Rhinory

Such a memorable experience at Rhinory! We enjoyed a peaceful wine tasting while watching the rhino roam nearby — such a unique and calming setting. 🦏🍷 The wine was genuinely good — smooth, well-balanced, and clearly crafted with care. We especially appreciated the friendly staff who guided us through the tasting with great recommendations. Ended up taking home a couple of bottles we loved! Sipping wine with a view of a rhino? Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. Highly recommend for animal lovers and wine enthusiasts alike!

The Rhinory is one of my favorite winery's in Fredericksburg. It is very chill and the wine is good. Its also family friendly and has the rhino that you can feed. I split a bottle with a couple of people and it was perfect. The guy at the outside bar was very helpful in helping us pick a wine we all liked and he told us some interesting stuff about the Rhinory and how some of their proceeds go to helping rhinos. He also said they may be getting some rhino babies here in the future. I definitely recommend this place if you are looking to have a few drinks and to be in a relaxing environment.

We participated in the Pinnacle Rhino & Wine Experience this past weekend! We signed up for the 10:30am slot, which starts before the winery is officially open, which was nice to have that time to ourselves! We had an awesome guide and handler that told us all about Blake and the conservation efforts being made to sustain White Rhinos....apparently this winery was created to help fund the Conservation, not the other way around, which is super cool! After our encounter with Blake, we were given a reserved table top with a view of Blake's outdoor enclosure and the wine tasting began! We had a booklet that gave the information and notes about the wines we tasted (and room to make our own commentary/notes), but the gentleman who was guiding our tasting experience also went off-book to help us find a glass or two that suited our own tastes more perfectly! He was awesome and patient and found a great match for both of us! We roamed the grassy area outside while we finished our sips, bought a bottle to-go and a few more souvenirs to help support the conservation efforts. All in all, 100% worth it!

We had an incredible time at the Rhinory! We learned the back story of how the Rhinory started and got close to Blake (the rhino). Sara was very informative of the wines and very attentive to us. This was an amazing experience and I highly recommend.

This winery was an absolute gem — beautiful views, delicious wines, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The tasting experience felt personal and thoughtfully curated, with each pour better than the last. What truly set it apart, though, was the owner, who went out of their way to make us feel at home and share the story behind every bottle. You can tell they genuinely care about both the wine and the people who come to enjoy it.

This is one of my favorite regular stops when wine-touring the area. Blake the Rhino is a cutie-pie, of course, and they have a fantastic selection of wine. Great atmosphere and charitable vibes.

Rhinory has some pretty good wine and of course Blake the Rhino. The indoor area is a bit small but the bathrooms and A/C are top-tier, which is important in Texas. Yes, there is a Rhino and yes it is extremely cool. Profits also help Rhino conservation 10/10

David the sommelier was wonderful to our group! He educated us throughout the tasting and Becky was friendly and helpful too! We loved meeting Blake the rhino and felt good donating to the conservation. Delicious wines too!

Coming to the rhinory we definitely wanted to meet Blake but its so much more than that I've left with so much knowledge learned. We had an amazing guide with Matt he taught us so much about the mission that the rhinory has and all about there amazing wine selection he's very educated on the differences of all the different profiles and he definitely knew how to point us in the right direction I'd 100 percent come back again!

If you're an animal and wine lover like me, you're going to have the best time at Rhinory! On top of serving delicious South African and Texas wines, the winery also serves as a rhino reserve. Our server did a great job discussing the winery's rhino conversation efforts and telling us about the rhino on property, Blake! We did the Signature tasting of 5 wines for $30. Pours were very generous. My favorite was the Sumatran Sparkles!

This winery was our first stop on our wine tour and our overall experience was a good one. From the moment we arrived, the host welcomed us with warmth and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. The most unexpected--and delightful--surprise was getting to see a real rhino! It added a powerful and meaningful layer to our visit. Learning how our presence and support contribute to rhino conservation made the experience even more special. It's not every day you enjoy a beautifully crafted glass of wine while knowing you're helping protect endangered wildlife. If you're looking for a blend of great wine, thoughtful people, and a heartwarming cause, this winery is a must-visit.

