Arch Ray Winery – Fredericksburg, Texas

Saying that this is a huge facility is an understatement. Not only do they serve some great wines but they also have a distillery and brewery here. Talk about a one stop shop for all. If that was not enough, they also have an excellent local restaurant, 1894 Ranch, serving delicious farm to table cuisine that is to die for (including locally raised Wagyu beef). Oh boy! So, how did this great place come to be? Many longtime Texas wine friends are already familiar with Fiesta Winery.  The same people, Stephen and Sally Baxter, have taken their next adventure to a whole new level.  They come from many generations of family ranchers, the Baxter and McCoury families, and have named this new inspiring location from a blend of a couple of their family background names, Archie, and Ray. The winery, distillery, brewery, and restaurant aren’t the only things to admire here. There’s a great RV park being built, cabins, as well as plans for a future Wyndham built but locally managed resort hotel on this site. This will definitely raise the bar on the ultimate full service stay location in the ever-booming Texas Hill Country.

There is so much to share about this place, but for this blog let’s focus on the wines.  The “old” tasting room was opened in 2022 and this brand new spacious facility opened up to the public last summer. Family member Weston McCoury from Fiesta has been overseeing the winemaking for Arch Ray. In addition to Fiesta wines, you can now sample some great Arch Ray wines.  There are currently five main flights to choose from: Sweet White, Sweet Red, Dry White, Dry Mix, and Dry Red. For this visit, the focus was on the Arch Ray wines Dry White and Dry Red fights. Grapes for these Arch Ray wines are sourced from the Texas High Plains AVA.  First up for the whites was the 2021 Viognier. It has a light tropical sensation with notes of honeysuckle. This was followed by the 2021 Gewurztraminer. This white wine is big on pear and dried apricot with a pleasant floral note. The 2021 Pinot Grigio has a light refreshing feel with notes of crisp apple and a touch of honey. The last white sampled was the 2021 Riesling. This German semi dry style wine packs a zesty floral note coupled with notes of apple and pear.  For the reds, the first one sampled was the 2019 Mourvèdre. This well-known Texas wine varietal had a touch of smoke and a bit of oak to compliment the peppery feel and smooth finish. The second red was the 2019 Sangiovese. This Italian style wine had rich cherries and spices. Another well-known Texas varietal in this flight was the 2019 Tempranillo. This one packed some bold cherries, and mouth puckering tannins with just the right shade of ruby color. Last, was the 2019 Tannat. This bold and dark fruit wine was quite elegant with well-balanced acids and a satisfying lip puckering finish.  You honestly can’t go wrong with any of these wines, so feel free to dive in and enjoy.

In addition to the large indoor location, there is a covered patio area for scenic outside seating for you to soak up some classic Hill Country scenery.  If you have time, plan to sample some of their food while you enjoy your tasting. The food items were sourced directly from the Baxter ranch. This is a sensational property that is still being developed, but for now, this destination is worth a stop. There are some great wines and tasty foods to enjoy here, along with a nice shop in the front of the main tasting room. Cheers!

www.archrayresort.com