Turn down Texas’s thermostat by a few degrees, pack tens of thousands of wine lovers into an old railroad town, and you got yourself a party! GrapeFest is a wholesome (yet wholly wine-soaked) event that arrives in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine every September.
With grape stomps on the schedule and BBQ smokers on every corner, GrapeFest marks the peak of the harvest season for the Texas wine industry. It’s like homecoming for winos: A four-day extravaganza of feasting and fun.
Why September? With so many climates in Texas, somebody had to settle on a date. Grape growers in the Texas High Plains AVA may still be picking into October. Harvest in the warmer Hill Country region finished several weeks ago and they’ve already cellared their wines. And us North Texans don’t have many vineyard acres to worry about at all…so we get to take off work and go play in the street! Together, we celebrate the arrival of lower temperatures and raise a glass to the forthcoming 2025 vintage.
Now in its 39th year, GrapeFest has grown exponentially since that original 1986 festival. The first GrapeFest event reportedly brought in around 1000 people, mostly folks connected to the Texas wine business.
According to local news outlet The Carrollton Leader, 2024’s total attendance exceeded 200,000. This year is on track to be about the same–or, given 2025’s mild weather, maybe even bigger.
But despite its size, GrapeFest still has a homey, friendly vibe that appeals to casual wine drinkers and local families. No longer just a wine-tasting event, it also features midway rides, carnival games, kids’ entertainment, and live music.
And dress-up! This year’s theme was “The Grape Gatsby.” Pearls ‘n swirls were the look of the day as crowds of ladies sipped wine in their 1920s finest.
As it has succeeded in broadening its appeal over the last four decades, GrapeFest has gotten seriously big. But is it still seriously into wine? We dropped in yesterday (Saturday) to see how this historic wine festival has grown.
How to Get to GrapeFest
Downtown Grapevine sparkles with old-timey charm, including an antique Cotton Belt rail depot and a picturesque red-brick clock tower. Apart from two big annual wine festivals, it regularly hosts vintage car shows and Christmas lights displays.
If you want to combine your love of wine with a love of trains, you can even take a train directly to the festival. TEXRail, a commuter line that serves the DFW area, has a stop directly behind the main wine tasting pavilion. We spotted passengers streaming out of the arriving trains all day, ready to explore and imbibe.
There are also two ride-share pickup locations (on the north and south end of Main Street), and various privately-run paid lots located outside the festival grounds. (Expect to pay $20 to park up close or around $10 to park in one of the adjacent neighborhoods, possibly on someone’s front lawn.) Several courtesy shuttles bring festival-goers to the GrapeFest entrance from each of the three official free parking zones.
Once inside the gates, you’ll find a wealth of entertainment at GrapeFest. There are several music stages and gazebo-ed plazas. On either side of the wide avenue are wineries, shops, and restaurants offering all sorts of Western and wine-themed souvenirs and experiences.
In the center of the road are food stands and artisan booths. Main Street is closed to vehicle traffic during the festival, which makes it safe and easy to wander between attractions with a glass in your hand.
The Wines of GrapeFest
I began my day just before noon with a stop at Red Dirt Cellars. It’s a new winery concept that was launched earlier this year by Landon Winery. Originally founded in nearby McKinney, Landon’s empire has expanded to include several local tasting rooms that pour both Texas and non-Texas wine.
Red Dirt Cellars didn’t exist the last time I was in Grapevine, for the Spring Wine Trail–so I just had to check it out! Here, Sarah and I tasted two new wines from the Texas High Plains AVA, the flagship Red Dirt Blend ($12.50 for 6 oz) and the Wildcatter Pinot Noir ($14).
We also lined our stomach with a warm Bavarian-style pretzel ($9) from Red Dirt’s limited festival menu. It was served with yellow mustard, whole grain mustard, and hot honey for dipping. Mustard and Pinot Noir is one of my favorite back-pocket wine-pairing tricks…and this Tex-ified version did not disappoint.
From there, we wandered down Main Street to see what other corks were being popped that day. (A lot, it turns out!)
Besides downtown Grapevine’s eight permanent winery tasting rooms, some temporary outdoor bars were installed just for GrapeFest. Texas wine is prominently featured everywhere–but despite what you may have heard, GrapeFest isn’t strictly limited to wine grown in Texas.
