Wine Tours
The tours normally begin and end at the Visitors Center in downtown. We also offer free pickup from and return to any of the hotels in downtown. A surcharge is added for pickups and returns outside of downtown. The surcharge is dependent on how far away the site is located. Please consider this issue as you will be returning from a tour after consuming a number of glasses of wine and could be under the influence of alcohol. Many people nap on the return trip from a wine tour.
We conduct wine tours throughout the year. Arguably the best times to go are in early April when the bluebonnets are generally in bloom and the weather is moderate, and the latter part of October, when the temperatures have generally cooled. The state of Texas has designated October as wine month. A number of wineries have grape stomps in July and August that are great fun, but beware of the heat. January, February, November, and December are slow months that can result in the tourists receiving more attention at each winery. Wine tours are popular for bachelorette parties and reunions. Of course, anytime you can drink wine, is a good time.
In January 2017, we updated our wine tours yet again. We did this for the benefit of our customers. We added 7 new wineries growing from 9 to 16 sites, providing dozens of new options including extended tours that can include as many as 4 wineries and or wine tasting rooms and divided them into separate regions around greater Houston and southeast Texas. Please look over the new options and organization.
The price of all of our wine tours includes the transportation, the tours, and samples. Your only other expenses are lunch when appropriate, if you wish to purchase a cheese and cracker tray, and any souvenirs and bottles of wine that you want to take home.
If you look young, please bring photo identification to show at the winery. Everyone needs to be at least 21 years of age.
We normally spend between 1.0 and 1.5 hours at each wine tasting room and winery. This is in part determined by the size of the winery, if there is any entertainment, if there is a tour, how many tastings you are enjoying, if you spend time buying a cheese and cracker tray and or bottles of wine and souvenirs, and depending on how much you like the facility.
Please be prompt for the wine tours. We have had people who have been irresponsible, shown up late, and missed a scheduled tour given on the winery’s premises.
The scheduling of these tours can change without notice. As we are working with 16 different venues, each of whom determines its days and times of operations, without notifying Houston Historical Tours, schedules are subject to change
General Information
Miscellaneous:
Most wineries in Texas are mom and pop operations. At many of the wineries, you will be able to talk with and meet the owners.
One can often find that the price of wine at a winery is cheaper than in a store. Also, you may not be able to find these wines in many stores in Houston. Ask the tour person at the winery who conducts the wine tasting or tour.
Because most wineries are locally and family owned, I have seen that they can easily disappear if a family member became ill, retired, or the founders did not have deep enough pockets to finance the winery for years before it made a profit. Colony Cellars Winery in Waller (1999 – 2012), The Purple Possum in Navasota, and Retreat Hills Winery & Vineyard in Navasota (2009 – 2013) all vanished between 2004 and 2013. The Texas Star Winery (2009 – 2012) died in Richards, Texas, moved to Chappell Hill in 2013, and reopened there in 2014.
Videos and Music:
We have numerous CDs of tranquil instrumental French, Italian, and other ballads designed for wine tours.
For groups of 6 or more people, we make available popular mostly romantic comedy movies with wine themes to watch to and from our destinations. Additionally, we have the classic I Love Lucy episode of her grape stomping.
Eating or Smoking on the Transportation:
Prohibited.
Beverages on the Transportation:
Non-alcoholic drinks are welcome. All drinks should have a cover, cap, or lid to reduce or prevent spillage. A $200 deposit, of which $100 is non-refundable, is to be paid 30 days in advance if anyone wants to drink alcohol in a car, van, or bus.
Tour Information
These are the 5 regions and the wineries and tasting rooms, locations, number of tastes, and their availability that we include on our wine tours.
