Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country is an AVA of central Texas in the southern United States of America. The long-winded title reveals both the location of this AVA and the landscapes likely to be found there.
Covering 70,400 acres (28,500ha) and centered around the historic town of Fredericksburg, this is a mid-sized AVA, entirely encompassed within the very large Texas Hill Country wine region. Both Fredericksburg (located 80 miles west of the Texan capital, Austin) and the wider Hill Country lie on the eastern third of the Edwards Plateau – a limestone-rich savanna which covers a significant proportion of western-central Texas.
Fredericksburg's soils are mostly clay-based loams, with limestone and granite dotted here and there where the undulating hills visibly expose the rock. The free-draining qualities of the better soils are most beneficial during the late summer months when the region's highest rainfall is recorded. Given the low latitude (30°N) and the subtropical climate here, frost is a remarkably pronounced annual problem. It becomes a risk to the higher areas, particularly in spring, with early budding varieties such as Merlot especially at risk from frost damage.
Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are the grape varieties for which Fredericksburg is best known, although other diverse varieties are planted in small quantities. These include well-known reds such as Pinot Noir and Merlot, and intensely flavored whites such as Gewurztraminer and Orange Muscat.
The majority of all wine produced in Texas is consumed locally, meaning that only very small quantities of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country wine are ever seen outside the state.
