We've been to William Chris before and it was a great experience. However, yesterday my party of 4 had a much difference experience for our reserved food-paired tasting. The waiter we were assigned (he didn't give his name but he was wearing a backwards baseball cap) stopped by to fill our water glasses and then disappeared for a half an hour to sit and drink wine with a couple who were obviously members (or his parents). He returned briefly to drop off the food and recited a few scripted lines before disappearing again. This would be a one star review if it weren't for a lovely person named Kaylie (sp) who salvaged the visit for us. The winery has a lovely tasting room and the grounds are superb (wines are great too). Just be prepared to be ignored if you're not already a member or are unlucky enough to get this guy. read more

Lovely wines for Texas, and lovely wines in general. But expensive compared to the quality for price in import wines. If you must have Texas wine, they do it extremely well. Much better value in Mediterranean varietals like Sangiovese, Mourvedre, Tempranillo and Cinsault by purchasing wine from...well...the Mediterranean. Tasting room is lovely. Why the 2 stars? Wine club policies are rigid, and the staff drive a hard line in enforcing them. Considering how much wine is on the market and many choices consumers have, it's pretty surprising that they were willing to go so far as to say "We looked up our marketing emails and it shows you read them so sorry, no refunds." Meanwhile, I tracked through all my emails from them and deleted ones, and sent a screenshot. I received nothing on the dates they claimed. The fact I was even having this exchange with them was absurd. After several back-and forth involving my sending screenshots from my email to show I had nothing from them on the dates they insisted I "read" their emails, they cancelled/refunded my February club wines. How does it normally go with a wine club if an email was not received or viewed, or overlooked, or changed mind, or I'd rather buy some burgundy this month? ME: Hey, this is Bob your club member. I see you just charged my card 5 minutes ago for my spring shipment. Can you hold that? I have lots of wine on hand already." THEM: Sure! We haven't shipped. Catch you next time. I suspect William Chris will post a response about their systems, processes, I had already cancelled once and was told of the policy in December, all is made clear in the fine print, you can cancel by logging in to do so, blah blah. (Yes, I asked to cancel my December shipment because I had been to the winery weeks earlier and bought a full case and asked that my onsite purchase be counted as my December club purchase.) Nobody NEEDS $45 Texas Mourvèdre. Lovely ones come from France for $25. It's great that WC is producing noteworthy Texas wine. But for their prices, if they can't operate with the same level of flexibility and graciousness as a club in Sonoma/Napa, the romance of high quality TX wine just does not substantiate the $. read more

My 2nd time here! The last stop of this trip ended with a return trip to WC Vineyard at the direct invite of Chris himself to allow me to experience a library tasting with a group of others. Rachel and Natasha accompanied me on this unique, exclusive library reserve tasting experience. A smaller private room in the back of the main tasting room held our seats in a room that truly looks like a wine library. Tables were set up with flights of wine, a food pairing tray and a tasting notes sheet. Our goal was to taste 3 wines in 3 flights and see which one we thought was the WC wine an which 2 were from other countries but used the same grape. Way fun! Kelsey Kramer was our guide and host for the event and she nailed it! Super smart on every aspect of the wines we had as well as what to look for, pair with, think of...she knew the wines inside and out. Very kind and polished in her presenting and explaining of the wines as well. Our group of 10 in total had a wonderful time tasting, talking, comparing notes, guessing the wines, etc. One of a kind experience I suggest anyone try and do at least once. My favorites of the tasting were the Wanderer Series 2017 Rhone Blend and the 2016 Petit Verdot. Rachel, Natasha, and I all found the cheese, chocolate pairings to be spectacular as well! read more

As a newbie wine drinker, I just want to shout out to SUE, our server at William Chris. Instead of just saying these are the wines we have, she asked & listened to what I liked & didn't like & adjusted my wine tastings to that. Because of that, my husband & I both bought bottles of wine from her that we LOVE! Thank you SUE!!! We appreciate all the time you gave us! read more

