Wimberley Valley Winery

We leave the house an hour and a half later than I originally planned. I wanted to arrive early at Wimberley Valley Winery in Driftwood to beat the lunchtime crowds and make sure we could find a secluded spot to eat. But things happen—an unexpected visit from a friend. I dawdled.

Finally, we are making our way down the long drive to the winery. We see almost a dozen cars in their parking lot—not too bad. It could be worse, I tell myself. So, while Michael walks toward the food truck to order our lunch and find a table, I venture inside the winery to purchase a bottle of wine. It appears that half of the occupants of the parked cars are in the tasting room, sampling wine. Apparently, in these days of social distancing, making a reservation for a wine tasting is the only way you can be in the winery without a mask. I’m not tasting—I know what their wines are like and the name of the wine I want to buy. My mask is firmly in place.

I order a bottle of their dry rosé and learn that it is fini.  Asking for a bottle of the winery’s syrah instead, I get the same answer. Zero stock. They’ve been busy. My only requirement is that the wine is dry and not white—saying Michael doesn’t love white is a bit of an understatement. The young man, wearing the mandatory protective Covid-19 mask, points to the one dry wine available that isn’t a white—Reserve Red. I buy a bottle for the very reasonable price of $20.

Grabbing the wine and two wine glasses, I go in search of Michael.

The Grounds

I find him on the lower deck, totally alone, with an all-encompassing view of the grounds. Other customers are scattered—very appropriately self-distanced—some of them hidden by the trees. Many couples sit by themselves; some have toddlers in tow. A small group of young women is trying to keep the peace between two small children, a young girl and a younger boy—it appears to be a power struggle. I think the score is Boy 2 – Girl 2. Right now, it looks like the young boy might win as he grabs two fistfuls of hair and pulls—hard. The young girl doesn’t make a sound. She’s a tough little thing. Michael tells me there have been trips to the proverbial woodshed and spankings and severe lectures.

We sit here, sipping our wine, feeling time slip slowly past, relishing the small world before us.

When the buzzer jumps, Michael walks to the food truck to pick-up our lunch. While he is gone, I look up at the endless blue and inhale the day. How can I explain what it feels like to sit here, under the trees on one of the many decks at Wimberley Valley Winery, on this 26th day of March in 2021? It is a rebirth, pure and simple. It is hope. The past twelve months have been a challenge, not just with Covid 19 but with a killing cold spell. All of that is behind us now, and I see the promise of spring in the profusion of new green leaves breaking forth from the aged limbs of ancient oaks. The sky is crystalline, the sun warm, and the breeze is gentle. The smokey aromas of an oak-fired oven waft through the air and tease my senses.

Pizza and Wine

Michael arrives with our pizzas. Mine, dubbed the Fresh Pear, is a combination of Parmesan, Provolone, and Gorgonzola cheese, with red wine caramelized onion, garlic oil, a dusting of herbs, lemon zest, and of course, the requisite thinly sliced pear. With a hint of sweetness from the pear and caramelized onion, it tastes elegant, modern, and sophisticated. It tastes like a party in a penthouse apartment with city lights twinkling below.

Michael’s pizza tastes rustic and homey and comforting. It tastes familiar—like the Italy of your dreams. It is the Lexus of Lactose with sun-dried tomato pesto and four kinds of cheese: Havarti, Parmesan, Provolone, and Mozzarella. Trying to interpret the meaning of the name combined with the taste of the pizza, I come up with the Luxury of Cheese. I’m not sure that is it, but it sounds plausible.

We toast each other—the day, the promise of tomorrow, the future—with a glass of Red Reserve that is described as tasting of tart cherries but to me smells of freshly baked bread, not yeasty, but comforting. Thinking I will probably take half of what is before us back to our house, we while away the afternoon, finishing the wine and both pizzas. Dinner is off the table for both of us this evening—maybe breakfast and lunch tomorrow, too.

The Miniature Ponies

I could sit here forever, but I push myself up out of the chair and walk toward the miniature ponies, where two tiny tots are busy tearing off strands of hay and feeding it to their pint-sized friends. The two small children’s father watches over them at a respectful distance, and I ask if he minds if I take a picture. He nods his consent. Then we strike up a conversation. He is from Lubbock—Texas’s original wine country.

I know Lubbock, I have been there when a dust storm hit, and the world was awash in fine red particles. Our conversation continues, and I tell him my story. He smiles, “Yes,” he says, “We had one yesterday. Then it rained—red mud.”

I think I love the Hill Country.

Wimberley Valley Winery

The winery is set in beautiful surroundings, and the tasting room is gorgeous—probably more elegant than most I have ever visited. Founded in 1983, Wimberley Valley Winery jumped into the wine business producing fruity, drinkable wines that are great for summer sipping or pairing with various desserts. Today, they offer a wide range of classic varietals, easy to drink table wines, and their still popular 100% fruit wines.

Wimberley Valley Winery is a perfect place for so many reasons. Off the beaten path, the winery is tucked down a curling ribbon of gray between Wimberley and Driftwood. The grounds are beautiful and expansive, with tables dotted throughout; some are placed in the sun, others under shady oaks. Kids can run and play to their heart’s content and cozy-up to the miniature ponies without a parent having to worry about their safety. It is a place to relax and breathe and escape from reality for a while. Plus, there are world-class pizzas and burgers created by Chef John Sanderson, who loves what he does—cooking and creating great food on Friday through Sunday, 11:30 – 5:30 pm.

And then, of course, there is the wine. The prices are incredibly reasonable for a winery—the wine is delicious and drinkable. They have a large selection, spanning white, red, and rose with an assortment of sweet to dry. Usually, the supply is plentiful, but word has spread, and their popularity has increased exponentially. Today is the very first time I have visited when the winery has been out of stock on any of their wines. However, the wine I purchased was delicious. Obviously—we drank the entire bottle.

The Particulars

Location: 2825 Lone Man Mountain Road, Driftwood, Texas

Hours: 10 am—6 pm, daily

Wine Tastings: By reservation only inside the tasting room. Reservations may be made online at  https://www.wimberleyvalleywine.com/

Wine by the glass or bottle:  Monday—Thursday Purchase in the tasting room and enjoy outside beneath the oak grove. Friday—Sunday Purchase from the double decker bus outside.

Food Service: Chef John Sanderson prepares delicious pizzas, burgers, and sides Friday—Sunday, 11:30 am—5:30 pm. Check out the menu at https://www.wimberleyvalleywine.com/Food-Menu

Email:  WimberleyValleyWinery@gmail.com

Phone: 512-847-2592