Category Archives: Wine

48 Hours in Fredericksburg, Texas

Last week, we headed to Fredericksburg, Texas for a little wine and relaxation. Although we were only in town for slightly less than 48 hours, we made the most of it and you can too! There will be a lot more information on our getaway in the weeks to come but in case you decide to head down for a quick trip (as you should), I wanted to share how we made the best of our 48 hours!

Our trip was a Wednesday evening thru Friday afternoon. Fredericksburg is a town where there is so much to do that it didn’t even matter that the weather was less than stellar. If anything, it provided more of a reason to pour ourselves another glass!

Step #1: Find yourself a great place to stay.

We started our journey from Fort Worth after work on a Wednesday evening. Three and a half hours later, we arrived. This gave us time to unwind after the long drive and left us with a full day to really take in the sights!

We stayed at the Fredericksburg Inn & Suites, right off Main Street in the historic downtown. These accommodations were awesome!!! Not only is this a historic landmark, they provide a full breakfast in the morning, freshly baked cookies in the lobby in the afternoon AND our room was gorgeous. The icing on the cake – our room had a Luckenbach theme. It’s like they knew the way right to my heart!

Night #1: Check in, settle in, pop open a bottle of wine and kick your feet back and exhale – you’re on vacation!

Full Day #1
It was raining. Pardon me, pouring outside so a trip to the Enchanted Rock was out of the question. (If it’s not raining, definitely try to do this first thing in the morning!)

8am – Rise and Shine followed by delicious pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon and yogurt in the inn.

10am – We headed over to the Fredericksburg Visitors and Convention Center (CVB). This is a chance to find what it is we wanted to see. There is so much to do so we picked a few of our favorites.

11am – We were headed to the vineyard, Becker Vineyards that is. With little time to spare, it’s time to make it count! Becker Vineyards is about 10-15 minutes outside of town. Regardless of which vineyard you choose, use the morning to head out to spend time at an actual vineyard. We were the first to arrive! Oh the glory of having an entire tasting room to yourself!

12:30pm – Time to find another winery. 4.0 Cellars was our choice. This was a slightly different adventure as there were three wineries in one location! That’s right – why have wine from only one winery when you can have three?! Easy choice!

2pm – Head back to town, it’s time to grab a bite to eat. We headed back to the Inn, parked and walked down over to Main Street. We are a little indecisive when we’re hungry but lucky for us the Fredericksburg Brewery is right on Main Street so we wandered right in. Grab a flight and pretty much anything off the menu. I’ve never had anything that wasn’t delicious!

3:30pm – Shop This area is historic and there’s something around every corner. Peruse the stores. Everything from art, antiques, locally made goods. If shopping is not for you, there’s always starting the next event early…

4pm – Downtown is also home of the Urban Wine Trail! The wine country has brought the wine to town! With at least seven tasting rooms within walking distance to each other, there’s no reason to drive outside of town, they’ve brought the good stuff to you! As we walked down Main Street, we made a stop to the Fiesta Winery tasting room. How convenient it is to just pop on in and grab a glass.

Tip: Grab a glass to go! It’s legal to walk within the historic district of Fredericksburg with your glass.

5:30pm – Peruse Main Street or explore the town! There’s so much to see and do that we really feel like we haven’t touched the tip of the iceberg. We found this gem in town while exploring.

7pm – Dinner. Although we were in a German town, we went Italian and my belly sure was happy that we did. Pasta Bella, right off Main Street feels like a secret heaven, homemade Italian food. (Below: Seafood ravioli.) There’s plenty of options, search around and I’m sure you’ll find something you will love!

Day 2

8am – Time to rise and shine, grab breakfast and check out of the hotel. A full day of activities ahead!

If there’s time before 11am, I highly suggest exploring the area. Take a detour off Main Street and explore! There’s so many historical buildings, the homes and B&B’s have an immense amount of character and the community of this town shines through and through.