Don't get it twisted. This isn't a post about eating rhino. Spending the week exploring the Texas Hill Country where vineyards & orchards reign supreme. Yesterday we stopped off to visit a this very unique winery located on the outskirts of Fredericksburg. We were just there for a brief meeting, but were treated very well by the staff during our visit. You can see their mascot is a 4 yr old, well fed, well cared for S. Africa rhino named Blake, that enjoys the company of all who stop in to enjoy a glass of wine and a relaxing escape from the Texas heat. Stop in, take a break, and enjoy the fruits of the Hill Country.

Had such a great time at The Rhinory! Tyler was seriously the best bartender, super chill, made us feel totally welcome, and even gave us wine glasses to take home just because. Like... what? That was such a nice surprise. (If you're the owner reading this, they had a small misprint on the letters, and he gave them to us as a gift. Please don't get him in trouble, it was a really sweet gesture and made our experience even better.) Also got to meet Blake, their 7-year-old rhino, and he's honestly beautiful. Such a cool experience being that close to him. Great wine, awesome vibe, and definitely not your average wine tasting. Highly recommend.

Cool winery with an even cooler mission. Love that the purpose of this winery is to help save rhinos. And it's even cooler that they not only have a rhino (Blake) on property, but are actively working to save and house more on property. I thought that it was nice that they offer a mix of local TX wines and S. African wines so you get a taste around the world. As an added bonus they also have 2 EV chargers available in the parking lot for guest.

Experienced a sweet wine tasting at the Rhinory on Saturday. Our pourer was Matt. He was polite but seemed spread too thin between his clients. The tasting he gave the other person in my party were at or above the pour line (marked on the glass) but mine were below the line for all 5 tastings I asked for him to fill up to the line for my favorite of the tasting, which he did. It felt inconvenient for the pours to be short each time, and even though he watched the pours, he still poured the following glasses short. No one should have to ask to get the portion we pay for. Even though accidents happen, at bare minimum, please make sure the pours after the mistake are actually at the correct height and maybe even offer a small incentive for the inconvenience. Besides the service, we had conversations with other employees behind the bar that were great! On another note, the rhino was my favorite part though! It was a very fun experience and if you're looking for a winery to bring children to where they can run around and be entertained, this is the one. Comparing the wine to the other wineries around, this is subpar in my opinion. But with the rhino and the younger atmosphere, it made up for the lack of the pours.

What a great experience we had at this place I loved it! It was our first time here and Tyler made us feel very welcome he explained what kind of wines they had and he recommended us one he thought we'd enjoy and yeah for real I loved it! I'm not a wine person but I enjoy the wine they had there He also explained about the Rhino they have there the little Rhino is just 7 years old wow and the place itself is beautiful with a great view perfect for enjoying a glass of wine.

We enjoyed Rhinory today. We'd been here last year and brought a couple with us today who've not been here before. Matt was our host today and met us all at the door with glasses of wine in hand. We tasted a couple of wines, then ordered glasses. Blake was out and I got a few closeup pictures of him.

What a cool concept! Staff was so friendly and knowledgeable about Blake the rhino, and he was a lovely companion for our lovely wine. The tastings are affordable and delicious, and the place is gorgeous. Beautiful outdoor and indoor area with plenty of seating and the option to walk around. Will be back!

Drumroll please... My 600th review and I wanted it to be someplace special. My birthday winery. I chose this place because one of my friends worked with Rhinos when she finished her doctorate. It was a special surprise for her & a place I wanted to visit bc we arrived too late this last time we were there and could not get a tasting or any time to see the rhino. Blake is the young adult rhino onsite. My friend commented on how gentle he was. She had always worked with wild rhinos in a breeding program. I can see her frequenting this place often. There was a brief educational talk and it was quite informative. He is going to be part of a breeding g program when he reaches 8 years old. We sat at a reserved table inside with the freedom & encouragement to go outside & see Blake while we sampled our wines. This was by far the best winery experience of my birthday weekend. Mainly because many of my good longtime friends were there, but it was a super enjoyable experience. The wines were delicious! Our server was terrific! Very knowledgeable & great personality. She made the experience even more fun. We ended up joining the wine club. Really cool benefits like private parties. I guess any excuse to come back here & to Fredericksburg in general. I ended up taking 4 wines home from this place. That says a lot!

