Sleep and Drink Wine at This Texas Vineyard Near Legendary BBQ

After the winery closes for the evening, you’ll have the entire vineyard to yourself—grapevines, gardens, and all.

Walk across the courtyard the next morning for a complimentary tasting, then head across the street for some of the most famous barbecue in Texas.

Fall Creek Vineyards at Driftwood offers something unusual in Texas wine country: the chance to stay overnight at a working vineyard, in a comfortable inn that transforms into a private estate once the last guests leave for the day.

Add the fact that Salt Lick BBQ—a legendary destination that’s been smoking meat over open pits since 1967—sits directly across FM 1826, and you have what might be the most satisfying pairing in the Hill Country.

The vineyard itself helped pioneer Texas wine. The lodging experience simply lets you linger longer.

Where Hill Country Wine Meets Southern Hospitality

Fall Creek Vineyards was established in 1975 by Ed and Susan Auler, fifth-generation Texas cattle ranchers who fell in love with wine during a trip to France.

Recognizing similarities between their Hill Country land and European wine regions, they planted the first commercial vineyard in the Texas Hill Country—and helped launch an industry that now includes hundreds of wineries across the state.

The Driftwood tasting room opened in 2013, adding a second location to complement the original estate at Tow, near Lake Buchanan.

On the winery’s 50th anniversary, ownership transitioned to Sergio Cuadra, the acclaimed Chilean winemaker who has led Fall Creek to numerous awards, including Texas Monthly’s Top Texas Wine.

The Driftwood property sits just 22 miles from downtown Austin (roughly 25 minutes by car) and 74 miles from San Antonio.

The address—18059A FM 1826—places it in scenic countryside where rolling hills, century-old oak trees, and vineyard rows define the landscape.

Staying at the Wine Country Inn

The Main Inn

The Fall Creek Vineyards Wine Country Inn functions as a complete guesthouse rather than a single room.

The property sleeps four guests in two bedrooms, each featuring a king-size bed. One full bathroom serves the unit, and common areas include a sitting room with a rock-faced fireplace and a full-size kitchen.

The inn blends rustic Hill Country charm with modern comforts—stained wood, stone accents, and upscale linens.

A private porch provides space for morning coffee or evening wine overlooking the vineyard grounds.

Once the winery closes for the evening, inn guests have the property to themselves: gardens, grapevines, and quiet courtyards become your private domain until morning.

The Chardonnay Room

For couples seeking romance, Fall Creek offers the Chardonnay Room—an adults-only accommodation for two.

This one-bedroom guest house includes a private bathroom, kitchenette, patio, and vineyard views with air conditioning, WiFi, refrigerator, and cooking amenities.

Tasting Fall Creek Wines

The Tasting Experience

The Driftwood tasting room offers intimate table-side service that elevates tastings beyond standing at a bar.

Staff provide context about varietals, terroir, and the specific vineyards supplying each bottle. Guests can enjoy wine by the glass or bottle, either inside or on patios overlooking the vineyards.

Wine-friendly bites—charcuterie boards, cheese plates, and small plates from local chefs—complement the tastings.

Hours run Monday through Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday, 12 pm to 6 pm. Reservations requested for groups of 10 or more.

Signature Wines

Fall Creek produces internationally acclaimed wines using 100% Texas-grown grapes. Key varietals include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, and Tempranillo—grapes suited to Texas’s warm climate.

The portfolio spans Meritus (a signature Bordeaux-style red blend), Grenache Rosé, Tempranillo, mineral-driven Chenin Blanc, and the limited-production ExTerra series.

The GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), made with grapes from Salt Lick Vineyards, earned Texas Monthly’s Top Texas Wine recognition.

Pairing Wine With Legendary Barbecue

Salt Lick BBQ sits directly across FM 1826—a walk from your vineyard lodging to some of the most famous smoked brisket in Texas.

The restaurant grew from a weekend pit alongside the road—where customers ate off car hoods—into a destination serving thousands weekly, with seating for over 700 guests.

Salt Lick operates as a BYOB (dry precinct), though Salt Lick Cellars next door sells local wine and beer. Hours run Sunday through Thursday, 11 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 10 pm.

Planning Your Wine Country Stay

Getting There

Driftwood sits roughly 25 minutes from downtown Austin via US-290 West and FM 1826. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is approximately 25 miles away; San Antonio is about 90 minutes.

Booking Details

Wine Country Inn rates start around $175 per night, varying by season. Book through Airbnb, VRBO, or directly through Fall Creek Vineyards. Limited capacity means early reservations are advisable for weekends.

Check tasting room hours before arrival—holiday closures apply (New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas).

A Glass Raised to Terroir

Fall Creek Vineyards at Driftwood offers immersion in a place—in the specific terroir that shapes each bottle, in the Hill Country landscape visible from your porch, in the family histories that built both the vineyard and the barbecue pit across the road.

Ed and Susan Auler helped prove Texas could produce serious wine. Thurman and Hisako Roberts proved Driftwood could become a destination.

Staying at the Wine Country Inn lets you experience both legacies, sleeping among the vines and waking to smoke drifting across the road.

Some pairings just work.