Last weekend I drove down to the beautiful Texas hill country for the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival and it did not disappoint. What’s better than food, wine, and sunshine on a gorgeous day during Texas Wine Month?

Disclosure: Unrelated to The Rose Table, I am proudly on the PR team for Heath Family Brands, one of the sponsors of this festival.

There are several FFWF events (the Friday Street Dinner is #goals) but I went specifically for the Grand Tasting in Marktplatz, which included 75+ chef-prepared bites, tons of local vineyards, demos, photo ops, and live music. The setting was perfect: right in the middle of historic downtown Fredericksburg with tons of shade pavilions and comfortable seating.

The Food

The food was phenomenal. Some of my favorite bites were the brisket mac ‘n’ cheese from Mesquite at the Warehouse, the pulled pork slider from Leroy’s Texmex BBQ, the fried chicken lollipop from Halter Ranch, the mini cheesecake in the Grape Creek VIP Lounge, and everything from Clear River Ice Cream. (If you saw me stopping by the Clear River truck multiple times…no you didn’t. *wink*)

My absolute favorite bite was the whipped brie truffle puff in the Heath Sparkling Garden. Give me a truffle puff and splash of spectacular sparkling wine any day!

My only complaint about the festival is that many of the bites were quite heavy. I would love to see less sandwiches and lighter one-bite options next year. More ceviche, less bruschetta. Though you certainly get your money’s worth with these large portions!

The Wine

It’s never a bad day when you’re drinking wine in Fredericksburg! If you’ve never been, this event sits at one end of the famed Texas Wine Trail with over 70+ vineyards within a half hour drive so you can definitely expect great wine.

It was hard to catch exact bottles for you but a few of my favorite sips were from Augusta Vin, JenBlossom Cellars, Grape Creek Vineyards, Halter Ranch, Airis’Ele Vineyards, and Becker Vineyards. If I had to choose a favorite, I gotta go with the JenBlossom cabernet sauvignon in the VIP lounge. It’s truly one of the most exceptional wines I’ve had!

I have to give a special shoutout to Becker Vineyards for giving out the most adorable fall floral bouquets! What a delight. This is one of the cutest things I’ve ever been handed at a food and wine festival.

The Vibes

One thing you can also count on Fredericksburg for is good hospitality and the FFWF was no exception. Everyone was so friendly and having a great time. It was such a chill atmosphere, with so many sipping their pours on comfortable couches and laughing with friends. I love that the Grand Tasting was 4 hours long, giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the event at a relaxed pace.

Need to Know

There is a large water station so bring a water bottle and plan to refill frequently. Stay hydrated, people! The general admission doors opened at 1 pm and we were among the first to queue up around 12:15 pm, making us the first in the door. (Literally! I take a food and wine festival very seriously.)

Shop keepers around town told us to park by 9 am, so we arrived downtown at 8:45 am to find ample parking. We ate breakfast and shopped until the festival but decided that was earlier than we needed to be there. If you arrived downtown at 10 am, you would be fine!

Location

Speaking of, Downtown Fredericksburg is absolutely adorable with some of the best shopping I’ve ever seen in a three-block radius. There are cute kids shops, an incredible kitchen store, and places to buy cowboy hats, ornaments, apparel, bath products, and more. I got most of my Christmas shopping done during my trip! In addition to tons of shops, coffee shops, and restaurants, there are lots of b&bs, motels, and hotels all within walking distance of the festival.

Final Thoughts

If you love eating delicious bites and savoring wine at a relaxed pace, you will love the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival. I’m already excited for next year!

Xoxo,

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