The wife and I live in San Antonio and like to come out to the Fredericksburg wine corridor to see what the culture is up to and if there are any good tastes happening. Suffice to say we’ve tried most of these establishments with a variety of results. The culture and feeling varies from«get out of my tasting room because you don’t understand wine.» to «i think this is wine, I hope.» or «Please pay upfront for your tasting and enjoy a highly impersonal and intimidating experience». And then there is Alexander Vineyards. First and foremost there’s Claude and his gang of lovely ladies and puppies. Do you like Dogs? Coz Claude has them. Do you like well educated, passionate, ultra-friendly staff who know the difference between wine arrogance and wine education? Coz Claude has them. Then Alexander Vineyards is the place for you. Never in our travels have we been so warmly received. It was like visiting a best friend’s place. Truly Awesome Experience. Nevermind the wine, because it’s the most creative, exciting, extraordinary, exquisite, mind-blowing variety of grapes you could get in south Texas. Seriously. Every single wine that Claude dishes out is a knock-out, take-your-breath-away, mind bogglingly curious and beautiful wine. The kind of wine that makes you open your eyes wide and say«holy sh*t.» Claude has the know-how. Claude has the connections. Claude has the spirit for this trade. Claude remembers you. How many of these other vineyards will actually care about anything other than your wallet? i say none. Alexander Vineyards on the other hand, they treat you like old friends. 11⁄10 will return and throw so much money at them. Because they’re awesome and have the greatest wines Texas has to offer. No Contest. So quit going to these crowded tasting rooms with cold shoulders, bad attitudes, no personality, and over priced vinegar calling itself wine. Get yourself down to Alexander Vineyards. Buy as much of their Sauternes as you possibly can.
James M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
Claude Alexander offers the finest selection of wine in the Central Texas region, for my money. Through his European partnerships, he brings authentic Champagne from France, still wines from Bordeaux, a reisling from Germany, and plans to expand further from there. Claude, the owner, and his crew with Jane, Dana and others are very knowledgeable about their wines and the regions they hail from. The tasting room is an extension of the owner’s home, and as such each visit has been warm and welcoming. There are other wineries in the region that compete with lower price points, but the quality and uniqueness of Alexander’s wines is truly unmatched. Do yourself a favor and make a visit, have a tasting, enjoy a bottle out back with a view of the hill country, and join the wine club before you leave. You won’t be disappointed.
Alice E.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
My boyfriend and I went here last Sunday after having a terrible wine tasting experience at another winery. When we had Alexander Vineyard’s excellently procured European wines, we were SO glad we stopped. No fancy building, which for me was a good sign. Instead they had a wonderful and intimate tasting room, with a knowledgable staff, and top notch wines. I’ve been a wino for a while, and I promise if you’re into the great wines of Europe, you won’t be disappointed. Any Texas-made wine we had after we left just didn’t match up, but I’m not holding my breath that that will change. Go Alexander Vineyards!
Greg Z.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Braidwood, IL
Awesome server. I don’t remember his name. And take the free tour too! I think the guys name was Count Dracula or something, our pours were a plenty and all our tastes were pretty dang good. We killed a good 2 hours here enjoying the scenery and wine !
Sarah W.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Los Angeles, CA
They are no longer in the trailer and now have a nice, small, intimate tasting room. Follow the sign past the trailer to get to the tasting room. Dana was amazing and very informative during our Champagne tasting. 4 tastes for $ 20 but this is fabulous champagne. The first one was beautiful — I could drink it any day of the week and twice on Sundays ;) The second Champagne is very flavorful and I think it screams out to be paired with a triple cream Brie cheese or maybe some jarlsburg cheese and almonds? Very complex. The third was also delicious and the rose was good but I didn’t like it as much as the first 3. There are two very nice dogs at the tasting room but it was also very clean and they were very well behaved so I don’t think anyone will have issues with allergies. All of the wines are made abroad and imported here so the wines start around $ 50 a bottle.
Michael C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Houston, TX
Reviewing from the past year. Surely, when you a person with signage begging for money, it is quite cumbersome to see a vineyard to have signage when you first drive in. Quite inviting with a twist of humor, good O Texas jargon or slang, something along the lines…“Our tasting room may suck, but our wines sure dont” *Under construction
Sue B.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 McKinney, TX
The hubby and I really enjoyed our visit. The wines were excellent and I had to use self control to not buy more wine than we did. The wine is all French so I did feel like I was cheating on my Texas wines. The tasting room is dog friendly and there is an outdoor area for you to enjoy a bottle of wine.