A. Northern Region
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| # | Name | Location | # of Tastes | Availability |
| 1 | Bernhardt Winery | Plantersville | 6 | Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday |
| 2 | Cork This! Winery | Montgomery | 4 | Sunday and Wednesday through Saturday |
| 3 | Envy Tasting Room | Old Town Spring | 4 | Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday |
| 4 | Old Town Spring Tasting Room | Old Town Spring | 4 | Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday |
| 5 | Totals | 3 Towns | 18 | Everyday except Monday and limits on Tuesday |
B. North by Northwest Region
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| # | Name | Location | # of Tastes | Availability |
| 1 | Messina Hof Winery & Resort | Bryan | 4 | Everyday |
| 2 | Peach Creek Vineyards | College Station | 5 | Sunday and Thursday through Saturday |
| 3 | Perrine Winery | College Station | 4 | Sunday and Thursday through Saturday |
| 4 | Totals | 2 Cities | 13 | Everyday with limits on Monday – Wednesday |
C. Northwestern Region
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| # | Name | Location | # of Tastes | Availability |
| 1 | Pleasant Hill Winery | Brenham | 4 | Sunday and Saturday |
| 2 | Saddlehorn Winery | Burton | 6 | Everyday |
| 3 | Texas Star Winery | Chappell Hill | 5 | Sunday, Friday, and Saturday |
| 4 | Windy Winery | Brenham | 5 | Sunday, Friday, and Saturday |
| 5 | Totals | 3 Towns | 20 | Everyday, but limits on Monday through Friday |
D. Southeastern Region
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| # | Name | Location | # of Tastes | Availability |
| 1 | Haak Vineyards & Winery | Santa Fe | 5 | Sunday and Thursday through Saturday |
E. Eastern Region
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| # | Name | Location | # of Tastes | Availability |
| 1 | Bruno & George Winery | Sour Lake | 8 | By appointment only, but not on Sunday |
| 2 | Frascone Winery | Anahuac | 6+ | Sunday, Friday, and Saturday |
| 3 | Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery | Winnie | 11 | Sunday and Thursday through Saturday |
| 4 | Yepez Winery | Baytown | 3 | Sunday, Friday, and Saturday |
| 5 | Totals | 4 Cities | 28+ | Limited hours everyday. |
Northern Region Details
This tour can have 1, 2, 3, or 4 stops with two wine tasting sites and two wineries. The Bernhardt Winery has its vineyards adjacent to it. Cork This! Winery is only a winery. Envy Tasting Room and the Old Town Spring Tasting Room are in a cute area to go shopping. Old Town Spring looks like an old village from around the turn of the 19th/20th Centuries with several cafes and handicraft and cottage businesses such as glass, quilts, ceramics, candles, incense, kettle corn, fudge, boutiques, and more. It is most popular during the winter holiday season. People often go to Old Town Spring for the shopping in addition to the wine tastings. Montgomery has a similar, but smaller, shopping area. Envy Tasting Room has wines from outside of Texas.
Driving:
If no driving problems exist as a result from inclement weather, construction, accidents, rubberneckers, or congestion, the drive time from:
1. Downtown Houston to Old Town Spring is approximately 45 minutes.
2. Downtown Houston to Montgomery is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
3. Downtown Houston to Plantersville is approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes.
We take two different routes coming and going so that our participants can see more of the countryside.
These wine tours involve driving on toll roads and tollways including possibly the Hardy Toll Road, Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8, and the Tomball Tollway/SH 249.
Number of Hours. You can have your choice of going to:
- One tasting room, lunch, and shopping in Old Town Spring. Allow 5 hours.
- One winery, lunch, and shopping in Montgomery or Plantersville. Allow 6 hours.
- Two wine tasting rooms, lunch, and shopping in Old Town Spring. Allow 6 hours.
- Two wineries, one in each city of Montgomery and Plantersville, lunch and shopping. Allow 7 hours.
- A combination of either two wineries + one tasting room or two tasting rooms + one winery including time for lunch and shopping. Allow 9 hours.
- Two wineries + two tasting rooms = 4 stops in Old Town Spring, Montgomery, and Plantersville. Allow 12 hours with a stop for lunch, shopping, and dinner.
Visiting 1 winery or tasting room (Bernhardt Winery, Envy Wine Room, and Old Town Spring Tasting
Room) can be conducted Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday. They are all closed on Monday. Cork This! Winery is also closed on Tuesday. The start times can be flexible. They can begin between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM on Sunday and between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday.
Visiting a combination of 2 wineries and tasting rooms (Bernhardt Winery, Envy Wine Room, and Old Town
Spring Tasting Room) can be conducted Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday. Cork This! Winery is closed on Monday and Tuesday. The start times can be flexible. They normally begin between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM on Sunday and between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday.
Visiting a combination of either 2 wineries + 1 tasting room or 2 tasting rooms + 1 winery for a total of 3
locations can be done Wednesday through Saturday between 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Visiting the 4 locations on one tour can only be arranged on Saturdays only between 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
North by Northwest Region Details
This tour can have 1, 2, or 3 stops. Messina Hof is one of the oldest and largest wineries in Texas. It is located in Bryan, Texas. It has other locations in Fredericksburg and Grapevine. Its first vineyards were planted in 1977. The other two wineries are in College Station. Messina Hof Winery & Resort and Peach Creek Vineyards have vineyards on the properties. The Perrine Winery is also next to the New Republic Brewing Company and Rio Brazos Distillery. You can have wine, beer, and liquor – perhaps, not the best combination of fluids. Peach Creek Vineyards and Perrine Winery each opened in 2011.
