As fall settles over the Texas Hill Country, the rolling hills surrounding Dripping Springs come alive with cooler breezes, golden light, and a lineup of seasonal wine experiences perfect for day trips or weekend escapes. Dripping Springs serves as the ideal home base for exploring the region’s celebrated wineries and events, each blending education, hospitality, and the rich flavors that define Texas wine country.
October kicks off with the Texas Wine Month passport, a month-long celebration featuring more than 50 wineries across the Hill Country. Passport holders enjoy complimentary tastings and bottle discounts while traveling at their own pace through the scenic Hill Country. With four tastings per day, the passport encourages unhurried exploration, inviting guests to savor everything from bold reds to crisp whites, fun sparkling wines, and much more.
Later in the fall, wine enthusiasts can immerse themselves in Hill Country Wine Camp, an educational event designed to take guests behind the scenes of Texas winemaking. Participants engage directly with winemakers, growers, and sommeliers while attending seminars covering grape growing, varietal tastings, and food pairings. For those who want more than a simple tasting flight, Wine Camp is an opportunity to connect deeply with the craft of Texas wine while exploring the region’s unique terroir.
As the season transitions toward the holidays, the Christmas Wine Affair passport invites visitors to sip their way through more than 50 wineries adorned in festive décor. Running from late November through mid-December, this event is perfect for holiday shopping, offering special discounts on bottles ideal for gifting or sharing at seasonal gatherings. Evenings often end at cozy local restaurants or boutique hotels, making it easy to pair a day of tasting with Hill Country hospitality.
In December, Texas Hill Country Wineries will host a special winemaker dinner at Hill + Vine in Fredericksburg, featuring six member wineries for an unforgettable evening of food and wine benefitting the Texas Hill Country Industry Scholarship Fund. Guests will enjoy a thoughtfully crafted multi-course menu, each dish paired with wines hand-selected and presented by the participating winemakers themselves. This intimate event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with the people behind the wines, hear their stories, and experience the unique flavors of the Hill Country in a curated and personal setting—an ideal way to toast the season in true Texas wine style.
Adding to the richness of the experience, Texas Hill Country is home to a diverse profile of varietals. Texas excels with Mediterranean and warm-climate grapes, producing bold reds, such as Tempranillo, Tannat, and Mourvèdre, alongside aromatic whites like Viognier, Roussanne, and Malvasia Bianca. The limestone and granite soils of the Hill Country lend these wines their characteristic vibrancy and complexity, while Italian and Spanish grapes such as Sangiovese and Touriga Nacional thrive in its sunny conditions.
For visitors based in Dripping Springs, these events easily pair with day trips through the wine trail, scenic drives past Pedernales Falls, and leisurely lunches in Fredericksburg, Marble Falls, or Boerne. Whether you spend a single afternoon sampling Viognier under the oaks, attend Wine Camp for an immersive experience, or toast the holidays during the Christmas Wine Affair, fall in the Texas Hill Country blends exceptional wines with an inviting atmosphere that’s quintessentially Texan. This season offers the perfect chance to slow down, savor world-class wines just minutes from home, and experience firsthand why the Hill Country has become one of America’s most exciting wine destinations.
TexasHillCountryWineries.org | @texashillcountrywine
Experience fall in the Hill Country through scenic wine trails, intimate tastings, and festive events, where every sip connects you to the flavors and charm of Texas wines.