Interesting concept which did get us to pull in and check it out. There is only one rhino at this time (Blake) but he was fun to watch. A lot of the wines were from South Africa but they did have a handful of Texas wines. The staff was friendly and helpful. It was a little warm outside so we wandered inside to cool off. All the indoor seating had "reserved" signs despite only a few being taken up. We let the server know we were looking to cool off and she immediately seated us. Not exactly sure what's happening with the seating but I imagine we won't be the only people looking for a cool place to sit in the summer. Overall the wines were lovely and so was the staff.

Rhinory was such a cute stop right outside of Fredericksburg. Once we were seated, we were given a complimentary single tasting of wine. There were 3 wine flight options you could choose from: sweet, standard (a mix of red and white) and their reserve wines. Seating consisted of indoor, outdoor (at the entrance and in the back) and bar top. Our server was very knowledgeable about their wines and was the friendliest thing you ever did see lol. There's only one rhino on the property (for now) and you're able to view it from the backside of the property without having to pay for their rhino experience. Definitely a unique winery to check out!

We visited today and the service was great. Becky was so helpful and had lots to tell about Blake the Rhino and his beautiful sanctuary. We all had a great time.

Loved visiting Rhinory for my first wine tour in Fredericksburg. Our tasting was super fun and our host was very informative and knowledgeable. I also loved seeing Blake the rhino in his habitat while enjoying our selections. We also got to see him getting fed which was very cute. I thought the Rhinory was a unique and memorable experience and a great place for animal conservation and rescue.

Loved everything about this winery, this was such a great experience! First, the wine ... amazing! We all got flights and loved each one that we got. All their wines are either from Texas or South Africa. They also sell snacks like chips and mini charcuterie packs. Second, absolutely love the cause for rhino conservation. This absolutely sets it apart from all the wineries for sure! During our visit we got to see Blake the rhino. Once you enter, you cross through the inside taste tasting, which was nice and cool. Once outside, there are benches with no cover and on the other side is a larger seating area under trees. Personally, I liked the benched no cover side that we were seated at because we could see Blake better, especially when he roamed over to our side, the only disadvantage is the there is no cover from the Texas sun. The service was great too! Heather was awesome! She told us the story of the winery, gave great recommendations and great to talk to also! She was very knowledgeable about their wines. Definitely make reservations because this is a must go to!

The best port wine I've ever had! This is the cutest spot! The Rhino was huge and so close. Loved that they had two options: tasting or just order by the glass/bottle.

Came here to check out some wines and my husband did a round of wine tasting. We even got a little kiddy welcome pack for our child which was really thoughtful! The experience was really chill and easy going. You're in no rush to buy anything nor to get out of the place. Our server was also knowledgeable about the rhino, which made the experience more enjoyable. The best experience for my child was seeing the rhino. Overall, we had a great experience.

We arrived with hopes of getting to see and or meet Blake the Rhino. When I looked online closing time was 5:30pm and we showed up at 4:45. We went by the fence and looked at Blake and we're informed by the Security that we needed to get away (understandable) from the fence. Yet Blake was 25 yards from and there were 2 fences between us. We begin to head in and a woman steps out and tells us they are no longer serving drinks. I informed her online closing states 5:30 not 5pm and this might be something they need to add on there social media sites. Needless to say a party of 4 willing to have drinks and watch a Rhino went elsewhere.

Wonderful winery and the staff was very friendly. I will definitely visit again next year. The wine was definitely my type of red wines and the outdoor seating looked very nice (sat inside due to the flies this time though). Beautiful entrance and statues of Rhinos. No pets allowed, so I brought my dog back later for some pics. The Rhino was very active and a staff member was there interacting with him and answering any questions people had. I took my parents and my dad was joking a lot with the staff and they handled him well, lol. The wine tastings have gotten expensive everywhere so I only did the basic tasting because the high end tasting menu was just too much. My advice is to know what you like before you go. They gave me a tasting of a high end wine for free since I was going to buy, so that was nice of them.