For example, Hilton sponsors a “Champagne Chateau” with sparkling wines from near and far. An international wine tasting pavilion featured Aussie wines, including some from this year’s Barossa Premium Wine Experience class. And there was a “Rosé Rendezvous” tent filled with cowboy hat- and boot-wearing dudes cheerfully chugging the pink stuff.
Wine lists, pricing, and availability vary, but Grapevine festival wines tend to be very reasonable. (It’s not stadium pricing, thank heavens.) Canned cider/seltzer is $5.75, basic wine pours start around $7.50, and a glass of Champagne Taittinger from Hilton’s sidewalk chateau will run you an entirely justifiable $15.50.
The People’s Choice Wine Contest
I would’ve found a cozy barstool and watched a live act or two, but I had somewhere to be: The People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic! My digital ticket said 1:15 PM, and I wanted to show up right on time to help decide on the best Texas wines at this year’s GrapeFest.
The People’s Choice event is crazy. It’s nuts. You buy an entry pass ($28 in advance or $32 during the festival). You check into a large white tent in front of the train depot. You’re handed a glass, a booklet and a golf pencil–and off you go!
You get 90 minutes to try and taste through more than 120 Texas wines from 34 wineries from all over the state. The winery staff–and the intrepid volunteers from the Grapevine Wine Pouring Society–breeze their way through 10 of these madcap tasting sessions spread out over the four days of GrapeFest.
When the final horn blows, ticket holders–those who are still standing, anyway–fill out a ballot with their top pick in each of 10 stylistic categories. (Five red, four white, and one blush/rosé.) The three highest-scoring wines in each category are announced on Sunday afternoon.
A People’s Choice medal is a point of pride for Texas wineries who tirelessly cater to local tastes but only rarely achieve national recognition. The People’s Choice Classic also happens to be the largest consumer-judged wine contest in the country. Texas wine drinkers–from beginners to experts–taste and discuss the wines enthusiastically, pausing only to refresh their palates with cheese bites provided by Southwest Dairy Farmers.
As for myself, I’m a Dallas native who follows the local Grapevine wineries with great interest. I also tried dozens upon dozens of Texas wines as a Lone Star International judge this year. And so, many of the producers and wines were already familiar to me. Instead of trying to taste everything at People’s Choice–the way I used to in my 20s with sometimes regrettable results–I tried to narrow my focus.
I sampled new vintages of wines I’ve enjoyed in the past, including Messina Hof‘s GSM blend and their Reserve Sagrantino. And I sought out emerging and specialty varieties. One is the Gulf Coast hybrid Lenoir, also called Black Spanish–which I think has untapped potential for dry red, rosé, and fortified wines. (I’ll post more detailed notes on some of the wines later, when the People’s Choice winners are announced to the press.)
I turned in my People’s Choice ballot, stamped my hand at the exit gate, and decided to leave the rest of Grapevine’s wineries for another day. As much as I appreciate Texas wines, sometimes you just need Bordeaux, you know?
Sarah and I took a short Lyft ride over to Winestein’s Tasting Room, a boutique bottle shop and wine bar on the north side of Main Street. I restored myself with ice water and a velvety-smooth glass of Saint-Émilion, closing out an excellent Saturday afternoon in Grapevine.
Whether you love Texan wine, are curious about Texan wine, or just want a fun date or family outing, I highly recommend GrapeFest. It’s a relaxing, well-organized local festival that has something for everyone. The cost and crowds are moderate enough that spending a day doesn’t feel like a giant splurge or a giant chore.
I’ll be back here in a few days to talk about some of the Texas wines that stood out from the pack in 2025. Until then, cheers y’all!
What: GrapeFest®: A Texas Wine Experience
Where: Historic Main Street, Grapevine, TX, 76051
How much: Saturday or Sunday adult festival admission is $12, or $6 for seniors and kiddos. Admission is free on Thursday (and Friday before 5 PM). Wine tasting experiences are ticketed separately and start at $15.
Further reading:
The Wine Fairy: 7 things to love at GrapeFest
Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau: GrapeFest
The 40th Annual GrapeFest will be held Sept. 17-20, 2026, according to the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau website.
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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