Driving:
If no driving problems exist as a result from inclement weather, construction, accidents, rubberneckers, or congestion, the time from downtown Houston to College Station or Bryan is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. College Station is about 15 to 25 minutes further away.
We take two different routes coming and going so that our participants can see more of the countryside.
These wine tours may involve driving on toll roads including possibly the Westpark Tollway, Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8, and the Grand Parkway/SH 99.
Number of Hours. You can have your choice of going to:
- Any one winery of the three wineries in Bryan and or College Station. Allow 6 hours for one winery and a lunch or dinner stop.
- A combination of any two wineries in Bryan and or College Station. Allow 8 hours for two wineries
and a lunch or dinner stop.
- Allow 9 hours for a combination of all three wineries and a stop for lunch.
Visiting 1 Winery – Allow 6 Hours:
Messina Hof Winery & Resort can be visited everyday. Here are our options and schedules:
- Sunday
- 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 12:30 PM.
- 12:30 to 6:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 2:30 PM.
- 2:00 to 8:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 4:00 PM.
- Monday through Friday
- 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 2:00 PM.
- 3:30 AM to 9:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 5:30 PM.
- Saturday
- 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 11:30 AM.
- 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 2:00 PM.
- 2:00 to 8:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 4:00 PM.
Peach Creek Vineyards has limited afternoon and evening hours of:
Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM.
Thursday from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.
Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM.
Saturday from 12:00 to 6:00 PM. Tours on the premises are offered at 1:30 PM.
The Perrine Winery has limited afternoon, evening, and night hours of:
Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM.
Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
Friday from 2:00 to 8:00 PM.
Saturday from 12:00 to 8:00 PM.
Visiting 2 Wineries – Allow 8 Hours:
You can visit 2 wineries (Messina Hof Winery and Resort and Peach Creek Vineyards) on Sunday from either 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM or 12:00 to 8:00 PM.
You can visit any combination of 2 wineries on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Just tell us which two wineries you want to visit so we can customize a tour for you.
Visiting 3 Wineries – Allow 9 Hours:
This can be done Thursday through Saturday between 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Northwestern Region Details
Pleasant Hill Winery has scheduled tours on the premises on Sunday at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 PM. It has scheduled tours on the premises on Saturday at 11:30 AM, and 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 PM.
This tour can have 1, 2, 3, or 4 stops. Windy Winery often has live music by a one-man band on Saturdays. Pleasant Hill Winery, Saddlehorn Winery, and Windy Winery actually have their vineyards adjacent to the winery. Texas Star Winery is in a popular area for sausage and a small town ambiance with a few shops and an old museum. Brenham has a traditional old Texas town square with the county courthouse in the middle and lots of small local restaurants and cafés as well as an old museum. These tours make excellent day trips. One can often see lots of bluebonnets in the spring and azaleas in March. You may have the most tastings on these tours, but on the most limited number of days. Pleasant Hill Winery was found in 1997. Windy Winery opened in 2005. Saddlehorn Winery opened in 2010. Texas Star Winery reopened at its new location in 2014.
Driving:
If no driving problems exist as a result from inclement weather, construction, accidents, rubberneckers, or congestion, the time from:
1. Downtown Houston to Chappell Hill is approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes.
2. Downtown Houston to Brenham is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
3. Downtown Houston to Burton is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
We might take two different routes coming and going so that our participants can see more of the countryside.
These wine tours may involve driving on toll roads including possibly the Westpark Tollway, Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8, and the Grand Parkway/SH 99.
Number of Hours. You can have your choice of going to:
- Any one winery of the four wineries in Chappell Hill, Brenham, or Burton. Allow 5 hours for one winery and a lunch stop. In Chappell Hill and Brenham, you will have time to shop, also.
- A combination of any two wineries. Allow 7 hours including a lunch stop.
- A combination of any three wineries. Allow 9 hours including a lunch stop.
- All four wineries. Allow 10 hours including a lunch stop.
Visiting 1 Winery – Allow 5 Hours:
- On Sunday and Saturday, all of the wineries are open. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Saddlehorn Winery is the only winery open. On Friday, Saddlehorn Winery, Texas Star Winery, and Windy Winery are available.