Just returned home from another wonderful afternoon at William Chris. This is my happy place. I love it so much I became a member and now visit six times a year for wine pick-up. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and the winery itself is clean and tastefully designed. Pick-up parties are a lot of fun, and I love the seasonally themed parties! Though some are better than others (depending on your taste), I've never tried a wine here I didn't like... especially the Mary Ruth! Mary Ruth, you my best girl! Grab a group of friends, pack a picnic, and spend an afternoon here. You won't be disappointed. read more

This was a very good sample. I enjoyed the guy that helped us a lot. There were a few wines I really enjoyed and some that I did not. The scenery is spectacular with the views of tge hill country. read more

Always amazing! Great customer service! My favorite winery to visit when in Fredericksburg!

I've been to Napa and Sonoma a few times. There really is nothing better than tooling around wine country on a gorgeous day in a convertible and randomly stopping for wine tastings. The wineries in Cali are gorgeous. They have the big vineyards and the spacious (specious?) tasting rooms. What they don't have, can NEVER have, is what I would call Texas Quaint. This winery has it in spades, or in spurs rather. The tasting room is set up in a century old family home of the Deike's, who we are told raised 9 (or twelve?) children in the home and they went on to literally have their own baseball team that was also graced by LBJ. The old home still retains a lot of its original charm in the flooring and walls and there's a 400 yr old oak grove out back. The grapes for the wines are almost all Texas grown as well. We did a tasting and Hubby and I both fell in love with separate wines. The Mary Ruth I think it's called for me, a light refreshing white named after the mother of the winemaker and artist of several beautiful pieces in the house, and the Syrah for Hubby. We bought a bottle of each, redeeming one tasting fee, and also a glass of each that we took outside under the trees, langorously sipping while listening to an acoustic singer and watching the chickens and vocal rooster claw at the earth. A truly Texan Fine Moment. Will definitely be back for more Texas Quaint. read more

William Chris Vineyards - Tasty white on a gorgeous day! - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

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Like many others, we weren't aware that you need a reservation to taste here. We didn't make a reservation (there were only two of us and I didn't even think that would require a reservation) but they told us we could hang out on the back patio and buy by either the glass or the bottle. The bartender let us sample a few things before we decided on a glass. I tried a red that was served chilled. I don't remember the name of it, but it wasn't bad. It wasn't amazing or anything, but it wasn't bad. The back patio was a chill place to hang out. It was a warm day, but not too hot. They also had free bottled water in a cooler. There was a family sitting next to us and they brought out toys for the kids so the adults could adult and not have to entertain. The other bartender stopped by to say hello and he was pretty cool. I don't remember his name, but he was a younger gentleman. We didn't buy bottles to go or anything because we didn't get to taste their other offerings and we didn't need a bottle of what we had. 3.5 read more

A group of us went on our own wine vineyard trip and this winery was our favorite of the three we visited! The wine blends were by far the best and their signature was noted throughout all their wines we tasted. Will definitely visit again! read more

Our bus company scheduled a tasting for my daughter's Bachelorette party weekend. This was our third and final stop of the day. As we got off the bus, we were laughing and having a good time, but not falling over or breaking things or being disrespectful of the winery. We had multiple generations present and were very clearly a family spending time together, not being wild or crazy. The man who walked us to our tasting said very loudly enough for all of us to hear to the woman pouring our wine "if they seem inebriated, cut them off". Unfortunately, despite good wine and scenery, we will not be back here after being treated this way. read more

You gotta geaux here ! What a wonderful atmosphere. Didn't give it a 5th star only because we had to stand the whole time. The wine tasting was wonderful and our tasting guide had ties to our hometown of NOLA. The wine is great and the peeps know their stuff. read more

Good ol' Texas wine! The place itself is gorgeous even in the dead of winter. Pretty far compared to the other wineries around Fredericksburg though. Wine tasting was $20 pp and probably the most expensive tasting we went to that day (out of 5) and we didn't even get the glass. The wine was pretty okay, but the staff was really knowledgeable and friendly and even gave us recommendations for other wineries in the area. And instead of oyster crackers they give you these crazy good almonds. Probably my least favorite winery we went to that day, but still deserves at least 4 stars for the quality of the wine and their service. read more

