The loam soil in the San Antonio area of Texas is perfect for cultivating grapes. Because of this, there are many wineries and wine bars in San Antonio that you can visit for a tasting or just to enjoy a glass of wine.
You can visit on your own or you can book a tour and visit more than one winery. A tour is a good idea if you have limited time, and the good thing is that you won’t have to drive.
In this article, we are going to take a look at 11 of the best wineries and wine bars in San Antonio. We feel sure that you will find at least one, if not more, that you will want to visit.
1 – In Contrada Vineyard & Kitchen
In Contrada is the oldest vineyard in Bexar County and they grow genuine Texan grapes that produce top-quality wines. You can visit at any time for a tasting flight of six wines and a complimentary wine glass.
Food is also offered, including pizza, Italian meatballs, and spinach and ricotta ravioli.
Try their semi-dry Sangiovese with aromas of anise, wild berries, forest leaves, and vanilla. Their Pinot Grigio is light and crisp and has flavors of apple and honeysuckle, with a ripe pear finish.
Join their wine club to get between two and six bottles of wine a month, depending on which club you choose. You also get discounts on their wine and complimentary glasses of wine when you visit.
2 – High Street Wine Co.
High Street Wine Co. has an extensive wine list with wines from all over the world. You can go there to taste a flight of different wines, or you can drink by the glass or bottle.
The staff are knowledgeable about wine and are happy to tell you about the wine and make recommendations if you aren’t sure what to choose. To accompany the wine, they offer food, including charcuterie boards, flatbreads, seafood, and even chocolate.
If you want to know about the wineries in Texas, High Street Wine Co. hosts a wine class where you learn how winemaking in Texas has changed, about the grape varieties grown, and the winemaking techniques.
3 – The Stray Grape Urban Winery
The Stray Grape Winery offers 50 different wines to choose from and you can visit for a tasting of four wines from all over the world. You have a choice of all red, all white, half red and half white, or sweet wines.
They take great care producing their wines. They follow each step of the winemaking process, waiting until everything is just right before bottling and aging. They produce in small batches of 30 bottles each time.
Their wines are low in sulfide which means that the wines taste fresh and rarely cause headaches.
The Stray Grape Urban Winery offers a novel winemaking experience. You taste and choose the grapes you would like to be made into wine and then mix and prepare the grapes for fermenting. 6 – 10 weeks later, you go back to bottle and label the wine.
What can be better than making your own wine?!
Join their wine club for 2 bottles of wine a month, discounts, and special invitations to tastings and special events.
4 – Copa Wine Bar & Tasting Room
Copa Wine Bar & Tasting Room serves wines from all over the world and is open as a wine bar all week apart from Sundays. On Wednesdays, you can have a wine tasting where you can enjoy a selection of 6 wines.
If there is a particular wine that you like, you can purchase a bottle at a discount.
The wine bar also serves food to accompany your wine, including appetizers, pizzas, and charcuterie boards.
They will host special events such as birthday parties and bachelorette parties.
5 – Whisper Path Cellars
Whisper Path Cellars was only established in 2017 but has already received awards for many of the wines they produce. The wines are all made from authentic Texan grapes, and they have wine shops and tasting rooms throughout the Hill Country Trail.
Some of their award-winning wines include the 2019 Tempranillo, the 2020 Belle Mélange, and the 2018 San Antonio Rose.
The Tempranillo is a delicious wine with aromas of black cherry, cigars, black pepper, and dried flowers, and flavors of cherry, fig, and spices.
It pairs well with grilled meat, pasta in a tomato sauce, and a cheese and charcuterie board.
6 – Re: Rooted 210 Urban Winery
This tasting room is located in Hennisfair in downtown San Antonio. This winery is a little different from other wineries as they serve their wines from a keg. You can enjoy them either by the glass or the growler.
You can choose a wine flight so that you can try different wines, or you can buy by the bottle. They also serve locally produced cider and mead making it an easy place to go if you are with friends who don’t drink wine.
The winery holds wine classes where you will be able to learn about wine, including subjects such as geography, chemistry, viticulture, and history. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to taste a range of wines.
The classes even give you the opportunity to become a certified wine professional.
Join one of their wine clubs for deliveries and early discounted access to special events.
7 – Little Death
Little Death is a wine bar that serves wines produced in the best wineries in San Antonio. There is a wide range of wines on offer, and you can choose from reds, whites, roses, sparkling, and even champagne.
For those who aren’t keen on wine, they also serve beer and cider.
You will be captivated by the building even before you set foot in it. It is a 100-year-old gas station covered with amazing graffiti. Inside, however, you will find a contemporary wine bar in the European style.
8 – Senoritas Wine Bar
This wine bar serves high-quality wines offering an exquisite experience. You can order wine by the glass or by the bottle, but they also offer 7 different wine flights so that you can sample different wines.
They have more unusual wine flights as well as standard red and whites, such as Bien Dulce and Aromatic Whites. For those who prefer beer, they offer a good selection of craft beers.
They serve delicious food to accompany the wines including dips, cheeses, charcuterie boards, and pizza.
On Fridays and Saturdays, there is music, and on Thursdays, karaoke.
9 – Bell Springs Winery
Bell Springs Winery offers hand-crafted wines, and they have a walk-in tasting room open from Wednesday to Sunday. There is a food truck on site that offers everything from appetizers to full meals.
There are even kid-friendly options. There are both indoor and outdoor seating areas and at the weekend, you will be entertained by live music from local bands.
They have a wine shop where you can purchase red, white, and sparkling wine.
A big positive is that you can sign up for their wine club for free. All you have to do is commit to one shipment. You can even customize the wines you receive which you don’t get from every winery.
In addition, you will be invited to free tastings and have access to special Club-only wines.
10- Driftwood Estate Winery
Driftwood Estate Winery is in a prime location on a cliff overlooking the Estate Vineyard and Hill Country. It is a beautiful place to relax while sipping a glass or two of delicious wine.
The Vineyard was established in 1998 and it is a family-run business, so you know that they have put their heart and soul into the production of their wine. They have 18 acres of vineyards and produce 10.000 cases of wine every year. They use mainly their own grapes but they do also purchase extra grapes from the Texas Plains Appellation.
Join their wine club for quarterly selections, complimentary tastings, discounts, invitations to members-only events, and more.
11 – Kuhlman Cellars
Kuhlman Cellars produces handcrafted wines which are a delight to drink. They source their wines from premium-quality grapes in the region, and the wines have well-balanced aromas and flavors.
They offer leisurely tastings either outside or in. They also offer a Wine & Food Experience. You sample 5 of their wines paired with chef-prepared small bites such as their famous herbed almonds which are married with smoked sea salt and Herbs ‘de Provence.
Join their wine club for shipments, priority access to exclusive events, access to Signature blends, and more.
Final Thoughts
We hope that we have whetted your appetite with our suggestions. Whether you live in San Antonio or are just visiting, there is a great choice of wineries to visit.
We’re not suggesting that you spend your whole vacation touring the wineries in San Antonio but you should make time to visit more than one as there is such a diverse range of wines on offer.
We feel sure that you won’t be disappointed.