- The hours are flexible. The earliest we start is at 10:00 AM as the wineries do not generally open until 11:00 AM. The latest time we start is at 2:30 PM as most of the wineries close by 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
Visiting 2 Wineries – Allow 7 Hours:
- This is an option on Sunday and Saturday with all of the wineries. This is an option with Saddlehorn Winery, Texas Star Winery, and Windy Winery on Friday.
- The hours are flexible. This tour starts at 10:00, 10:30, or 11:00 AM as the wineries do not generally open until 11:00 AM and most of the wineries close by 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
Visiting 3 Wineries – Allow 9 Hours:
- This is an option only on Sunday and Saturday with all of the wineries.
- This tour starts at 10:00 AM and finishes by 7:00 PM.
Visiting 4 Wineries – Allow 10 Hours:
- This is only available on Saturday with all of the wineries.
- This tour starts at 9:30 AM and finishes by 7:30 PM.
Southeastern Region Details
This is one of the shortest and, thus, most economic wine tours. This is a good introduction for the wine novice. It only goes to one winery and is four hours in duration. The winery is willing to open for groups of 8 or more people on Monday through Wednesday. The winery has an excellent tour that will take you out to the vineyards and into the processing room as the guide will explain the process of transforming fruit into wine. The Haak Vineyards Winery opened in 2000.
Driving:
The drive from downtown Houston to Santa Fe is approximately 1 hour. We take two different routes coming and going so that our participants can see more of the countryside.
Scheduling: You can choose from any of the following times:
- Sunday
- 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 12:30 PM.
- 12:30 to 4:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 2:00 PM.
- 2:00 to 6:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 3:30 PM.
- Thursday through Saturday
- 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 11:15 AM.
- 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 12:30 PM.
- 12:30 to 4:30 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 2:00 PM.
- 2:00 to 6:00 PM with the actual wine tour on the premises at 3:30 PM.
Eastern Region Details
This is the only wine tour that is to the east of Houston. The area is very green and much of it is close to water. It is also the most spread out tour. These tend to be the smallest, newest, and most intimate wineries. These are micro-wineries. The Bruno & George Wines, Inc. opened in 2001. Yepez Winery was found in 2007. Frascone Winery originally operated from 2003 to 2008 when Hurricane Ike visited it. Frascone Winery reopened on August 31, 2014. Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery opened in November 2014.
Driving:
If no driving problems exist as a result from inclement weather, construction, accidents, rubberneckers, or congestion, the time from:
1. Downtown Houston to Baytown is approximately 45 minutes.
2. Downtown Houston to Winnie is approximately 1 hour.
3. Downtown Houston to Anahuac is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
4. Downtown Houston to Sour Lake is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
We might take two different routes coming and going so that our participants can see more of the countryside.
These wine tours may involve driving on toll roads including possibly the Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8.
Number of Hours. You can have your choice of going to:
- One winery, the Yepez Winery in Baytown, for 3 hours, without a stop for lunch. Hours are seasonally flexible on Sunday, Friday, and Saturday and can start from between 12:00 to 6:00 PM.
- One winery from among the following three wineries: Frascone Winery in Anahuac, Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery in Winnie, and Bruno & George Wines, Inc. in Sour Lake plus a stop for lunch or dinner. Allow for 5 hours the Frascone Winery and the Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery. Allow 6 hours for Bruno and George Wines, Inc. Hours are flexible on Sunday, Friday, and Saturday. Starting times range from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- A combination of any two wineries on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, only the Yepez Winery, Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery, and Frascone Winery are available to visit. Allow 6 hours including a lunch stop for any combination including only the Yepez Winery, Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery, and or Frascone Winery. Allow 7 hours for any combination including Bruno and George Wines, Inc.
- A combination of any three wineries. Allow 8 hours including a lunch stop for a combination of the Yepez Winery, Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery, and Frascone Winery. Allow 9 hours for any combination that includes Bruno & George Wines, Inc. This can be conducted on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. This can also be done on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- All four wineries. Allow 10 hours including a lunch stop. This can only be done on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Scheduling:
- Bruno & George Wines, Inc. is only open by appointment. It does not want to open on Sunday.
- Frascone Winery is open Sunday, Friday, and Saturday from 12:00 to 6:00 PM.
- Vine to Wine Vineyard and Winery is open Sunday and Thursday through Saturday from 2:00 to 7:00 PM.
- Yepez Winery has seasonal hours. It is open from September to May on Sunday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM. From June through August, the winery is open on Sunday from 2:00 to 8:00 PM and on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 6:00 PM.
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