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Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is home to hundreds of wineries with a wide variety of tasting experiences. In this town, you’ll find everything from outdoor wine tastings to counter tastings to vineyard tours. Many wineries in this region are starting to offer more “elevated” experiences like private tastings and food & wine pairings.

I’ve been lucky enough to try several of these experiences myself, so I thought it would be fun to talk through some of my favorite Wine & Food Tasting Experiences in Fredericksburg. In this post, you’ll find everything from full lunches to light bites. All of these experiences would be great options to add to your Fredericksburg Itinerary. Cheers!

Ab Astris

*NOTE* As of September 2021, this experience has been discontinued.

• Cost: $70
• Length: ~90 minutes
• Reservations Required

This has been my favorite food and wine tasting experience to date! Mitchell, the sommelier and chef, does a fantastic job with this menu and it changes seasonally. This experience is actually a full lunch, so come hungry! I love that he is using local ingredients from nearby farms. Everything is thought out to perfection, and the wines paired with each course were fantastic.

They are offering these tastings Friday, Saturday and Sunday and they have a few different time slots throughout the day. It’s an indoor tasting experience that can accommodate up to 8 guests at a time. Be sure to book it in advance as it fills up fast!

William Chris

• Cost: $75
• Length: 90 minutes
• Reservations Required

William Chris offers an incredible wine and food pairing in their library room. They showcase four different wines with four different dishes. It’s interesting to try each wine with and without the food. It’s amazing how food can change your perspective on the wine.

It’s a gorgeous tasting room, so I’d highly recommend booking this experience! If you have extra time, be sure to grab a bottle of wine and sit outside. They have lots of outdoor seating and they usually have a live band performing.

Kuhlman Cellars

• Cost: $35
• Length: 45 minutes
• Reservations Required

Kuhlman Cellars offers a fantastic food and wine pairing experience with five small bites and five different wines. Our experience was held inside the barrel room and our host was very knowledgeable. I was very impressed with their wines, and I loved the French influence from their winemaker.

Their herbed almonds are by far the best part of the experience. They are so addicting, and they became so popular that they started selling them by the pound. This would be a great experience to add to your Fredericksburg Itinerary!

Southold Farm + Cellar

• Cost: $40
• Length: 90 minutes
• Reservations Required

Southold Farm + Cellar has one of the BEST VIEWS in all of Fredericksburg, and is always a favorite of ours to visit. They recently started offering food pairings and a light snack tray with their wine tasting. Their wines are extremely food friendly, as they are light and acidic. They are going for more of a “natural wine” approach with all of their wines.

Overall, Southold Farm + Cellar is a MUST VISIT when coming to Fredericksburg.

Heath Sparkling Wines

• Cost: $25
• Length: ~1 hour
• Reservations Required

Heath Sparkling Wines is the only winery in Fredericksburg to be completely dedicated to sparkling wines. If you’re in the mood for bubbles, this place is for you! Their food and wine pairing experience includes four different sparkling wines paired with four different light bites. It’s a great experience, and their tasting room is gorgeous.

If you have extra time, be sure to check out Heath’s sister winery, Grape Creek Vineyards. It’s located right next door, so it’s a great option if you don’t want to do a lot of driving around town.

If you’re wanting more information on Fredericksburg, be sure to check out my Fredericksburg Travel Guide! This gives you everything you need in order to plan a weekend getaway. Cheers!

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It’s that time of the year when I’m craving comfort food. Anyone else? I love to cook heartier dishes in the winter months, and this cajun recipe is perfect if you love a dish full of flavor.

In my family, we call this “Dirty Rice” but I’ve seen others refer to it as jambalaya. When I asked my mom where she got the recipe from, she told me it was from one of her good friends. Her friend’s grandfather was the one who came up with the recipe, and they called it “Papa’s Jambalaya.” She said it was always a favorite and the secret was to double the sausage. I love it when there’s a story behind a recipe!

Anyways, this recipe is super simple and couldn’t be easier to make. You could serve it as an entree or a side dish. If you’re serving it as an entree, I would say it could feed 4 people. If you’re serving it as a side dish, I’d say 6-8 people.

This recipe would be PERFECT for Mardi Gras! You could have a Cajun spread full of creole, jambalaya, dirty rice and French bread. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

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If you end up making this dish, please leave me a comment below and tell me how it turned out! I’m sure you’ll love it.

