12 Best Sights in The Hill Country, Texas

Reagan Meador began making wine in Long Island but decided to return to his native Texas to put down roots (literally). At Southold Farm + Cellar, he crafts unique, limited-release wines using very little intervention with the Texas grapes he currently sources as he waits for his estate-grown grapes to be ready for production. Visits to the tasting room are by reservation only, and guests can choose from several different options: an “Introduction” tasting of four wines, a “Prologue” featuring four wines plus a spread of dishes made with local ingredients, or an eight-course “Sunset Supper” set in the gorgeous, western-facing restaurant overlooking the vineyard. No matter which tasting you choose, be sure to get in some time on their cozy wooden porch swings that look out across the rolling hills.

Johnson City is now a small but mighty natural wine destination thanks in big part to this mom-and-pop operation in the center of the town. Book an appointment for a tasting with animated winemaker Henry Crowson to experience his unique natural fermentations made without sulfites or filtration. Crowson and his dad craft about 2,000 cases of minimal-intervention wine each year in the adjacent production space, using the best Texas-grown fruit he can find and letting it spontaneously ferment using ambient yeast. Crowson added a restaurant, Picnic’d, serving charcuterie boards of butter, mezze, and meats and cheeses as well as specialty sandwiches and Amy’s Ice Cream.

Founded by doctors Stan and Lisa Duchman, this bucolic vineyard features Italian-inspired gardens, a central villa, and grapes like the deep-purple Sangiovese and tart Dolcetto sourced mainly from the Texas High Plains AVA. Sample the award-winning Vermentino white while you stroll the gorgeous grounds. Homemade pizzas and seasonal bites are available at the restaurant, Thursday through Sunday.

In 1975, Susan and Ed Auler planted a test plot of grapes in a corner of their ranch. It quickly grew from ¼ acre to 7½ acres, and is now the oldest winery in the Hill Country. They source Texas-grown grapes from their two estate vineyards as well as a handful of other vineyards, each with its own distinct terroir. On your visit, taste the fruits of their labor in highly rated ExTERRA single-vineyard labels. Two guest rooms are available for overnight stays.

Originally from Paso Robles, California, this is the first Texas outpost for the winery, featuring 100 percent organically grown grapes; an open, airy tasting room; and a restaurant that also offers outdoor seating in a beautiful park-like area out back on 32 acres, with a scattering of wandering sheep. Enjoy a leisurely lunch with your wine tasting—fish tacos, steak frites, and the Cubano sandwich are stellar. Browse the boutique offerings and make sure to try the delicious 2023 Texas rosé.

Formerly the Slate Mill Wine Collective, this lovely site just south of downtown Fredericksburg was bought by Heath Family Brands, the family that owns one of the largest vineyards in the Hill Country. It's now Invention Vineyards, and you can tour the 35-acre estate vineyards, taste the wine in a stylish, modern industrial tasting room, and simply relax, raise a glass, and enjoy delicious Texas wines.

Nikhila Narra Davis co-founded Narra Vineyards in the Texas High Plains AVA with her farming family, and, together with her husband, Greg Davis, they sustainably farm a 140-acre vineyard where they produce estate-grown wines. Nikhila, the winemaker and viticulturist, began experimenting with making her own wine and has now launched her own brand under the label Kalasi Cellars, with a vineyard, tasting room (where they offer a wine and chocolate tasting, inspired by Indian flavors like saffron and cardamom and a small-bites menu of Indian snacks), and boutique winery in northeast Fredericksburg. Sheep keep the grounds free from weeds, and Kalasi Cellars grapes are entirely estate grown, creating the unique distinction of Texas-fruit, single-vineyard wines.

Sitting at the highest point in Kerr County and overlooking the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Kerrville Hills Winery was the first winery established in Kerrville in 2008. Built on the footprint of a Kerrville homestead, the tasting room features the building's original double-sided fireplace, winery-facing windows, and unique rustic warehouse decor. Award-winning winemaker John Rivenburgh has a passion for growing high-quality, sustainable Texas grapes, and has gained acclaim for his full-bodied reds like Tannat, Tempranillo, and the Sagrantino. After a wine tasting, grab a glass of your favorite selection as you watch the sun set behind the hills.

This spot may be located a short jaunt from the rest of the traditional Texas Wine Trail, but it’s absolutely worth a visit to experience a winery that’s always done things a little differently. Inspired by his friend and fellow winemaker Tony Coturri, Lewis Dickson began planting grapes and producing natural wine back in 2000. The winery is named after the old Mexican graveyard cross in the vineyard (ask Dickson for the full story behind it), and the eclectic tasting room is set in a house filled with plenty of art, photographs, and relics to marvel at while you sample the wines.

Winemaker Krystal Patel grew up making wine in the cellar with her grandmother, and turned part of her fifth-generation family ranch into a vineyard and tasting room in a former barn in Stonewall. You can taste her award-winning small-batch wines—reds are the specialty—and learn about the region's history through her fascinating family. (Her grandfather invented an "airship" in the 1860s, 40 years before the Wright brothers.) If you’re up for a bite, ask about a cheese board to accompany the wine tasting.

A sixth-generation family-run boutique winery, Pedernales Cellars offers sustainably grown, 100 percent Texas grapes and specializes in Spanish- and Rhone-style wines. The winery sits on 145 acres with bucolic views of the Pedernales River Valley, and tastings and cellar tours are offered.

Located just south of downtown Fredericksburg, this collaborative concept evolved from a family-operated boutique winery called 1851 Vineyards before restructuring as Slate Mill Collective. The collective expanded the vineyard, winery, and tasting room to include 35 planted acres and a state-of-the-art wine-making facility. It’s also a great place for visitors to come for a production tour (with plenty of samples along the way) to learn more about the Texas wine industry. Afterward, head to the tasting room to enjoy labels from multiple local producers, like Wine for the People, Tatum Cellars, and C.L. Butaud.