its opening, Cabernet Grill has grown its list of Texas wines, now offering more than 145 different Texas wines from 45 wineries, and stocks more than 1,200 bottles in its inventory.
Texas wines continue to win awards at some of the most prestigious competitions, including the TEXSOM International Wine Awards and the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and win top scores from renowned wine critics. Many of these award-winning wines are available to pair with outstanding Texas Hill Country cuisine at the Cabernet Grill.
Wine Director Elizabeth Rodriguez of Cabernet Grill has focused on adding more single-varietal wines and new producers to the list, including most recently Perissos Vineyards, Arché, OG Cellars, Rustic Spur Vineyards, and Texas Heritage Vineyard, with more to come.
“From the recently released Cinsault wine from William Chris Vineyards and the Sagrantino from Messina Hof Winery to the lesser known Nero d’Avola from Brennan Vineyards and Piquepoul Blanc from McPherson Cellars, our guests enjoy single-varietal wines that express not only the grape, but also the site from which the grapes are grown,” Rodriguez says. “These wines provide terrific opportunities for our team to share information about the growers, vineyard sites, and climates, and winemakers’ approach – which is a huge part of serving up a truly local experience.”
Owner Burtwell partners not only with local vintners, but also cheese makers, farmers, ranchers, and artisan food producers as well as craft beer and spirits entrepreneurs to showcase the best food, spirits, and wine that Texas has to offer. The menu is always changing and reflects seasonal trends and locally available products.
Cabernet Grill joins seven other Texas restaurants that made the 2019 list: Bullion, Flora Street Café, Gemma, Maverick Texas Brasserie, One Fifth, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, and Theodore Rex. The list of “100 Best Wine Restaurants for 2019” will appear in the August print issue of Wine Enthusiast.
Cabernet Grill opened in 2002 in historic Fredericksburg and has built a reputation for inventive Hill Country cuisine and its all-Texas wine list. Its Cotton Gin Village Lodging with seven 19th Century log cabins is expanding this fall with seven new cottages, providing elegantly rustic bed and breakfast lodging in the heart of Texas wine country.
Cabernet Grill focuses on dinner service only, Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 p.m. to close. Reservations are accepted for the dining room; outdoor dining is on a first-come, first-served basis. For reservations, call 830-990-5734. Cabernet Grill is located on 2805 South Highway 16. For more information, go to www.cabernetgrill.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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