If you’re looking for other Cajun recipes to make, be sure to check out my Shrimp Creole recipe! It’s another one of my favorites.

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It’s a new year and with that comes new goals and resolutions. Many people choose to use January as a time to reset and make their health a priority. Personally, I’m cutting back on alcohol this month and I’m trying to focus on balanced meals filled with lots of vegetables.

If you too are trying to cut back on alcohol, this post is for you! I came up with FIVE different mocktail recipes to enjoy throughout the month of January. All of these drinks are delicious and you won’t even miss the alcohol. I find that if you serve them in a fancy cocktail glass, it makes it that much better.

I hope this post will give you some inspiration for some non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy this month. Cheers!

January Mule

Ingredients:

• 1 lime
• 1 can diet ginger beer
• Optional Garnish: Mint, Thyme, Rosemary, Fresh Figs, Cranberries, etc.

Directions:

• Fill a copper mug with ice.
• Add the juice of 1 lime and 6-8 oz of diet ginger beer.
• Garnish with your favorite toppings like mint, rosemary and fresh fruit.

Rosemary Blueberry Smash

Ingredients:

• 10 blueberries
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 1 lemon
• 4-5 oz Topo Chico or sparkling water
• Blueberries and rosemary for garnish

Directions:

• In a cocktail shaker, add your 10 blueberries, rosemary leaves, simple syrup and the juice of 1 lemon. Muddle all of these ingredients together thoroughly.
• Add ice and shake thoroughly.
• Strain into a cocktail glass or wine glass.
• Top with Topo Chico or any sparkling water.
• Garnish with blueberries and a rosemary sprig.

Lemon Blackberry Fizz

Ingredients:

• 10 blackberries
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 1 lemon
• 5 oz Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water
• Blackberries for garnish

Directions:

• In a cocktail shaker, add your 10 blackberries, simple syrup and the juice of 1 lemon. Muddle all of these ingredients together thoroughly.
• Add ice and shake thoroughly.
• Strain into a cocktail glass or wine glass filled with ice.
• Top with Elderflower Tonic Water.
• Garnish with blackberries.

Cucumber Basil Gimlet

Ingredients:

• 1 lime
• 10 basil leaves
• 5 cucumber slices
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 4-5 oz sparkling water (I used lime flavored)

Directions:

• In a cocktail shaker, add the juice of 1 lime, basil leaves, cucumber slices and simple syrup.
• Muddle the ingredients together for 3 minutes.
• Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake thoroughly.
• Strain the drink into a coupe or martini glass.
• Top with sparkling water and garnish with basil or cucumber.

Barley Tea Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 3 oz barley tea
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes old fashioned bitters
• 1 dash orange bitters
• Orange peel and cocktail cherries for garnish

Directions:

• Fill a cocktail mixing glass with ice.
• Add the tea (should already be cold), simple syrup and bitters to the cocktail mixing glass. Mix thoroughly for 1 minute.
• Strain drink into a lowball cocktail glass.
• Add 1 large ice cube to the cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel and cherries.

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It’s officially January and the start of a new year. I know many people make resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight, so I felt inspired to come up with a new recipe. This Baja Shrimp Salad Bowl is perfect if you’re looking to cut back on calories this month. This recipe is extremely satisfying and filling. It involves several healthy ingredients like lettuce, shrimp, beans and avocado.

This shrimp bowl has a good balance of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates. It would be a great recipe to make for a weeknight meal OR you could even meal prep the salad bowl for lunches all week. If you are following a specific diet like Whole30, you can leave off the cheese, rice and beans. Make it your own and get creative with your toppings!

If you’re looking for more healthy recipe options for this month, take a look at the posts below:

• The Sonoma Salad
• Simple Salad Vinaigrette
• Grilled Chicken with Pesto

All of these are GREAT options to have on rotation. If you do end up making any of these recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out. I love hearing from you and getting feedback on these recipes.

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I’ve never been a huge fan of receiving Christmas gifts, but I do still love the tradition of stuffing a stocking. Each year, Alex and I buy stocking stuffers for each other with a limit of $100. It’s fun to get creative and surprise each other with a few small gifts. We never need or want any big gifts, so this is a fun tradition that we started a few years ago.

