However, you should ensure that taking a wine tour is on your list, because it’s one of the absolute highlights that the city has to offer!
Even if you’ve never considered going on a wine tour before, Fredericksburg, TX is an ideal place to offer your first, because they’ve got a great range of tours for you to pick from.
Better yet, all of them are taking place in the stunning Texas Wine Country, which has gorgeous vistas full of fresh grapes.
But what are the very best wine tours offered in Fredericksburg? You’ll want to make sure that you pick the one that’s best for you, with exactly the right length and number of wineries that you want to visit.
We’ve done the work for you! In our fun guide below, we’ve got 5 essential wine tours in Fredericksburg, Texas.
With each one, we’ve got a breakdown of the details of the tour, along with what you’re going to be doing on it if you pick it. It’ll make your selection process a lot easier and quicker, and it’ll give you a trip that you’ll never forget!
Why Is Fredericksburg A Great Place For A Wine Tour?
When you hear about famous wine countries, it’ll typically be California and places like Napa County or Sonoma County that are being talked about.
However, this does a great disservice to incredible wine countries like those in Texas that deserve to be mentioned in the same breath!
Why? Well, there are plenty of reasons?
For one, Fredericksburg alone is home to more than 100 different vineyards and wineries, meaning that you’re absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to seeing all the different kinds of grapes that are being grown – and wines that are being made.
This helps to make the tours really varied, too, because they each have so many wineries to pick from.
On top of this, there’s so many other things to experience at the same time in Fredericksburg. It may not be the most talked about Texas city, but it’s got so much to offer, which makes any trip there worthwhile.
Whether it’s hiking beautiful trails, eating at their fantastic restaurants, taking part in festivals, and an awful lot more, Fredericksburg is a place with loads to do – once you’ve done your wine tour, of course!
How Long Is A Fredericksburg Wine Tour?
A key question that you’ll be asking is how long a typical Fredericksburg wine tour will last. They all have their own styles and itineraries, and this means that they all have their own varying lengths as well.
With that being said, an average wine tour here will last about 4 to 5 hours, which gives you a good amount of time to see plenty of different wineries and learn a lot.
However, the length of the wine tours in Fredericksburg does differ with many of them. You’ll see this in the next section, where we look at the kinds of tours on offer.
You’ll see that some are even flexible, which means that a big part of the length is actually up to you.
What Types Of Wine Tour Can You Take In Fredericksburg?
When it comes to Fredericksburg wine tours, there’s a whole range of types that you can pick from.
This is extra helpful, because it means that you can find one that suits both the amount of time you have and the level of interest in wine that you hold.
We’re going to be looking at 5 essential tours there, and each of them has their own contents and way of doing things.
A full-day wine tour on the wine trolley, stopping at 3 wineries and having lunch at one of them.
Flexible wine tour with 3 wineries and lunch.
Tour of boutique wineries, along with chef-prepared lunch at one of them.
Full-day small group wine tour from San Antonio, with an expert guide and tastings at 2 wineries – along with time to explore the treats of Fredericksburg.
5 hour wine tour, visiting 3 wineries and with lunch included.
What Do You Get In A Fredericksburg Wine Tour?
You’ll also be wondering what you get with each of the Fredericksburg wine tours we’ve just referred to.
Obviously, you’ll be getting a wine tour! But what else comes in the package? Wine tours aren’t necessarily cheap, which is why they often offer a good amount of stuff with them.
We’ve rounded up the typical things to expect of a wine tour in Fredericksburg, but you should know that not every tour is going to offer all of these parts.
You’ll know which do and which don’t when we cover the 5 essential tours in greater depth later on!
So, you can often expect:
The fee for the wine tasting itself.
Food – either a picnic lunch or some snacks.
Drink – bottled water.
Taxes and handling charges all dealt with.
A local, knowledgeable guide who leads the tour with enthusiasm, insight, and fun.
