Hill Country heavyweight William Chris is getting ready to stake a serious claim on downtown Fredericksburg. The Hye-based winery, fresh off a spot on William Reed’s World’s 50 Best Vineyards list, has filed state paperwork to build out a sizable tasting room right on Main Street. The project would drop roughly 5,000 square feet of public space into the town’s walkable core, signaling that one of Texas wine country’s biggest names is making a bolder downtown play.
State filing details
According to MySA, William Chris submitted a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing identifying 101 E Main Street as the future tasting room location. The plans call for about 5,000 square feet of tasting and event space, with a renovation budget of roughly $400,000. Work is slated to start in May, with the construction timeline currently aiming for an Aug. 31 completion.
Who William Chris is
William Chris already operates a flagship estate east of Fredericksburg in Hye and lists 10352 U.S. Highway 290 as its primary address, according to the winery’s website. Founded in 2008 by Bill Blackmon and Chris Brundrett, the winery hangs its hat on using 100% Texas-grown fruit and is known for labels like Mary Ruth and the Enchanté Bordeaux-style blend. The team also proudly notes its inclusion on the World’s 50 Best Vineyards list, a milestone that helped put Texas wine on a broader map.
Downtown momentum
This is not William Chris’ first taste of downtown Fredericksburg. The company teamed up with Wine for the People to open a Main Street tasting room in 2024, adding to the growing lineup of in-town wine stops, as per Hoodline. The latest filing lands as other Hill Country players - including Llano Estacado and Salt Lick - have also submitted expansion plans, a wave of activity that local reporting suggests could nudge more visitor traffic off U.S. 290 and into the downtown core.
What’s next
For now, the registration is just an early move. Permits, landlord agreements and design choices all have the power to shuffle the timeline, and a William Chris representative was not immediately available for comment, MySA reported. If everything stays on track, the new Main Street tasting room could join Fredericksburg’s downtown circuit by late summer, adding yet another stop for Hill Country visitors working their way down the strip.