Stocking stuffers can be quite difficult for people to find, and many people will end up resorting to underwear and socks. If you want to do something a little more creative this year, keep reading! Many of these stocking stuffers I listed below would be great gifts for almost ANY adult. Also, these are all items that people would actually use and appreciate. There’s nothing worse than receiving random crap and having to donate it the following year.

I hope this post is helpful and gives you some inspiration for what to put in your family’s stockings this year. Cheers!

Cocktail Kits

These cocktail kits are perfect for travel or when you’re in a pinch. It comes with everything you need to make a delicious craft cocktail – just add the liquor and you’re all set!

Wine Kitchen Tea Towel

You can never have enough tea towels for the kitchen, and I thought this one was PERFECT for the holidays. It’s definitely something every wine lover would appreciate.

Waiter’s Corkscrew

This is what I use to open wine 90% of the time. It’s simple, compact and easy to use. The best part….it only costs $10! It’s the best waiter’s corkscrew I’ve ever used.

Corkcicle Wine Tumbler

These insulted wine tumblers are staples in our house during the summer months. It keeps our wine chilled and at the correct temperature. These would also be great for an outdoor picnic or if you’re going somewhere that doesn’t allow glass.

Wine Wipes

I am notorious for having stained lips after drinking a bold red wine. I always carry these wine wipes in my purse so I can quickly wipe away the residue. They work wonders and get rid of the stain immediately.

Paper Cocktail Napkins

I love having a good supply of cute cocktail napkins. I always get them out when having friends or family over. They are perfect if you’re starting the night off with a little appetizer like charcuterie or mixed nuts.

Cloth Cocktail Napkins

If you’re feeling fancy, invest in some cloth cocktail napkins. We have a few different sets that we keep on our bar cart. They are great to have on hand if you’re having a more formal gathering.

Jigger

If you’re someone who likes to make a lot of cocktails at home, you should have a couple jiggers on hand. I like having a few different jiggers so we can quickly make several different kinds of cocktails.

Martini Picks

These martini picks are perfect for adding garnish to your cocktails. Whether it’s olives, cranberries, limes or lemons, these will work great in almost any cocktail.

Christmas in a Cup Cocktail Mixer

If you want to simplify your holiday cocktails, I’d suggest getting this cocktail mixer. All you have to do is add your favorite type of liquor and you’re done! They also suggest trying it with sparkling wine or water.

Mulling Spices

Mulled wine anyone? This makes it easy to quickly whip up a delicious beverage on those cold, winter days.

Chocolate Wine Pairing Bars

This would be an amazing gift for a wine enthusiast. Each of these chocolate bars is meant to pair with a different type of wine. This could also make for a really fun wine and chocolate pairing party!

Whiskey Chocolate Bars

If someone prefers whiskey over wine, you could buy them these chocolate bars instead. These are meant to pair with different types of whiskey.

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It’s officially December, and I’m in full-blown holiday mode. Our house is already decorated, so I’m ready to relax, watch some Christmas movies and make some yummy cocktails.

I have several Christmas Cocktails up my sleeve, and one of the first ones I want to share is this Cranberry Manhattan, or as I like to call it, “The Cranhattan.” This cocktail is very similar to the original Manhattan recipe, but it’s a little more festive. The cranberry bitters add a nice touch and make this drink perfect for the holiday season. I hope y’all give this one a try. Cheers!

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It’s the Monday before Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t be more ready to kickoff the holiday season. While this year may look a little different, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves!

Personally, being inside more has forced me to get creative and experiment in the kitchen. This past weekend, I was playing around with different cocktail recipes for the holidays, and that’s when I came up with this new drink.

Gin and tonics are one of my favorite cocktails, so I decided to spruce it up a bit for the holidays. It’s so easy to add in festive garnish like pomegranate seeds, cranberries and rosemary. I also added a tiny bit of pomegranate rosemary syrup. This gives the drink a beautiful color and a little extra flavor. One thing I might do next time is add in a little lime juice. I always have a lime with the classic gin and tonic, and I think it would work well in this version as well. Cheers!

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Have you ever thought about dining outdoors for the holidays? I don’t know why I’ve never thought to host Thanksgiving or Christmas outside, but I think it’s a great idea if you live in a warmer climate and have the space.

I threw together this simple outdoor table setting with items that I already had in my house. All you really need are some simple white plates, napkins, garland and some cute chargers.