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My husband and I had an AMAZING time at our tasting with Sarah! She took the time to answer all of our questions and go in depth on process, procedures, regions and the history of William Chris wine. We also got to sit and listen to some great live music from some fellow Red Raiders! Wreck Em! 100% recommend WC and a tasting with Sarah. We can't wait to go back! read more

William Chris Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

We arrived as walk-ins due to having some extra time between tasting appointments at other vineyards. We were able to be accommodated despite them being busy and had a wonderful experience. Our wine ambassador was helpful in explaining all of the wines and having a discussion with us about the tasting notes. We loved learning about the Artist's Blend and ended up buying a bottle. read more

I'm putting this down as one of my favorite wine tastings and not just because I was able to taste wine at 10 in the morning... We got to visit last week while in Fredericksburg. I really didn't know much about them at the time but I'm glad we stopped in. They are in what was once a farm house and have recently added a visitor center. As far as the tasting itself, I really liked the wines here. Matt, the guy who was leading us through the tasting, was very engaging, knowledgeable and seemed passionate about their wines. I don't know but I like it when someone is genuinely enthused about their job. So I did say I liked the wines here. So much so, that after the tasting we actually did buy a few bottles to enjoy back home. As far as the location itself, I could definitely see buying a bottle of wine and enjoying a picnic there. You have great views of the countryside both inside and out. It was a bit chilly the morning I was there so we enjoyed the view from inside. Next time I'm in the area, I hope to stop in again and see what new wines they have. So yeah, great time and would definitely go back. read more

William Chris Vineyards - View from their new tasting area. - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

By far the best portfolio of offerings I've ever tasted in a Texas winery. Some I personally liked more than others, but every single wine we tried, out of 7 total, was well balanced. These guys know what they're doing, and it gives me much more hope that Texas will over time become a great wine region. Like the best of their peers, there's no attempt here to go with popular varietals such as merlot. The emphasis is all on what sort of grapes grow well in Texas, and a pride in making just Texas wines. In addition to the wine quality, it's a really nice location. Whether hanging out on the patio, or lingering in the new main tasting room or the old club member original farmhouse, it's just a great way to spend an afternoon. We will be regulars. read more

Beautiful Tasting Room! Knowledgeable staff very friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed several of their wines and purchased a few bottles to take home. Highly recommend read more

William Chris Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

Wine is good food is amazing, hospitality is the reason for the low rating. If you are not a member be prepared to be virtually ignored the whole time. This is not fitting for Texas hospitality. read more

Don't come with a family bigger than 6. You cannot sit together. Unless your someone special, we saw some groups of more than six together, I guess they just didn't like us, we are a mixed Hispanic and white and they were all white. So go somewhere else to relax with your family. Not judging just stating the facts of what we experienced. Alan A US Army retired read more

We just had a lovely weekend in Fredericksburg and our last stop was William Chris. It is a little outside of the area but the scenery and wine are worth it. We were greeted by friendly staff and a glass of wine. Mary did our wine tasting and she popped open a "wild" bottle of Rosé for us! It was a fun experience for sure. My biggest compliment has to go to the entire staff. We had a hiccup with our uber and got stranded after they had closed. Luckily all the staff (Bill and Suzie took extra good care of us) were so helpful in making sure we would get home ok. They managed to get ahold of a local driver for us to come get us. While we waited, they came to check on us and just chat! They made us feel like they truly cared and were not left alone. They appreciated the fact that we were being responsible and not driving home after drinking. Thank you to all the staff! We will be back and next time be better prepared with a drivers contact! read more

William Chris Vineyards - Beautiful view - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

Had a lovely afternoon with a wine and charcuterie board. Jessica was our server and was terrific and knowledgeable about the wines.

