The inaugural Austin Wine Week launches April 26 to May 2, kicking off with a tasting event featuring more than 30 Texas wineries at Wanderlust Wine Co. East.

The new citywide event will bring together restaurants, wine bars, and producers for a mix of tastings, pop-ups, and collaborations centered on Texas wine.

Wineries participating in the kickoff tasting include Pedernales Cellars, Duchman Family Winery, McPherson Cellars, and Bending Branch Winery, along with smaller labels like Wine for the People, La Valentía, and Invention Vineyards. VIP entry begins at 12:30 pm, followed by general admission from 1:30-4:30 pm, with tickets priced at $70 for general admission and $105 for VIP.

At the center of the week is the Austin Wine Week Passport, a program that encourages participants to explore multiple venues, try Texas wines by the glass or bottle, and track their stops along the way. Participants can collect stamps, log what they taste, and share their experiences on social media throughout the week, with prizes tied to participation and creative posts.

Presenting partners of Austin Wine Week are the Texas Department of Agriculture and Texas Hill Country Wineries, a nonprofit trade association that promotes wineries across the Hill Country region.

Dai Due will host a winemaker happy hour during Austin Wine Week. Dai Due/Facebook

The format echoes similar tasting programs in the Hill Country, where organizations like Texas Hill Country Wineries host multi-week events that encourage visitors to explore wineries across the region. Austin Wine Week adapts that approach for a more urban setting, shifting the focus from vineyard visits to restaurants, wine bars, and retail shops.

Texas has grown into one of the country’s largest wine-producing states, with hundreds of regional wineries in operation. A Texas wine guide published by Austin Wine Week founder Amanda Laden describes Texas as the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., with more than 600 wineries and over 14,000 acres of vineyards.

Texas food should be paired with Texas wine, Laden said on Instagram, a philosophy that underpins the event’s focus on restaurant partnerships and chef-driven programming.

Additional events during the week includes a Texas Winemakers Happy Hour on April 29 at Dai Due, from 5-7 pm, featuring four women winemakers and paired bites from the restaurant’s kitchen; plus, “Lone Star Ladies: Behind the Bottle” on April 30 at House Wine, along with collaborations across participating venues.

To help guide first-time tasters, The Texas Hill Country Wineries has posted an online flavor profile that matches drinkers with Texas wine styles based on preferences such as sweetness, fruit, and acidity.