11am – Wine tasting – at it again bright and early. This had to be my favorite tasting of the entire trip – Lost Draw Cellars. Where to begin – there wasn’t a single wine that we didn’t enjoy, the hospitality and conversation was amazing (trust me – talk to Troy) and they’re authentic and focused on building a community.

Need an extra incentive, they have a tasting wall. Buy a glass and pay it forward or perhaps you already have one waiting for you. Hint: To the next Vermonter that walks in, your first glass is one me!

12:30pm – Luckenbach One of my favorite places in Texas, this is it. It’s not just a song, this place really exists. The post office, the bar, the stage, wild chickens, cowboy hats, BBQ and a dancehall. The best part is the authenticity and meeting people from all over! Stories are amazing! Reminisce in this little spot and enjoy the live music from those who step in (or join in yourself)!

2:30pm – Eat lunch at the Hye Market. Just outside of town off Highway 290, lies the little town of Hye. The significance of the Hye Market location is that it is the post office that President Lyndon B. Johnson used for his entire life. (Read more about the history here from my last trip.) Today, it is still the functioning post office but it is also a market where you will have the best sandwich you’ve ever eaten in your life.

My recommendation: The Levi Local – Honey roasted turkey, swiss cheese, local herb aioli on wheat bread. I’m still trying to figure out how they made that sandwich so good. It disappeared right before my eyes!

4pm – Garrison Brothers Distillery Bourbon you say? The scenery reminds me of Virginia. The country, rustic atmosphere, not a neighbor in sight and relaxing in nature…. add a glass of bourbon, have a seat in the rocking chairs and we’re all set! This tour was so interesting! We love hearing how businesses begin and this is no exception. The Garrison Brothers are passionate about their product. The tour walks guests through each step of the process including samples along the way.

6pm – Time to head to the next destination or stay longer – that’s the best choice!

Tips:
– Swing by the CVB for information. Some pamphlets may have coupons for discounts or free products!
– Take advantage of visiting during the week!
– Most tasting rooms open around 11am.
– Give yourself about an hour at each tasting. Take your time, enjoy the wine, have great conversation with others. Some locations will even have cheese, meats and crackers available for purchase with your tasting.
– The majority of places close around 6pm (wineries and shops in town). If there’s somewhere you really would like to check out, research ahead of time.
– Looking for a B&B – see where I stayed on a previous visit.

A Sweet Pairing – Josh Cellars Wine, Ghirardelli Chocolate & Two $75 AMEX Giveaways

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Disclaimer: This shop has been sponsored by Josh Cellars Wine and Ghirardelli Chocolates. As always, all opinions are mine alone. #ghirardelli #joshcellarwine #asweetpairing #shop

Being on the go is hard! Between work, school, events, traveling and everything in between, it sometimes seems strenuous to sit down and enjoy the moment. Well, there’s news – it doesn’t have to be!

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s important to remember that it’s the thoughtful things that can make the biggest difference. Sometimes we don’t always have the most time but it’s the special time that matters the most. One of the best date nights are the simple ones. For this upcoming Valentine’s Day, if you’re going on a trip or staying home, these simple tricks will make for a perfect evening.

Step number one: Grab a bottle (or two) of Josh Cellars Wine. Found in almost every store I’ve been to recently, Josh Cellars has a wine for everyone. Looking for a rich bouquet of flavors featuring hints of blackberry, cinnamon and toasted almonds, try the Cabernet Sauvignon. Maybe you’re a fan of white wine, there’s a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well. Josh Cellars Wine has options for every wine lover.

Step number two: Chocolate. Ghirardelli Chocolates is one of my ultimate favorites. It’s always on hand around the Christmas holiday’s and its only right that we incorporate the things we love the most on Valentine’s Day!

Looking for a new twist? Make your favorite chocolate chip cookies but WAIT! Let go of the chocolate chips and grab your favorite Ghirardelli chocolates. Chop them up, mix them in and bake away. For a variety, cut the batter into different bowls and use different chocolates for each. I used the caramel and it’s delicious. Taking a bite into a cookie with the surprise caramel bite makes it extra special.