Attention Austinites bound for Fredericksburg: Stop at William Chris along the way! Be sure to make a reservation online too- I made one the day of, but just to be sure, you might want to book yours ahead of time. Everything we tried here was delicious, but their Rose REALLY stood out for me. Easily my most favorite Rose on the planet! The patio is lovely and the vineyards are close by making this a beautiful scene to sip on wine with friends. The only real downside was that this winery is much more expensive than the Driftwood wineries and most wineries in Fredericksburg. I don't think you can get a bottle here for under $30 nor a glass for under $9. But that Rose is WONDERFUL! read more

William Chris Vineyards - I'll never forgive you if you don't order their Rosé. - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

We reserved a table this past Friday for their boxed lunch option and to enjoy some wine on their covered patio. We were happily surprised by the food. Each meal came with a sparkling water, panini, pasta salad, fruit and cookie. We bought a few bottles of wine to share between us, which both were great! It started sprinkling outside and they were able to drop a screen around the sides of the patio to help stay dry. We really enjoyed the wine and nice view. read more

They have a great selection of 100% Texas sourced wines. The tasting was 20 for 5 wines and we liked all of them. The tannins were low and the taste was good. The service was great too and we met some friendly people too. read more

Okay, definitely went on an off day back in February. I was back on the Texas Wine Trail with my friend for a photo shoot for her photography and we decided to come here because she has had pleasurable experiences in the past. Anxious to give this place another try, we definitely were not disappointed. It was a fairly slow day (Wednesday early afternoon would presumably be the reason why), and we had the opportunity to get to do a one-on-one seated tasting in the Wine Club area. Sure, don't have to ask us twice! Keith guided us through our tastings, and he was amazing! I learned so much about the history, the wine, the winemakers, etc. during our time with him. He even showed us around to some of the vineyards and showed us the barrels as well. Okay, the wine... some of my favorites: Mary Ruth - perfect way to start a day, simple, sweet, yummy 2013 Artist Blend - bold, almost smokey red wine 2011 Black Jacque Port & Jacquez Port - cannot decide which one I like better! Both were so different but phenomenal in different ways Also best part... the spiced pecans you get while tasting!! Overall, the wines I tried this time were great, the property is beautiful, and the experience I had this time was wonderful. If this is how things are done regularly, William Chris should be a top stop for you on the Wine Trail. Mind you prices are a bit more on the high side, but when you learn about the wine and the passion/love behind all of the operations, you see why. read more

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Beautiful winery! This is one of my favorite wineries to visit in Fredericksburg. I have been several times and always have a wonderful experience. The staff is top notch! They are super knowledgeable and passionate about the wine and winery. Mary and Tyler(?) gave us a great tasting and tour of the grounds. After our tasting we went and shared some bottles of wine under the big oak trees. So beautiful. I love the Mary Ruth (White) and I am a dry red kind of girl. Easy to find, plenty of parking, beautiful tasting area. This is a must stop next time you are on the wine trail! read more

We love WIlliam Chris. We have been fans for a very long time, since they opened many years ago. We are new wine club members. They have had virtual tastings during COVID, and we found them to be a fun way to have a date night at home. We love their reds and like to see that they are always making different types of wine with different types of grapes. We did visit William Chris over the weekend, and I have to say I was very upset about how they are handling COVID at the winery. 80% of the staff were NOT wearing masks, no one told you once you sat down to please wear your mask if you get up, some employees were loosely wearing their masks so they were falling off, etc. Our waiter, Rob, was great. He was the only employee in the entire members area wearing a mask at all times. I know they are in Fredericksburg and the city has had very little cases, but now that everything is opening up again and people from out of the city are coming in, I was surprised that they were not taking it seriously. We went to Augusta Vin after and every employee was wearing masks and wiping down tables. If you want to feel safe, I advise you go there instead. read more

The GOOD: This is a wine makers choice winery not statistically based - Dusty - very humorous, personable and knowledgeable - Miss Tina - organized and no nonsense - Boasts of having the best view (from the tasting room) in Central Texas - Winetasting: - free pouring! - 2015 Cinsault Rose - (not really my preferred wine since I'ma red wine snob) Great red wine notes to its finish and definitely very drinkable! - 2015 Mary Ruth White wine blend (Malvasia Bianca, Muscat Blanc, Blanc du Bois) equals refreshing - 2015 Texas Mourvèdre comparable to Pinot Noir and excellent - 2015 Malbec - - 2014 Sangiovese - 2015 Mandola Field blend: Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Anglianico and Nero de Avola - 2014 Tempranillo The NOT SO GOOD: --- read more

