Before I became a beer nerd, I was a wine lover- and still am! I set my goal so high to try over 100 breweries and brew pubs in Austin that I forgot how relaxing a smooth red blend can be. The wine scene is definitely smaller than the beer scene in Austin, but there are still so many options. Whether its a vineyard, a tasting room or enjoying a glass on a sunny patio- wine is so versatile and that’s one of the things I love most about it. These are some of my favorite places to drink wine in Austin!
Wineries
Austin Winery
One of the best wineries around, with a female winemaker too!
Bell Sprigs Winery
The best Rose I’ve ever had.
Spicewood Winery
Texas Hills Vineyard
Wimberly Valley Winery
Driftwood Estate Winery
Llano Estacado Winery
Perdanales Cellars
Signor Vineyards
Fall Creek Winery (Tow & Driftwood)
Two locations, both have gorgeous tasting rooms and outdoor patio seating.
Salt Lick Cellars
Pass the time waiting for bbq in the garden and pick up a bottle to byob into the restaurant!
Solaro Winery
Voted Best Texas Winery! I love the Montepulciano and the view of the vineyard from the back deck!
Bars & Restaurants
Apt 115
Avairy Kitchen
Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
$5 Sangria during happy hour!
Cru Wine Bar
Wine flights and cheese boards! They have an awesome happy hour menu and so many different themed flights, you’ll have to try one of each!
Driskill Hotel
There’s definitely a vibe when you visit the bar at Driskill Hotel, they have great happy hour specials like half priced bottles on Wine Wednesday!
Gino’s Vino
Go for the impeccable wine list, stay for the incredible risotto.
House Wine
Josephine House
Italic
A great happy hour wine list, its almost too hard to choose! They have a great Montepulciano, Prosecco and Aperol Sprtiz (just to name a few).
Il Brutto
Forever putting Aperol in my Prosecco…
June’s All Day
The inside of this restaurant in a major mood… and the front sidewalk patio was made for sipping Rose in the sun!
Le Politique
What’s better than French wine? Pastry Happy Hour.
North Italia
You need to check out their happy hour special- A bottle of wine and charcuterie board for $20!!
Numero 28
My absolute favorite restaurant in ATX, forever pretending I’m back in Italy eating gelato and sipping vino.
Olive & June
Lenoir
Opa
Seriously, THE CUTEST little house and wine garden I’ve ever seen.
OP Italian
Their wine list is impressive, you definitely do not want to miss out on their happy hour menu either!
Salty Sow
Did I already say I have a favorite restaurant in Austin? Because this one is it too. The wine list (and menu overall) never disappoints!
Swifts Attic
This upstairs “attic” is a vibe and the cocktails are as cool as the wait staff.
The Grove
In general, this places sets the bar when it comes to a wine list.
Vino Vino
Winebelly
Incredible wine list, you must ask about wine roulette!!
Day Trip to Fredericksburg
One things I absolutely love about living in Austin is that you can have the hustle of city life and still explore other areas in Texas because of its central location. I love spending time downtown checking out new places to grab a cocktail, but I also love a chance to drive out of the city and take in the scenery.
One of the places I love to frequent on a free weekend is Fredericksburg, Texas. I love taking the scenic drive through the hill country and out to this beautiful German inspired town. Once you get to the little town square, you will fall in love, especially in the winter around Christmas. The main street is filled with little shops, restaurants and tasting rooms with over 50 wineries along the way! Every time we have gone to Fredericksburg we have eaten at the Auslander- and it does not disappoint! Plus there are a variety of transportation services, most of which include packages that save you money on tastings and purchases!
Three of my favorite wineries in Fredericksburg include Grape Creek, Kuhlman Cellars and Becker Vineyards. But trust me, you can’t go wrong, just drive and pick one. Honestly, its more difficult than you think to fit several into one trip unless you go with an itinerary. This is because each winery is so unique you won’t want to leave and move onto the next. Not a bad problem to have. There are also a few breweries and distilleries to check out in Fredericksburg, so even if someone in the group isn’t particularly a wine drinker there are other options. The Alstadt Brewery is finally finished and is definitely something you MUST check out on your way into town!
I’ve written several other posts featuring my favorite topics on wine!
See Also:
Taste the Wine, Don’t Just Drink It
Everything You Need To Know About Red Varietals
Drinking Around the World in 30 Days
My Favorite Day of the Entire Year: National Wine Day!
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