Jaley H.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Mansfield, TX
Just an FYI this place does not have hill country wines. It is champagne, and wines from Italy and Germany. That being said it was our favorite tasting, and the most informative. It’s located inside the owners house, and his cutie dogs are inside. I can’t remember the lady who did our tasting, but she was so friendly and knew her wines! She told us all about the way vines grow, tannins, pairings, etc. We will be back the next time we’re in Fredericksburg for sure.
Mike And Robin C.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Georgetown, TX
«And now for something completely different» — a motto that owner Claude Alexander has ‘borrowed’ to describe his venture into the Texas winery world. This new winery has just opened up and is located on the east of Fredericksburg off of Highway 290. Claude has taken the time and effort to partner with some well established wineries in France to make his own wine to import and sell in Texas. The grapes and wines are from France and Germany, but unlike most wine importers, he has actually worked with the winemaker and selected specific wines to produce under his label. There are currently five wines to select from for tasting with more to be available later this year and early next year. There are two champagnes, one made of 100% Chardonnay and the other from Blanc de Blanc and Pinot Noir. Yes, these are real champagnes and composed of Grand Cru fruit. Both are quite good and a very exciting option for champagne lovers, as they are the real deal offered through a Texas winery! They are not super dry like some traditional champagnes and the alcohol content is not so high, so you won’t feel so «bubbly» after having a bottle. There is a good Riesling also available that is very well balanced. The Riesling grapes are from the Mosel area of Germany. Lastly, there are two Graves to try. The red is 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. The White is 55% Semillion and 45% Sauvignon Blanc. Both Graves have great balances and aromas to enjoy. These«old world» wines should help calibrate and broaden your wine sipping sensors so you can compare other wines to these created in the heart of the best wine producing areas for each of these various types of wines. Claude also has plans to bring in some wines under his label through partnerships with wineries in Italy and possibly Spain. He is very knowledgeable about his wines and what he is doing. Don’t be put off by the«temp» trailer tasting room, as you can see the plans he has on the walls for future buildings and bed and breakfast cottages. This place is worth your valuable wine visiting time and he is very happy to share his story with those that stop in to explore what Alexander Vineyards currently has to offer. Enjoy his hospitality and as well as the shade of the big oak trees on this wine country estate. We look forward to seeing the ground breaking on his new tasting room in the near future and the continued growth of his menu offerings. It is exciting to have something totally new and unique being offered to Texas wine connoisseurs.
Danielle L.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 République, Paris, France
One of the absolute best wineries/wine importer in Fredericksburg. No hype. just amazing wine and knowledge. Perhaps a big difference(other than the humble, cozy tasting room out of the house) is that these wines are imported from France. and oh, are they good. After going to some of the big and busy, touristy wineries(with very mediocre wine… lots of pouring out wines we just couldn’t get through — and tasting servers who knew no more than what’s printed on the page), this was not only refreshing but super impressive!
D J.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
A little confusing at first as we parked and saw a single-wide trailer. But we thought, «what the heck, why not» and checked it out. That’s when we found out that the trailer is not the tasting room; it is actually a large refrigerator for the sparkling wine. You have to continue right up to the house, which looks like any ordinary house. The tasting room was small, but servers were very knowledgeable. These are not Texas wines; they are International, and some were pretty good. Overall, we were pleased with our visit. Wine and service were good, but the tasting room was uncomfortably and awkwardly small. Not recommended for large groups or claustrophobic people; but highly recommended for couples looking for good wine, especially early in the day when your palette is fresh.
Karhleen T.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Houston, TX
Have tried to contact winery several times. I continue to receive the same voicemail messages about the winery being closed until January 15, this is now February. I have left several voicemail messages for them and have never received a response to date. Now I get an email from them wanting to charge my card for wines for a wine club membership for a winery that is never open/returns calls/emails. I think not.
J D.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
Their sign on the main road peaked our interest! «Our tasting room may suck but our wines don’t!» What a surprise to see a trailor… nicely painted trailor, but a trailor none the less! Their wines were an even bigger suprise and the service was impeccable and completely friendly, not to mention they were very well versed in their wines. We were there during Christmas so Claude’s daughter Erin was home for college break and the two of them were an awesome duo! We all bought wine and made friends as well! Hey guys!(Note to Claude– you better be kind to my sister!) Alexander Vineyards is a must… a must visit when in Fredericksburg! I’m opening a bottle of 2011 Red Graves right this minute and my mouth is impatiently watering!!!