Transportation – a private vehicle and a shuttle driver.
Pick-up and drop-off straight to your local hotel or accommodation.
What Type Of Person Is A Fredericksburg Wine Tour Good For?
A wine tour in Fredericksburg is a fantastic activity that will appeal to a lot of people – for a lot of different reasons. But who is best suited to the tours?
For a start, you’ll need to be aged 21 or above in order to go on the wine tour, because this is the legal drinking age. There isn’t much point in going on a wine tour with wine tasting if you’re not legally old enough to drink it!
Additionally, a wine tour in Fredericksburg is a great pick for those who are new to the area and want to learn all about it in a fascinating, fresh way.
A wine tour will definitely present Fredericksburg in a different way to how you would see it just from shopping or walking around the city!
A wine tour is also a useful activity in that it does all the work for you. You don’t have to research the wineries yourself and then arrange a visit, nor pay the fees for the wine tasting, and so on.
With a wine tour, everything is done for you, allowing you to just relax and enjoy the wine and the sights!
Taking a wine tour is also great for those who want to try different kinds of Texas wine.
All wines are different, and this is a brilliant opportunity for you to try wines from a region you may not traditionally get wine from.
Finally, wine tours are also terrific for both wine novices and wine experts!
Do You Need To Be An Expert To Take A Wine Tour?
No! A wine tour is great for people with little knowledge of winemaking that want to learn a lot more, especially by seeing it firsthand.
With that being said, it’s also fantastic for wine experts and aficionados, because it gives them a chance to test their knowledge, or explore winemaking practices in a new place.
Of course, if you are a wine lover, then the wine tours are also a great opportunity for you to meet other wine lovers!
Your tour will have plenty of them, and you can have a drink together and discuss the finer points of it all.
What Should You Keep In Mind When Picking A Fredericksburg Wine Tour?
When you select which Fredericksburg wine tour you want to take, be sure to keep these things in mind.
Unfortunately, the tours don’t have wheelchair access.
Everybody on your tour needs to legally be old enough to drink – so, they must be 21 or older.
For tours with food included, make sure it complies with your dietary requirements.
Some tours may have safety measures and reduced numbers due to the COVID pandemic.
If you need to cancel the tour for whatever reason, make sure you do it 24 hours or more in advance. However, the tours will differ in their cancellation policies, so make sure to check if you can cancel or not.
5 Essential Wine Tours In Fredericksburg, Texas
It’s time to look at the 5 essential wine tours in Fredericksburg, TX! Each one is different in their own special ways, so we’ve summarized what you’ll be getting with each one, highlighting the key points and making the decision easier for you to make.
First on our list is this fantastic Fredericksburg wine tour that is full-day and will last roughly between 5 and 6 hours. The tour stops at 3 of the best wineries, where you’ll get to enjoy some wine tasting and be educated by the local host.
One of the things that stands out most about this tour is actually the method of transportation, which is a wine trolley – essentially an old-fashioned looking bus with beautiful painting and color scheme.
The vehicle is air-conditioned, so you’ll be comfortable in the heat, and you’ll be able to enjoy avoiding the hassle of having to drive between each tasting.
Even better, you’ll also get a lunch included at the tour, which is delicious and takes place at one of the visited wineries. However, you’ll need to notify them of your dietary requirements ahead of time.
Speaking of the wineries, when you’re doing your wine tastings at these spots, they’ll be in private reservations – giving your group peace and quiet to enjoy the drinks!
Unfortunately, but understandably, the wine trolley isn’t able to make specific pick-ups at people’s accommodation.
Similarly, it won’t be able to drop you off at personal locations too. Instead, you’ll need to get on the bus at a designated location, ideally 15 minutes before it’s set to depart.