Great drinks, plenty of seating and a rhino! We reserved a table but didn't realized it was reserving access to the back picnic tables, instead of a table inside. They did have plenty of tables to choose from in the summer so walk ins would work, but now that it's nicer out or going with a big group, I recommend a reservation. Lots of great seasonal and curated wines.

We had an amazing experience on our first trip to Rhinory. Loved the tour and personal time with Blake the Rhino. All the staff were amazing, but a huge shoutout to Matt. He was so friendly and knowledgeable and you can tell how much he enjoys his job. We ended up becoming members and stopped by again for a glass of wine and Matt was just as friendly as the first visit. The wines were all spectacular and we love the back story to how it all began. A definite must do for a Fredericksburg wine trip!!

Friends and I were driving around collecting door prizes for an event. First stop Rhinory. Wait, lets back up. We arrive in West Austin and had a group breakfast. Gas tanks brimmed to make the drive to Gillespie County. Now, the Rhinory. GF is super excited to meet Blake (the rhino); she would to proclaim 5 stars for him. We started at the porch asking for a donation. Handing over our business card and tax documents. OH, so and so isn't here. You'll have to email. And that's basically what we got the entire day at every place. Gas money times 11 cars wasted. No, I can't give 2 stars for that. Here's my take of this place. As I said we had just had breakfast. Day drink? Buddy isn't much of drinker. GF is already checking out Blake; we stroll over to the outside bar for a glass of sparkling. Dudes pouring telling us his spiel; plops 2 glasses on the top and asks for $43. Buddy is always trying to pay; mouth drop. Eyes wide open like he's seen Bigfoot. The proceeds go to wildlife and Blake's future GF when he's old enough to mate. Meanwhile, the owner is raking in all the hay. I could see $20-25 but this is 290 highway robbery. Keep driving folks!

So amazing to have wine with a rhino! A truly unique and fabulous experience. I hope they get more rhinos- it was truly magical to be there. Thanks rhinory for a lovely visit

We love Matt!!! He totally knows his wines. We enjoyed talking palates and vineyards and rhinos. What you're doing here for conservation is very impressive! Delicious too! Matt embodies Texas Wine Country. We loved meeting Blake the rhino. This winery is a must visit!

We came here for a bachelorette party and loved the experience. We got a bottle of wine and listened in during the rhino experience. They have merchandise including skin paintings from the rhino, which is so cute! The rhino's a solitary animal, and his name is Blake. He is almost 6 years old and they need to wait until he is 8 to be introduced to a female. If they put a female with him before he reaches sexual maturity, he will friend zone her and not breed. So they have to wait until later. This was very good information!! They give proceeds from purchases to rhino conservation, I love that!

Loved stopping in at the Rhinory for the first time! It was adorable seeing Blake, I believe is his name, the rhino. The Cabernet Sauvignon wine is absolutely amazing. It is their South African blend and part of the proceeds go to helping Blake thrive in his habitat. Amazing art and beautiful sculptures all around the property. The staff were so nice and knowledgeable on the wine and on rhinos! They have blankets available for when it gets a bit chilly and they have some heaters out on the patio as well. I loved the option of a guided or self guided wine tasting. We will definitely be back!

I'm going to be honest in that I came here for the rhino and had zero expectations for the wine to be any good... but all my friends and I were pleasantly surprised! Both Blake the rhino and the wine exceeded our expectations! Fun fact: Blake the rhino is 4000 lbs and can pee 12 feet out... he also sleeps by 6pm. Most of their wines are from South Africa and they're all quite delicious. Highly recommend coming by to hangout with Blake and the super accommodating staff here!!!

MOST UNIQUE experience in Fredericksburg! Like come on this winery has a rhino named Blake! He was just the cutest! Upon arrival you get a welcome pour! We did the 5 wine tasting, pretty tasty! Loved the aspect that they are helping/saving animals from poachers in South Africa!