I bought the olive napkin rings from Pier 1 a couple years ago, and I linked some similar options below. The napkins and plates are from Target – I love that they are neutral and go with almost anything!

Adding a little greenery or garland down the middle helps to break up all of the neutral colors from the plates and napkins. It’s also nice to add in a few candles amongst the garland. You could even do a mixture of some taller candles and some shorter candles. The options are endless!

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It’s no secret that wine is my favorite hobby and my true passion. I’ve been fortunate enough to learn a lot about wine through our travels and wine tastings. While most of my wine knowledge has come from these types of experiences, I also spend a fair amount of time reading books on wine. There are TONS of books that offer great information on wine. You can read more on how to properly taste wine, what temperature you should serve your wine at, what regions are best for growing certain varietals and so much more. It’s an ever-changing topic, so there’s always something new to learn.

Today, I want to share ten different books on wine that would be helpful and informational for almost anyone. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced sommelier, these books contain a wealth of knowledge and provide TONS of good information on wine.

Wine Folly

This is a great reference book to have on hand. It’s great for beginners, and it has amazing graphics. This book covers hundreds of different grape varietals and different wine regions throughout the world. It isn’t really a book you would read front to back, but rather a book you would pull out on a Saturday night while sipping on a glass of wine with friends.

Cork Dork

This is a book that you would read front to back. I’m not a big reader, but I really got sucked into this one. This book follows the journey of Bianca Bosker (the author) as she attempts to learn more about wine from some of the world’s most elite sommeliers. She joins different tasting groups, works in fine-dining restaurants and makes connections with several different people in the wine industry. It’s a really interesting read if you’re wanting to have a bigger insight into the wine industry and what goes on “behind the scenes.”

Wine All the Time

This is another book that I would suggest reading front to back. It’s a great book for beginners, and it covers a lot of the basics of wine. She talks about how to find the best bottle for your budget and occasion, how to read and understand what is written on wine labels, and how to describe what you’re drinking and understand your preferences.

The Wine Bible

This is more of a reference book to have on hand. Even if you think you know a lot about wine, you’ll probably learn something new from this book. The author goes into great detail on different wine regions throughout the world, even some of the lesser known regions/countries like China. There are several maps included and even some bottle recommendations.

Windows on the World

Similar to the book listed above, this is another great reference book to have on your coffee table. This book features maps of each region, best value bottles from each country, hundreds of labels to help you find the right wines, and guided tastings. He also includes some recommended food and wine pairings and answers to frequently asked questions. This is a great book to have on hand if you plan to study for a wine certification course like WSET or Court of Master Sommeliers.

The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste

This wine book is an amazing reference book, and it contains an in-depth study of some of the world’s greatest wine regions. One of the authors, Rajat Parr, is one of the most respected people in the wine industry, and he has travelled to many of these regions numerous times. This book goes into the details on terroir, soils, appellations and the subregions of each major wine region. I would say this book is geared towards a true wine nerd, but anyone could read it. If you only care about the basics of wine, this book may not be for you.

Wine Simple

This is a great book if you’re wanting to know the basics of wine. You could read it front to back or treat it more like a reference book. The author starts by covering the fundamentals of wine including wine tasting basics, the most important regions, varietals, etc. He also teaches you how to take your wine knowledge to the next level and evolve your palette. I’d recommend this book to anyone starting out on their wine journey.

Secrets of the Sommeliers

This book is more geared towards someone who is “wine-obsessed” and a major wine nerd. This book contains interviews with some of the world’s most elite sommeliers and shares some of their stories. It talks more about the wine profession and how to secure hard-to-find bottles at a good price. This book has an emphasis on the wines of Burgundy, so if you’re wanting to learn more about those wines, this might be the book for you.

The World Atlas of Wine

This is another amazing reference book for wine. In this book you’ll find detailed maps for each wine region and several other geological details. It covers the history of wine, descriptions of vines and grape varieties, and wine production methods. It is one of the most detailed wine reference books that I’ve ever seen. This is something that every wine lover should have in their library.

The New Wine Rules

I don’t have this book yet, but it’s next on my list to purchase. It sounds like it’s a book you could read front to back or browse through. This book is meant to be simple and make wine more approachable. It’s basically an abbreviated guide to the basics of wine including drinking, buying and sharing. It’s meant to be the “anti-snob” wine book.

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