So … I’m all about unconventional outings–for dates, girls’ nights, and Tuesdays.  Sometimes it’s nice to get out of dodge and head to the ‘burbs, and Grapevine Wine Tours offer a fun evening away from the Big D that highlights Grapevine’s wine options.

I was lucky to join a group of media people on a wine tour on a Wednesday evening.  The group met around 5:30pm and piled into one of their small, air conditioned busses to visit three wine-centric stops in Grapevine led by a GWT representative who fed us fun facts about the city of Grapevine and its wine offerings.  (Fun fact: Texas is the 4th largest wine producing state!)  Each tour will visit three of the seven partners in Grapevine, some vineyards, some tasting rooms, and some restaurants.  The tour lasts around 4.5 hours and always includes a meal.

Our group’s itinerary was:

• Homestead Winery – this cute, little home close to Downtown Grapevine produces wine from vines grown in Ivanhoe, Texas.  The owner of the winery walked us through a tasting of their wines (15+ — yikes).  They have some wines that are incredibly unique and were happy to talk us through the flavors and nuances of the wines we were tasting.
• Delaney Vineyard – this vineyard is the only local vineyard and boasts 10 acres of vines, a winery, and gorgeous tasting room onsite.  We were treated to a tour of the entire site and a tasting of their offerings.  (I left with a bottle of wine from their gift shop … because I have a shopping problem.)
• Winewood Grill – we enjoyed a three-course meal at Winewood, complete with suggested wine pairings.  I opted for the BBQ ribs, and it was a solid choice.  They had live music in the bar, which was a nice bonus.

GWTs will coordinate with your party to determine an appropriate itinerary and pick-up location (at one of three Grapevine hotels, Embassy Suites Outdoor World, Hilton DFW Lakes, or the Gaylord Texan).  Each tour is customized based on your group’s size and preferences.