The pairing between Josh Cellars Wines and Ghirardelli chocolates will make this Valentine’s day extra sweet! Grab your favorite bottle and Ghirardelli Valentine chocolates (and even some fresh baked cookies) and surprise your loved one this Valentine’s Day!

Looking to make it extra special?! Josh Cellars and Ghirardelli Chocolates have provided an opportunity to giveaway two $75 American Express gift cards.
What will your #ASweetPairing combination be?
a Rafflecopter giveaway

FWFWF: BBQ at Billy Bob’s

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Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post however I did receive tickets to the event in return for the publication. As always, all opinions are my own. #FWFWF #BBQBillyBobs #FortWorthTX

What better way to start the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival with BBQ at Billy Bob’s. Capturing what everyone first comes to Fort Worth to experience (BBQ and live music) in the World’s Largest Dancehall. The night wouldn’t have been complete without a little live Texas country. With sufficient room, great pairings and BBQ plates to choose from, every taste bud was satisfied. I was even convinced to try pig cheek…

Billy Bob’s is iconic in every Texas way – an in-house rodeo, a restaurant, bedazzled saddle hanging above the dance floor, artist memorabilia and of course the stage where every country artist dreams of performing. It was only appropriate that the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival started here bringing the best BBQ and beverages from the area for everyone to experience.

The event was held in front of the main stage providing us with the opportunity to say “When have we ever had the chance to stand in front of the stage without any of the tables being in the way, let alone a concert later?!”. With restaurants, breweries, wine companies among many of the local vendors set up throughout we had plenty of room (including tables) to sit and savor the first event of the weekend.

The biggest problem we faced, “Where do we start?” So we started with a little TX Whiskey (and I think a few others did too.).

Mingling around, we tried a few BBQ restaurants that we’ve tried and a few that were new to us. My personal favorite was top on my list. You can never go wrong with Billy’s Oak Acres BBQ. I heard people complimenting the savory pulled pork all night.

Other local vendors such as Black’s BBQ, the Reata, Del Norte Taco and the Woodshed Smokehouse (among many others) brought their goods to the table.

Black’s BBQ

Del Norte Tacos

Del Norte Tacos

It wasn’t just the locals. The event brought in Perini’s Ranch Steakhouse from Buffalo Gap, Texas. Famous for their steaks, Buffalo Gap Wine and Food Summit and Mr. Perini himself. Now I just need to make it a priority to get out there and try their steaks and bread pudding.

Great food goes hand in hand with cold, refreshing beverages. Am I right? With plenty of options, our pallets were beyond satisfied. Brennan Vineyards, Deep Ellum Brewing, Revolver Brewing, TX Whiskey, and Tito’s Vodka were on hand. Tito’s even prepared us a couple cool cocktails perfect for the summer heat that’s sure to be upon us. A little pineapple jalapeño with your vodka. Take it like a true Texan!

If you enjoy vodka, Tito’s is the way to go.

My most interesting moment of the night goes to Lockhart Smokehouse. If you have a cow and pig head sitting on the table, you’re bound to get some attention. At least this is what happened in my case and they noticed. After taking a photo I began to walk away and I heard “Not so fast there picture lady. Come here.” I approached the table where he pulled a piece of meat from the pig’s cheek, placed it in my palm and said “This is the best piece of meat that you’ll ever taste.”.
Did I do it?…
Didn’t I have to?…
Verdict: It was pretty damn good. Kind of questionable to think about where it came from but if you have the chance, you should do it too.

Yes, I had to throw in a picture to go with the story.

Was that the end of our night? Come on folks, is it a party without some live music?! Thank you to Wade Bowen and his band for playing some of their hits for us on the main stage. Up close in Billy Bob’s, no chairs and tables in the way and a concert that feels like he’s playing just for you. It is a concert at Billy Bob’s just for you! That’s the only way to start off the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival.