FREDERICKSBURG CVB
ESCAPE
QUICK TRIPS STEVE RAWLS
WILDFLOWERS and Wine
In FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS, the hills are alive with vibrant flora and fantastic food and drink
EVA SIMPSON
By Angela Caraway-Carlton
JASON RISNER
From above: Fredericksburg’s wildflower season brings vibrant blooms including bluebonnets; savor charcuterie at La Bergerie; sample local wines at Narrow Path Winery.
In his song “People Up in Texas,” the late country music icon Waylon Jennings croons: “You don’t need no one to tell you when you cross that Texas line. The air starts smellin’ sweeter, and the water tastes like wine.” Jennings could very well have been describing Fredericksburg, tucked in the Texas Hill Country about an hour’s drive northwest of San Antonio. In the spring, roadsides come alive with wildflowers, resulting in colorful waves that beckon locals and visitors alike to pull over and frolic through brilliant bluebonnets and fiery Indian paintbrushes. These blossoms imbue the air with a distinct sweetness, but that’s not where the song’s similarities end. Dripping with Texas hospitality but entrenched in German heritage, the small town of Fredericksburg is full of big surprises. The area is dotted with wineries, restaurants, adorable inns, and a historic Main Street where chains are not allowed and antique stores thrive. Perfect for romantic getaways or vacays with friends, this under-theradar locale has it all. (visitfredericksburgtx.com) WILD ABOUT WILDFLOWERS For Texans, wildflower season is a rite of passage; locals will tell you it’s tradition to dress in your Sunday best and pose in front of the coveted bluebonnets. Depending on the weather, the flowers usually reach their peak by late March
and make a swift exit in May. To peep the ultimate floral kaleidoscope, head to Wildseed Farms (wildseedfarms.com) to wander through 200 acres bursting with bluebonnets, bright red poppies, and more. The farm blooms with various flowers from March through October and also has butterfly gardens, a café, and a store where you can buy seedlings. If you miss the wildflowers, peaches are the top draw from mid-May until August, when stands peddle bushels and orchards offer pick-your-own opportunities. IT’S ALWAYS WINE O’CLOCK Wine flows like water in Fredericksburg, with around 50 wineries and tasting rooms sprinkled along Highway 290. While the region isn’t as wellestablished as Napa or Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Fredericksburg winemakers are cutting their teeth on grapes that thrive in the dry, hot climate, such as Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Viognier, and Mourvèdre—and the possibilities are constantly evolving. “Every time we try to pin one down, we find three or four more [grapes] that do well here,” says Tyler Turbeville of family-owned Narrow Path Winery (narrowpathwinery.com). A seam of solid limestone runs through the middle of Narrow Path’s vineyard, so the vines struggle to break through, a stress Turbeville believes leads to something beautiful. “What happens, I think, is that you
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