How much damage could I do in a half day on a mini wine trail? Oh, plenty! Recently my husband and I were in the Dallas area for a convention, and we had a half day to spare before the convention got started. Some people in this situation sleep in or read a book…I find the nearest winery. A winery is my happy place! Just north of Dallas within about a 30-45 minute drive is Grapevine, Texas. I had been on the wine trail through Grapevine before, but it had been several years, so I picked a few wineries within walking distance of Main Street that were new to me. We also had our 5-month old Golden Retriever with us for the weekend. Her maiden voyage through wine country in February went so well that she was a welcome addition on this wine trial in Grapevine with a couple of our con friends. In a half day, we visited 4 wineries, had lunch at a bistro, and visited an historic place…all within a 10 minute walk (total!).
This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, Red Shoes. Red Wine. will earn a small commission for the referral at no cost to you. Read more about affiliates & disclaimers here. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
What we thought of the winery: Made me want to burn my house down and rebuild it in Umbra’s likeness. What a gorgeous, modern, welcoming tasting room! Atmosphere was comfortable chic, wine flights were sexy, and the staff friendly. These were my people. Special nod to the gorgeous bar countertop made with selenite in epoxy…my inner geologists was giddy.
What we tasted: Pinot Gris, Roussanne, Merlot, Syrah, Red Fusion, and Merlot
What we brought home: Roussanne
What we thought of the bistro: Dog friendly outside tables, ridiculously good comfort-bistro food.
Near the north end of Main St is Liberty Park, home to recently (< 50 years, if you call that historically recent) reassembled Torian Cabin. The log cabin, built in 1886 and occupied by the Torian family until the 1940s, is a small (and free) look-see museum and a relic of life in a simpler time.
What we thought of the winery: I’m a big fan of Messina Hof at any of its various locations, and was happy to see the new winery and tasting room in Grapevine. They never disappoint and always have a great lineup for tasting. I also tried to grab the attention of he gentleman on the front porch, but he was playing hard to get. Brass status will do that, I guess.
What we tasted: Just about everything between the four of us humans, particularly their Orange Muscat
What we brought home: Almond Sparkling and Orange Muscat
What we thought of the winery: Very “Texan Ranch” atmosphere with very “Californian” wines. The tasting room was huge and looked new, very pretty.
What we tasted: Californian White Flight (Viognier, Chardonnay, Crimson Crush, Merlot) and Californian Red Flight (Crimson Crush, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon)
What we thought of the winery: Industrial, casual, welcoming. Plenty of outside seating for us and the pup.
What we tasted: Again, between the four of us, we were able to try a little of everything
Pupdate: Amelia had another great day on the wine trail and even made a Golden Retriever sized hole in a bush that she thought was a solid feature to jump on when exiting my vehicle. Didn’t phase her. Goldens are known for their extra derpiness. She has been so well behaved around the Bluebonnet Trail and Grapevine that I think she’s ready for a Fredericksburg trip, don’t you?
Usually when we take road trips to Texas wineries, at some point we have to ask for a box to keep our bottles from rolling around the trunk or floorboard. But now that I have a VinGardeValise Petite wine suitcase (holds 8 bottles), I brought it for transport and to keep the wine pseudo-insulated from the Texas heat during stops (read all about how I pack my wine suitcase here). Damn, I love that suitcase.
VinGardeValise – Up to 8 Bottles & All Purpose Wine Travel Suitcase (Silver)
