Move over, barbecue and rodeos, wine is quickly becoming the reason to visit Central Texas. Fortunately, Dave and Ruth Love, the experts and owners of Hill Country Wine Tours LLC provide private, door to door, and all-inclusive day trips to wineries and distilleries throughout the Texas Hill Country seven days a week.
There are many obvious benefits of taking advantage of a guided tour—being picked up at your own home and chauffeured in a climate-controlled motor coach, plus being able to taste as much wine and whiskey as you wish without worrying about the drive home. But what sets the Loves apart is their customized planning, which delivers exactly what guests are looking for in a wine or spirits tour.
With over 30 years experience in the music industry and moving artists and large groups around the world, planning is second nature to Dave. “After visiting and pitching artists all over the world—arranging pick ups, deciding where to eat, doing sound checks and performances, I became a master of logistics. Later, as a wine lover, I fell into the tour business quite naturally.”
Thanks to Dave’s instincts and the partnerships and personal relationships the Loves have with nearly 40 wineries and distilleries, they are able to curate an experience based on guests’ palettes and passion for pairings, geographical areas, beautiful views, or even a desire to be entertained in a tree house. Dave says, “With more than 100 wineries in the region, it’s a challenge for many to decide which ones to visit, or in what order to make the most of their travel time. We know each site’s specialty and which offer the best options for facilities, depending on the weather, for indoor and outdoor enjoyment.”
In any case, the tours are perfect for anyone who wants to entertain out-of-state guests or simply get out and have fun by digging deep into the wines of the Hill Country. The Loves also offer mix-n-match excursions with vineyards and distilleries. Each estate is a just a 10 to 15 minute drive and as they know the area so well, they are able to schedule everything to maximize sipping, eating, and shopping versus drive time.
HILL COUNTRY WINE TOURS • special events • TRIPS START AT $169 PER PERSON
PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK
MAKE A MEMORY TOGETHER (512) 815-1900 • [email protected]
WHEN TO GO
Hill Country Wine Tours will reserve a day or evening tour for as few as two people seeking an elevated private experience and, conversely, no group is too large. Tours are available seven days a week and some holidays year round, and are a very popular choice for weddings, bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, and corporate retreats or events.
Typically, Dave says, clients book their excursions six weeks to three months in advance. “We are sometimes able to accommodate guests at the last minute but, this year, those weekends are somewhat limited.”
WHAT TO EXPECT
A typical day on tour may include visiting and tastings at three vineyards and an enjoyable lunch or dinner. When guests arrive at any of the planned destinations, they’ll find the Loves—experts at relationship building—are known by everyone from the tasting room managers down to the ambassadors serving the wine.
“Our friends at the wineries and distilleries on the tour know when we walk in, all of our guests are VIPs and no two tours are the same.”
Dave Love
Dave and Ruth select one or two focal points and build on those. “For groups of six or more, we will visit three estates with a lunch,” Dave adds. “If there are fewer than six guests, we can do as many as four estates because we can move more nimbly between the sites. In any case, we always have reservations.”
SET APART…
As their motor coach says, “You drink we drive,” and guests are provided cold water and Topo Chicos, or all can enjoy their own wine or spirits while on board. The company is fully insured and registered with the State of Texas and the Department of Transportation and their herd of 15 passenger vans are new, comfortable, and the belles of the 290 Wine Road.
…AND FAMILY FRIENDLY
In addition to tours of the Hill Country Dave and Ruth’s vans are available for transportation to any destination; e.g., airport pickups, or drops at concerts, rodeos, SWSX, sporting events, and festivals across the state. “We will pick up or drop anywhere,” Dave says. “From Georgetown, Killeen, San Antonio, Kerrville, we head to the 30-mile stretch of the Route 290 wine road to our three most popular spots; Johnson City, Hye, Stonewall, and Fredericksburg. We may also head to the Dripping Springs and Driftwood area for white spirits; vodka, rum, and gin.”
Hill Country Wine Tours also provides VIP treatment for families who wish to share the experience with their children. Dave says, “We can drive you to your special event, or schedule a stop at a winery that allows children and we always make sure to include apples in the package for the kids to feed the donkeys or longhorns.”
Visit them at Hill Country Wine Tours