Liz S.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Austin, TX
A nice surprise — their tasting room is unassuming, but their wines and the service make up for it. Owner Claude was patient, knowledgable, and friendly. We especially enjoyed their white wines — among them a Riesling, Sauternes, and Champagne. The bleu cheese/Sauternes pairing was an excellent suggestion! I highly recommend you add this little place to your itinerary. Don’t let the trailer fool you.
Elle S.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Houston, TX
«Yay! I’m a fan!» In general, Fredericksburg wineries serve wines that are too sweet; That is not the case here and I greatly appreciate that. We really enjoyed chatting with the owner and trying out the vino. And we did buy several bottles, which were the only bottles purchased on this trip. I can’t wait to see what they come out with when they embrace more reds. Keep in mind that I’m a Cabernet, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio drinker that spent a year living near Paso Robles, CA and taking weekend trips to Napa Valley. Yes, the tasting room is a trailer right now. Get over it. I’ll bet that you’ve had a friend that lived in a trailer at some point in your life and I’ll also bet that you didn’t love them any less because of it.
Melissa C.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Carondelet, Saint Louis, MO
Loved, loved their wine. We visited a few places and this was by far our favorite stop. Don’t let the trailer fool you. Get away from the big dogs and visit Alexander Vineyards.
Keri B.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Cedar Park, TX
An oasis in a dessert(spelling intended) of sweet Texas wines, Alexander, yes, is just a trailer(for now) but is a place to find some very sophisticated European wines and BUBBLES! After having sampled a bunch of Texas wines, it was a relief to taste the minerality and dryness of traditional French vintages. Also they have real Champaahnia from the Country of Champaahnia! and those bubbles blew me away! They had several varieties, some of which were sold out, but we got to sample the Brut and the Rose and purchased both. We also were a fan of the White Graves, a Semillon and Sauvignon blend, and the St Emilion(a red blend from Bordeaux). Kelly, our hostess, was so very attentive and informative on the wines as well as the plans for this vineyard in the near future, including a «real» tasting room, some vines, a BnB and even a restaurant. I am very excited to keep an eye on this place and watch it grow.
Kim C.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Fredericksburg, TX
I am kicking myself that I didn’t listen to the advice of the locals and go to Alexander Vineyards much earlier in my ongoing exploration of the Wine Road. After my visit yesterday I can say I’m now an avid fan and will be an evangelizer of their mission and especially their wines! I experienced personalized service, an incredible education about the wines I was tasting and delicious wines. I went in to sample the champagnes I had heard so much about and ended up being blown away by both the Graves and the Sauterne. If you are a wine enthusiast, a foodie or someone who wants to sample the best, this should be on your must visit list on the Texas Wine Road. Must, must, must visit.
Darlen W.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Coppell, TX
It’s true, the tasting room does suck. It is small, hot, and their isn’t much room between yourself and the taster so it kind of makes for an uncomfortable tasting. You can clearly hear everyone’s conversation, which is distracting. However, the wines are good and reasonably priced for what they are. Service was good but some of the whites could have been colder, this was one of the reasons why I did not get a glass of something. But one of the better quality wines in the area. We will return when they get some new wines in, a few were sold out, which was a bummer.
Mindy H.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Austin, TX
A fantastic new addition to the Frederkisberg 290 wine road experience. Don’t let the trailer scare you away, it is an upscale trailer with even nice clean bathrooms. Plus, you will be missing out on some amazing wine taste sensations. You can do a 3 wine tasting for $ 7 or a 5 for $ 10. The wines are European classics, but for half the price. I haven’t had anything I didn’t like. The champagnes, White Graves, and Bordeaux Rose are amongst my faves. They are bottled abroad and brought here. They currently showcase France, but will be adding Spain and Italy, amongst other European wine locales in the coming year. There are also plans to build a tasting room and B&B. You can enjoy a glass and sit out at a table underneath a beautiful shade tree while soaking in the hill country ranch landscape. Claude the owner is passionate and knowledgeable about wine and Kelly who manages the tasting room is friendly and also knows her stuff. They love great food and wine without the pretentiousness. Signing up for the wine club was a no brainer. I loved their vision for the future and wanted to be a part of that. They will be trying to harvest a Texan wine crop and producing a wine of their own in the coming years, if it works great, otherwise they are doing incredible stuff in Europe and bringing it to us here in Texas.