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We stopped in here recently on a girls weekend. The wine is great and the gentleman who helped us, Bill Pace, we FANTASTIC! So sweet and put up with a bunch of wine drinking women. The wine was good and it's more than just pour-taste-pour-taste-pour-taste. He actually teaches you about each bottle and shares some backstory to William and Chris. They say you need a reservation, and they mean it. A lady meets you at the front table (I believe her name is Jennifer) and she isn't very kind. She is literally like the gatekeeper, to keep you from going farther down. It wasn't a friendly Texas welcome, by any means. We'll probably be back. But it's not a laid back drop in. Plan ahead or you will be turned away, and disappointed. read more

My wife and I stopped in there last weekend with friends and hoped to do a tasting. The place was busy and they told us that they required a reservation but if we came back on a Friday afternoon it would be fine. Well my wife and I stopped by there on our way to Kerrville Friday afternoon and were turned away. The place was practically empty and they still required a reservation! It's like putting up a red velvet rope at a Starbucks just to be snooty for the sake of snooty. We are members at Grape Creek Winery right down the road which I highly recommend. It's a much more beautiful property with incredible wine and a friendly staff. Try Grape creek. read more

Excellent wines, beautiful property, great staff! If you want to experience the taste, sights and sounds of the Texas Hill Country, you need look no further. read more

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This was my first time visiting William Chris Vineyard, and I have to say we really enjoyed our time here. Joanna gave us a wine tasting and we loved the Tempranillo. Live music, great environment, and great staff. We highly recommend this place. read more

William Chris Vineyards - Tempranillo Wine. Highly recommend - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas

This was our favorite stop on our wine tour. Great wine, friendly service, loved the layout and general vibes of the place. We enjoyed the wine production tour and enjoyed our tasting led by Brent. read more

It was a very enjoyable experience. Francisco was amazing! He truly loves what he does and it shows! He gave us a bit of history as well as a great education for each of the wines we tasted. I will visit again when I'm in the Fredericksburg/Hye area. read more

Oh wow!!! Sign up for the wine tasting with bites.... your welcome. Thank me later!! This place has a great story, amazing views and delicious wines. read more

I appreciate your response. I totally understand your concern and attempt in trying to make the experience better for the guest. My experience has been that even some of the larger vineyards are able to accommodate the crowds and provide a wonderful experience. One of the newer wineries located in the Hill Country has started requiring reservations, however they have a new experience that provides a entree prepared by an executive chef. While its not an actual "entree" We found that experience was an awesome experience. I wish you luck with the new reservation system. As I continued my tour I spoke with another tour guest who remarked on the negative experience. Unlike myself, this was the only time that they were able to do the tour. The additional issue would be the knowing exactly where I would be on the tour and the availability to get back by the reservation time. I will keep the new reservation requirements in mind during my next trip. Regards read more

It's nice to be treated like a paying customer. This place is a breath of fresh air after being treated like a second rate citizen at Grape Creek. If your looking for a good winery this is it. read more

I've been coming here for years and every time it keeps getting better. The new member building is really beautiful and I love the open outdoor feel (would be perfect in the summer with the AC). Their wines continue to improve and are quite yummy. I highly recommend this vineyard as a stop on your next Fredericksburg trip! read more

Great wine and lots of whites, reds, rosé and sparkling to chose from. We love the property and all the staff is fantastic and attentive! Brent helped us out on this trip and he was AAAAMAZZIZNG! Knowledgeable, funny and listened to what we normally drink. He brought us wines that we absolutely loved! We will be back again! William Chris does things right and their staff is top notch! read more

William Chris Vineyards - Front of property - Wineries Near Me - Hye, Texas