You’ll Get
Last roughly 5-6 hours
3 wineries
A knowledgeable local tour guide
Wine testing fees already paid
Wine tasting in private reservations
Lunch at one of the wineries
Must meet at specific location, 15 minutes before leaving time
Next on our list is this great flexible wine tasting tour, which has you stopping off at 3 different wineries. It’s an all-inclusive tour, with everything paid for, and you’ll even get lunch, snacks, and bottled water included too.
Without you having to do any research from the wide list of wineries there are in Fredericksburg, this tour picks out 3 of the very best for you, and then takes you to each for a tasting.
You’ll be picked up at a designated location, then guided through the brilliant wine hills as your knowledgeable tour guide educated you (in a fun way!) about the best wine that Fredericksburg has to offer.
When it comes to the pick-up and drop-off, it’s available for any spot that’s within 15 miles of Fredericksburg, which is very generous.
You’ll Get
Flexible tour duration
3 wineries
A knowledgeable local tour guide
Wine testing fees already paid
Lunch, snacks, and bottled water included
Free pick-up and drop-off for locations within 15 miles of Fredericksburg
Our next pick is this indulgent wine tour of a few boutique wineries in Fredericksburg, all led by a wine-loving tour guide who will educate and entertain you along the way.
With each winery, you’ll get guided tours of the winery facilities, along with a lovely wine tasting so that you can sample their goods.
As if that wasn’t enough, the tour also includes lunch. But not just any old lunch! This tour includes a chef-prepared lunch at a pre-arranged location, fueling you up with a fantastic meal before you hit more wine tasting.
On top of that, you can avoid the annoyance of having to drive between each wine tasting.
The tour lasts about 5 and a half hours, and you can either get picked up or meet straight at the Fredericksburg Visitor Information Center by 10:15 a.m.
With this Fredericksburg wine tour, guests are picked up from a specific point in San Antonio. This may not be convenient for everyone, but if you can make it to this major Texas city, then the rest will be smooth sailing!
You and the group will then be driven to Texas Hill Country, making a stop at local wineries and having a tasting at two of them.
The guide is helmed by a pure wine expert (known as an “oenophile”), but his educational guidance is far from dry (like some wines!).
He’ll make the wine history come alive with enthusiasm and storytelling, enriching your tasting experience even further.
On top of that, you’ll also get some free time to go and explore Fredericksburg itself, allowing you a chance to see everything else that it has to offer.
You can shop in its local stores, have lunch at its restaurants, and so much more. In fact, lunch will be a good idea, because a lunch isn’t included with the tour itself – only snacks.
Having a look around Fredericksburg is a particularly great benefit to this tour, because tour-goers will likely be from San Antonio and may not have sampled this great city.
The tour is a full-day one, lasting between 6 and 7 hours, which gives plenty of time for all the different events included.
Our final pick is this great wine tasting tour which stops off at 3 different wineries in Fredericksburg. The whole thing lasts around 5 hours, and the tour is specially designed for smaller groups.
At each top winery, you can enjoy special reservations and the help of a local host to guide you through your tasting and learning. Additionally, you’ll also be treated to an excellent lunch on the tour, as well as bottled water.
You can either meet at the designated meeting point or request a pick-up, making the tour even more welcoming. However, you’ll need to be on time, because the tour cannot wait for late arrivals.
You’ll Get
5 hours
3 wineries
A knowledgeable, local guide
Lunch
Arrange pick-up or go to meeting point
Details
12 people or fewer
Must be 21 or over
No wheelchair access
Service animals are allowed
Final Thoughts
Fredericksburg, Texas is gorgeous, with some of the best and most beautiful wine country in the United States. These 5 essential wine tours will show you the best wineries that the region has to offer – and let you drink some too!
Hi, my name is Alex Kallen and I love to travel. Ever since I could afford the ticket, I hopped on a plane and never looked back. I’ve made a living writing travel guides and blogging my experience all over the world.
I want to encourage and inspire others to travel around the US like I am. There’s no need to go on vacation overseas when there is an amazing land of opportunity right on your doorstep. Enjoy my website, I hope to see you out here one day.
