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Texas has a winery with trend setting facilities that has a “WOW” factor when you drive up to the winery.
As you enter the gates to Augusta Vin Winery from Texas 16, south of Fredericksburg, you travel down a two-lane asphalt road toward what appears to be a well-kept metal building. In reality, this building is the winery where the wines are vinified. The signs continue to direct you down a half mile of asphalt road to the north through well-manicured vineyard blocks of Tannat, Mouvedere, Albarino, Sagrantino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and other grape varietals to a large, two-story building with a parking lot that is large enough to please any Buc-ee’s fan.
At first glance, this building’s architecture takes your breath away as you marvel at the many nuances implemented in this building. Scott Felder was a successful home builder in Austin. After selling his business, he has wrapped himself into constructing a world class, breath-taking center to enjoy wine. The inside has a large first floor tasting bar and nooks for enjoying wines while stairs from the west and east sides bring you up to the second floor with its intimate balcony overlooking the vine yards to the south. Tastings on the second floor are only at tables.
I estimated that over 200 wine lovers were there that Sunday afternoon I visited. The facilities are so massive with numerous nooks and crannies to provide an intimate feel. The facilities are definitely world-class and puts Napa on notice that Texas has leaped ahead of the California wineries with facilities to showcase some of the best that Texas has to offer. The 60 acre estate vineyard with its proper north-south rows of vines growing on a double wire trellis system is “perfection defined” in a vineyard. Another 40 acres of grapes grow offsite on acreage with a long-term grape production contract. This makes for almost 100 acres of prime Texas grape production. An escorted winery tour is also available and is limited in size for an intimate pleasurable experience.
I was pleased with the quality of the wines we tasted with the 2017 Tannat definitely my favorite followed by the Winery’s Montepulciano vino. The Tannat had blackberries and plum underlain with oak aging of coffee, chocolate, and leather. The milder Montepulciano had flavors of plum and berries with a tinge of Italian spices. Another favorite is a pale yellow Marsanne which had lemon and jasmine with a dash of minerality, probably from barrel aging with spent lees (dead yeast cells whose exoskeletons add that minerality expression in the wine.)
This winery is definitely worth the trip to Fredericksburg. The facilities and wines will provide you with an opulent experience in a Texas-sized “Estate Winery.” This is a premium facility which also charges a premium for its wines and the tasting experiences. Concerts are available on most Sunday afternoons to add to your pleasure. When visiting Augusta Vin Winery, just let the experienced staff escort you through their many options.