Texas, you are lucky to have such fine South African wines. If you have not been to Rhinory, you have to get yourself here soon! I love the design that the owners went with here. From the main entrance, the rear of the property where all the action (and Rhinos) are hidden. You initially feel like you are entering a small production facility with a decent-sized indoor area that will be packed. Restrooms are limited here, so I'd recommend using them right away. Once you organize your group after checking in, I think the only place to spend time is in the back tree-covered gardens. The teams working are well prepared for the busyness of weekend traffic, and I was blown away that they even took the time to chat with me about their wines. As a sommelier, this made my day. I tried so many wines before making decisions for the group. The pinotage is perfect. The blanc de noirs is sublime. The grapes that this group has access to are truly magical, and we are fortunate to enjoy them. I will definitely return when I go back to Texas. My vibe was so relaxed, happy, and this place knows how to make people feel in their element.

The experience was amazing but not really being a wine connoisseur, I didn't care for any of the wines served in our tasting. They didn't have wine that was sweet as I prefer a sweeter tasting wine. The people and the rhino experience was worth the extra fee and was cool to come in contact with one. Plus the storyline behind how Blake got there and his accolades was impressive. The entire set up was really nice too. As we had a reserved table with my wife's name waiting for us as we checked in.

A winery with a mission... and a cute rhino! The Rhinory is an awesome place to stop for a glass of wine while hanging out with Blake, the Rhinory's resident southern white rhino. If you'd like to sit inside I recommend reserving a table, however if you don't mind sitting outside (my preference actually) then they do allow walk-ins. The Rhinory features wine from both Texas and South Africa, and offers three different tasting flights - reserved, Keras, and sweet. The reserved and sweet tastings include four to five different wines with good sized pours. Visitors are encouraged to sip their wine while listening to rhino keepers introduce Blake and discuss the winery's rhino conservation efforts with the Species Survival Plan program. Everyone I've met who works at the Rhinory is very nice and genuinely cares about rhino conservation. I love the uniqueness of this Hill Country winery and its dedication to conservation, not just selling wine. I'd recommend stopping here during any visit to Fredericksburg for small or large groups alike. The Rhinory also offers other unique rhino-centric events, such as their private rhino experience with Blake and their "Winos for Rhinos" conservation gala taking place this November.

Made a reservation with this winery. When we walked in we received a welcome taste. Went out to see the Rhino and came back to the bar to grab some wine. Nobody made eye contact with us as they kept helping other guest. Finally was able to flag a server down and say we had a reservation for wine tasting. We were given glasses and sat at a table and told the server would be right with us. We waited another 15 minutes as nobody came to service us before walking out. I mentioned to the same server who sat us that we were leaving and I did not wanted to be charged for this as a card was required to make the reservation. She then goes "oh no, are you sure, I can personally serve your party......" If that was the case then she should have just served us in the first place. This was the same server who avoided making eye contact at the bar. Very disappointing

Seriously if you come to Fredricksburg, you HAVE to make a stop here. This was my first time finally being able to make a stop after seeing videos of Blake online and when I tell you my experience exceeded my expectations, that is a understatement. Right after my boyfriend and I arrived we were greeted and given a tasting by Dale right away! He then also introduced us to Blake, the adorable Rhino who you can see from inside the bar. We were very happy to be able to go outside and drink all while being next to Blake, you can't get that anywhere else. We were lucky because we also got to meet the rhino keeper who takes care of Blake and she was very knowledgeable and let us know that Blake was in very good hands. We got to see him play, walk around his enclosure and eat! The wines here were also AMAZING. Dale explained to us that all of the wines come from South Africa. We ended up loving almost every single one but we ended up going home with a bottle of the 2018 Keras Cabernet Sauvignon. The hospitality we had at this winery was unmatched, hands down my new favorite spot. We will definitely be coming back soon for more. Thank you Dale and Blake!!

We had such a great time at Rhinory in Fredericksburg! Greg took amazing care of us. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. And of course, we loved meeting the rhino, Blake! Can't wait to come back!

We came here specifically to see the rhino. Blake, the southern white rhino, was so calm and cute. I wish he had a companion. Such a unique and lovely Texas experience - wine and exotic animals.

THE BIG: Cant miss rhino conservatory that also is a winery on the Texas 290 wine strip! Driving down 290, just look for the big rhino statue with the gold horn. THE BLACK AND WHITE: Always a great time combining wildlife and wines! The white rhino on premise is named Blake and is 5 years old as of 2023. I came here with a couple of friends and we got a bottle however if you wanted tastings, they start at $30 for 5 pours. The rhinory specializes in Texas wines as well as south African wines! Primarily bc the climates are similar. There are rhino rangers that help answer any questions you have about rhinos and Blake! I was asking so many rhino questions and got my fill of rhino knowledge. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall a bottle of the Shiraz was around $60. Definitely recommend coming at least once to try the wines and seeing Blake.

Did you know there is a Rhino here? Quite the experience to drink wine and watch an exotic animal stroll around! The story behind the rhino and the winery is quite interesting. We enjoyed some of the chilled rose on a fairly warm day during Memorial Day. It was also pretty kid friendly with snacks for my kiddos. I'll come back next time I visit!

Matt was killer as a server!!! One thousand percent hooked us up with the 2021 Cab Sav and I am thrilled.

First time visiting and I had such a good time. We came towards the end of the day so we had just enough time to do a tasting. The staff was so nice and funny and made our time enjoyable. I only got to catch a glimpse of Blake before he was put away for the night, so I'll have to come back and visit again.

This was a great and unique experience! Matt was absolutely amazing and took his time with us even though I could tell he was very busy. The wine was amazing the atmosphere with a live rhinoceros, Blake, who appeared to be very happy, jovial, and was playing made the experience even that much more incredible. Would absolutely recommend to anybody !

Rhinory was the second stop on our wine weekend and it did not disappoint. There aren't many rhinos left in the world, so it was amazing to see one up close and personal at a winery of all places. The owners of this place decided they wanted to do their part in rhino conservation and opened up this place. The sale of wines help in this endeavor as well. There's a dirt road leading up to a large parking lot. The tasting room inside is not very big so either reserve a spot or find a spot in their large outdoor area. Customer service was excellent. We got a good lesson on the different wines we tried in our tasting. Nothing really blew my mind, but tasty still. The highlight of the visit was of course meeting Blake, the resident rhino. He was just chilling along the fence and we learned alot about what they are doing here. Overall, this was a very cool and unique place to visit that I would not mind visiting again.

It was a fun stop on our wine weekend. Our group of Elite wine-os, got to enjoy the tasting, and the rhino. It was cool to learn more about the animal and their program. They plan to rotate out the male in 3 years. The male rhino was pretty cooperative, and we got to take some cool pics. It was a fun moment. Hoping if I ever return, I get to enjoy some babies and mama rhinos as well!

Me and a group of friends came to the Rhinory and we had Matt as our server. He was very knowledgeable as he answered all of our questions. The space is very beautiful! The indoor and outdoor spaces make it easy to relax and enjoy Blake, the rhino!

Matt was great! We brought a ton of different types of chocolates to try with the wine and Matt gave advice on which chocolate would pair with each wine. Matt was 5 stars, Blake was 4 stars.

Matt is/was exceptional, he provided amazing service, great conversation and is very knowledgeable. As much as I loved Blake, I would come back for Matt alone! The ambiance is amazing, and I think a lot of it had to do with Matt.

Came here a few weeks ago after reading about this place online. As an animal lover, I was intrigued to have a view of a Rhino roaming whilst sipping wine. We did not make a reservation, but we were easily and quickly accommodated at a large picnic table outside with a perfect view of the resident Rhino, Blake. Our service was fantastic and very informative about rhino conservation and overall interesting rhino facts. It's impressive how much the staff is educated on not only their delicious wines, but Rhinos as well. This place is an absolute gem and a must see when in Fredericksburg. We went home with a lovely bottle of wine after our tasting and cannot wait to come back.

If looking for a unique experience with some great wine, give the Rhinory a try. We ended up stopping here as a last second stop and me and my buddy really enjoyed it. Good service, great wine and a unique concept.

We stopped by here while eclipse chasing in Texas. We figured a rhino winery might be mostly a gimmick, but it turns out the wines here are very solid! We had a delicious tasting flight and bought a few bottles to enjoy during the rest of our trip - and yes, we did get to see a massive teenage rhino up close, which was pretty amazing.